MLS Next Cup Texas Team Preview: GFI Academy U17

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The culminating event of the 2025-2026 MLS Next season is coming up shortly, as the MLS Next Cup is set to take place at the Regional Athletics Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah from May 23-31.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The playoffs will reunite the best teams from the regular season, with 32 sides that qualified either via the MLS Next Flex event or league play in the Homegrown Division competing in a single elimination format in Utah.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fifteen teams from the state of Texas will be in contention for the titles after achieving significant results in their seasons. We're now previewing each of them:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">GFI Academy U17</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>How did they qualify?</strong> GFI Academy were one of the sensations of the MLS Next Flex tournament, dominating Group Q to qualify. They defeated Inter Miami 3-1, Nashville SC 4-0 and Real Futbol Academy 4-1 to triumph undefeated. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What is their squad like?</strong> The two options in goal for GFI Academy are [player_tooltip player_id='167840' first='Jay' last='McGowan'] and Sneijder Salamanca. The backline has [player_tooltip player_id='278648' first='Pablo' last='Quezada'] and [player_tooltip player_id='355250' first='Bryce' last='Hunnicutt'] at the outside back spots and Adrian Dominguez, Daniel Gonzales and Marshall Pierrell in central defense. Midfield is manned by [player_tooltip player_id='349065' first='Pol' last='Verges'], [player_tooltip player_id='338651' first='Rafael' last='Hall'], Pietro Monroy and [player_tooltip player_id='338118' first='Sebastian' last='Guerra']. Appearing in the attack will be Colgin Wang, Santiago Merlet, Landon Wallace, [player_tooltip player_id='338116' first='Kanishk' last='Baviskar'] and [player_tooltip player_id='277893' first='Jonathan' last='Torkin']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who do they play in the first round of the playoffs?</strong> DC's Achilles FC, on May 24, at 10:15 AM MT.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Marshall Pierrel","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Grand Oaks","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"GFI Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a078becb05be"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Pierrel is a defender for GFI Academy. He's fairly versatile, being capable of playing in central defense or as an outside back, and he combines solid technical and physical tools. Pierrel does very well in 1v1 duels, using his positioning to clear balls in the air, and is very timely and firm with his tackles, being very efficient at dispossessing opponents. The center back also has quality on the ball, showing confidence to push it forward with runs out of the back and releasing it at the right time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_Uvjfgowv4","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_Uvjfgowv4 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["278648"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a078becb0614"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Quezada plays as a right back for GFI Academy. He is a winger who was moved to the backline and plays the role with a very offensive mindset. The new role suits Quezada well as he has an impressive pace to make runs on and off the ball out wide and delivers crosses with excellent accuracy and vision. He also shows good defensive commitment, working hard to win the ball and helping close the space around the penalty box.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://sportsrecruits.com/athlete/pablo_quezada?video=5832922">Highlights</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Colgin Wang","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Awty","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"GFI Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a078becb0661"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Wang is a forward with GFI Academy. A winger, he can be used on either side, but is more commonly deployed inverted on the right. Wang is very skilled with his dribbling and can beat opponents in tight spaces with quick moves. He does a good job of staying wide and beating opponents to deliver accurate crosses into the box, but can also be a threat finishing chances, be it from outside the box or by getting into it to get on the end of crosses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TorOr8f23xI","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TorOr8f23xI </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->