There is no player more exciting or explosive in the Colorado Rapids academy right now than Dillon Serna. Shane O'Neill and Davy Armstrong were the first two to graduate to the Rapids first team but all eyes are on Serna when it comes to prospects expected to come and light the world up with the top team.
In the US U-18 Academy Playoffs, 17 year old Serna has been doing fine work to help get the Rapids into the finals for the first time. TopDrawerSoccer put out a feature on young Serna a few days ago and the brilliance that he has been able to bring to the team:
Crookham called him the ‘hero’ for grabbing the late goal in a 2-1 win for the Rapids that saw them through to Finals Week, but there was so much more to his game than the goals and assists.
It is the smart touches out of pressure, the persistent defensive effort high up on the field to win the ball back quickly, and his ability to always find the right pass, which make Serna stand out on the Academy fields.
Great stuff to hear about the budding playmaker. He'll be going to Akron for college unless the Rapids decide to make him an offer, which is looking more and more likely with every great game and with every call up to a higher and higher national team level.
As an added bonus, TDS also have Serna on their Best XI for the playoffs so far:
The heat and physical play got to Serna in the second game of the week against Empire United, but he responded with a masterpiece of a performance against the Dallas Texans to help the injury-depleted Rapids clinch a spot in Finals Week for the first time in club history.