Grant Gordon
On Friday, via conference call, the Los Angeles Galaxy selected five
players in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft.
Among them was former St. Francis High standout Ryan Shaw.
Shaw, a forward who is UC Davis' all-time leading scorer, was
taken with the 34th overall pick in a draft that is meant, "to enable
each of Major League Soccer's 12 teams to build their reserve teams,
which will begin play this spring," as stated in the Major League
Soccer press release.
He's the second former St. Francis player in the Galaxy
organization. Pete Vagenas, a 1996 graduate, is already a member of
Los Angeles' professional club.
"We're thrilled for Ryan," St. Francis Coach Glen Appels said of
the news. "It's especially exciting that he was drafted by the
Galaxy. ... That would be a dream if he and Pete got to play
together."
Shaw, a La Canada Flintridge native, was taken in the third round
of four-round draft.
Stated Galaxy President and General Manager Doug Hamilton: "We
selected five promising players that will be the initial building
blocks for the reserve team and could also compete for time with the
full side."
Shaw, 22, was a 2001 St. Francis graduate who certainly has the
credentials to make it in the MLS. At St. Francis, he scored a
program-record 80 goals in a career that saw him win All-Area Player
of the Year recognition in 2001, when the Golden Knights won the CIF
Southern Section Division IV title.
* GRANT GORDON covers sports. He can be reached at (818) 637-3226
or by e-mail at charles.rich@latimes.com.
