Kavita, 5 RSL players loaned to Monarchs ahead of season opener


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SANDY — When Phanuel Kavita graduated with his degree from Clemson, there was one place he wanted to begin his professional soccer career — his hometown.

Kavita signed a homegrown contract with Real Salt Lake in December, and the 22-year-old graduate of Highland High School will begin his tenure as one of six signed first-team players of Utah’s MLS club on loan to the third-division Real Monarchs SLC of USL, the affiliate announced Friday evening.

Longtime RSL reserve goalkeeper Lalo Fernandez highlights the on-loan selections, which also include Utah natives Sebastian Saucedo and Adolfo Ovalle as well as defender Aaron Maund and midfielder John Stertzer.

The Monarchs’ inaugural roster features two New Mexico products in defender Riley McGovern and goalkeeper Victor Rodriguez for head coach Freddy Juarez, a native of Las Cruces, New Mexico. RSL’s 2015 MLS SuperDraft picks Lucas Baldin and Jordan Murrell are also signed to Monarchs roster spots, though Toronto native Murrell is still awaiting his work visa.

Former Toronto FC draft pick Emery Welshman and New England selection Alec Sundly bring MLS experience to RSL’s third-division side, which also boasts college graduates Leon Brown (Notre Dame), Darion Copeland (Alabama-Birmingham), Eric Osswald (Xavier) and Garrett Losee (BYU/Cal State Fullerton).

Real Monarchs will open the season with two international roster spots filled by defender Marvin Baumgartner from Switzerland and midfielder Lennon Celestino from Brazil. RSL’s Arizona-based academy will send Mexico City-born midfielder Jose Hernandez, a UCLA commit, to play with the minor-league club.

The Monarchs open the 2015 season at L.A. Galaxy II on Sunday in Carson, California. Welshman will miss the match after being called up by the Guyanese national team, his second camp invite since last year. The young striker will return to the Wasatch Front in time for the club’s home opener April 8 against Portland Timbers 2.

Real Monarchs 2015 complete roster

No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown College/previous club
18 Lucas Baldin MF 5'8" 150 Taubate, Brazil South Florida
12 Marvin Baumgartner DF 6'1" 185 Bulach, Switzerland --
14 Leon Brown FW 5'11" 160 Mattapan, Mass. Notre Dame
5 Lennon Celestino MF 6'0" 175 Sao Paulo, Brazil --
22 Darion Copeland DF 6'2" 160 Dutchtown, Ga. Alabama-Birmingham
13 Garrett Losee MF 5'9" 175 South Jordan, Utah BYU /Cal State Fullerton
4 Riley McGovern DF 6'2" 190 Farmington, N.M. New Mexico
23 Coco Navarro MF/F 5'7" 145 Inglewood, Calif. Marquette
24 Eric Osswald GK 6'1" 195 Powell, Ohio Xavier
17 Victor Rodriguez GK 6'2" 180 Las Cruces, N.M. New Mexico
6 Alec Sundly MF 6'0" 170 San Clemente, Calif. California /New England Revolution
7 Eti Tavares FW 5'10" 165 Window, Calif. Arizona Western
10 Ricardo Velazco MF 5'8" 150 Casa Grande, Ariz. Louisville
11 Emery Welshman FW 5'11" 180 Toronto, Ontario Oregon State /Toronto FC
1 Lalo Fernandez GK 6'3" 170 El Paso, Texas --
3 Phanuel Kavita DF 6'1" 184 Salt Lake City Clemson
2 Boyd Okwuonu DF 5'9" 170 Edmond, Okla. North Carolina
21 Aaron Maund DF 6'1" 180 Dorchester, Mass. Notre Dame
8 Adolfo "Fito" Ovalle MF 5'9" 155 Layton --
27 John Stertzer MF 6'0" 170 Oaktown, Va. Maryland
50 Sebastian Saucedo FW 5'7" 145 Park City --
RSL Communications

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