Twenty-four players are present but 28 are relevant.  

 

That’s the number of girls U.S. U17 GNT coach Albertin Montoya indicated are in the running to make the CONCACAF Qualifying for the 2012 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.  

 

They’re all auditioning this week at the Home Depot Center during a camp that Montoya will use to help finalize his core.

 

“I’ve narrowed it down and we’ve brought a pretty strong group in so now it’s just about putting the team together and I’m excited about that,” Montoya said. “For us it’s about identifying who plays well with each other. 

 

“I told the team at the start of the week that we have great players but players don’t win games - it’s the team. We need to see those that have great chemistry and understanding of how we play and who puts the team first.”

 

That evaluation process continued on Tuesday as the group trained in preparation for its first scrimmage Wednesday night. 

 

It was a free-flowing session heavy on actual play as opposed to drills. The U17s met in August when they played a pair of friendlies against Japan but this group has a few new faces including: defender Gabby Byorth, defender Claire Wagner, midfielder Sarah Robinson and forward Gabrielle Matulich.

 

One notable absence is Lauren Kaskie, an exciting player who fractured her right fibula a couple of weeks ago and had to pull out of the camp. She will actually be present this week to support the team but is obviously out of action. 

 

Just across the field from the U17 team are the U18s who are also occupying the Home Depot Center during this week’s joint camp.

 

As part of U.S. Soccer’s initiative to meld its entire program there has been more and more meeting of the minds between U.S. coaches of different age groups. On Tuesday, April Heinrichs, Dave Chesler and Jill Ellis all took the field as both teams were immersed in a shared philosophy.  

 

“We’re teaching (the teams) how we want them to play the game now it’s about breaking it down to make sure we’re organizing defensively and then teaching the creative side of the ball,” Montoya said. 

 

One U18 player taking it all in is 16-year-old striker Jenna Roering who has made her first trip to the Home Depot Center.

 

Roering recognizes many of her teammates from past competitions, though a small piece of her interest is back at home in Minnesota where her high school team is competing for a state championship.

 

“That was the most difficult part was being away from them,” she said. “I’m going to miss the first state game, and that will be hard but if the team advances I’ll be with them for the final two. I’m glad I’m here.” 

 

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Concorde Fire South; Kennesaw, Ga.), Carissa Miller (Sereno FC; Cave Creek, Ariz.), Morgan Stearns (McLean Power; San Antonio, Texas)
DEFENDERS (6): Morgan Andrews (FC Stars of Mass.; Milford, N.H.), Madeline Bauer (Slammers FC; Newport Beach, Calif.), Gabby Byorth (Ohio Premier Eagles; Dublin, Ohio), Zoey Goralski (Chicago Botafogo; Naperville, Ill.), Elizabeth Raben (Colorado Rush; Greenwood, Colo.), Morgan Reid (Chelsea Ladies; Cary, N.C.), Claire Wagner (Chelsea Ladies; Cary, N.C.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Joanna Boyles (Chelsea Ladies; Raleigh, N.C), Miranda Freeman (Lady Renegades SC; Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), Summer Green (Michigan Hawks; Milford, Mich.), Gabbi Miranda (Colorado Rush; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Sarah Robinson (MVLA Lightning; Los Altos, Calif.), Arielle Ship (Real So Cal; Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Morgan Stanton (Colorado Rush; Lakewood, Colo.), Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; Lorton, Va.)
FORWARDS (7): Emily Bruder (Utah Avalanche; Sandy, Utah), Danica Evans (Colorado Rush; Lakewood, Colo.), Darian Jenkins (Sparta; Riverton, Utah), Gabrielle Matulich (MVLA Lightning; Los Gatos, Calif.),  Amber Munerlyn (So Cal Blues; Corona, Calif.), Toni Payne (Concorde Fire; Birmingham, Ala.) 

 
U.S. U18 WNT Camp Roster

GOALKEEPERS (4): Caroline Casey (Virginia Rush; Chesapeake, Va.), Bryane Heaberlin (Clearwater Chargers; Tampa, Fla.), Abby Smith (Dallas Texans; Dallas, Texas), Andi Tostanoski (Pride Predator; Colorado Springs, Colo.)
DEFENDERS (9): Stephanie Amack (Mustang Blast; Pleasanton, Calif.), Yulie Lopez (Coral Springs United; Wellington, Fla.), Katie Naughton (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Carly Jo Olszewski (Real So Cal; Upland, Calif.), Cari Roccaro (Albertson Fury; East Islip, N.Y.), Alexis Shaffer (CASL; Cary, N.C.), Brittany Von Rueden (FC Milwaukee Nationals; Mequon, Wis.), Ryan Walker (Mustang Blast; Oakland, Calif.), Alexandra Wong (McLean Power; Rockville, Md.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Riley Barger (Freestate Soccer Alliance; Baldwin, Md.), Kate Bettinger (Marin SC; Belvedere, Calif.), Caroline Lindquist (Spartan Elite; Raleigh, N.C.), Ashley Meier (Cleveland Whitecaps; Strongsville, Ohio), Reilly Parker (Mustang Blast; Danville, Calif.), Taylor Smith (Solar Chelsea; Dallas, Tex.), Emily Sonnett (NASA, Marietta, Ga.), Allison Wetherington (Concorde Fre SC; Acworth Ga.)
FORWARDS (9): Makenzy Doniak (Slammers FC; Chino Hills, Calif.), Sophie Groff (Dallas Texans; Grapevine, Texas), Sarah Hardison (FC Virginia; Hamilton, Va.), Lindsey Horan (Colorado Rush; Golden, Colo.), Devlyn Jeter (FC Elk Grove; Sacramento, Calif.), Kristiana Konkol-Mroczokowski (Real So Cal; Malibu, Calif.), Kodi Lavrusky (Legends FC; Yucaipa, Calif.), Anna McClung (GSA Phoenix; Gate City, Va.), Jenna Roering (Minnesota Thunder Academy; Lino Lakes, Minn.)