sacramento, california – Sacramento Republic FC announced Thursday that the club has added forward Ezekiel “Zeke” Padilla to its USL Championship roster as a USL Academy contractor. Padilla is a member of Republic FC’s U-17 Academy squad and will be selected for Republic FC’s visit to Hartford Athletic on Friday night.
Padilla, who signed with the USL Academy, will be eligible to train and face Republic FC’s first team in the USL Championship while retaining his NCAA eligibility.
“The quality of our youth development academy continues to shine, producing players with first-team pedigree,” said Republic FC president and general manager Todd Dunivant. “Sieg has impressed players and staff in multiple first team training sessions this season.
Republic FC Academy Director Edel Quintanilla said: “Sieg has earned this opportunity after showing a high level of performance in a short period of time during his time at the club this season. “He’s the latest example of how much effort our players have put into preparing them for the professional ranks.”
A native of Livingston, Calif., Padilla joined Sacramento’s academy in January after playing for hometown clubs Impact SC and Modesto Ajax. This season, he made nine league appearances for Republic FC’s Under-17s, scoring three goals and recording just over 400 minutes. He joins teammates Ethan Kelly, Blake Willie and Elmias Johannes as the fourth player from the club’s youth system to sign with the USL Academy this year and the 34th since the Academy was founded in 2015.
Earlier this month, Padilla FC and Republic FC Academy U-17 teams qualified for the 2023 MLS NEXT Cup playoffs in June, giving the teams the opportunity to play in the division’s national championship. . The club has three teams reaching the national semi-finals in the last two seasons of the tournament, making it the only club to reach the national semi-finals. The forward scored the team’s winning goal against the Philadelphia Union on May 14, securing the team’s group lead in the MLS NEXT Flex Tournament. With this, the Sacramento U-17 team has qualified for the postseason for the third straight season and a chance to win a silver medal on the national stage.
