Parke 3rd in Soccer America rankings

After finishing the season with the second-best defense in Major League Soccer, allowing just 33 regular season goals, the Sounders FC were well-represented in the Soccer America positional rankings at the center back position, with Jeff Parke finishing third and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado 11th.

MLS Defender of the Year Matt Besler of Sporting Kansas City, who bettered Seattle for the top defense with 27 goals allowed, finished atop the rankings, with San Jose’s Victor Bernardez ranked second.

Parke was Seattle’s most consistent defender in 2012, prompting head coach Sigi Schmid to tout his play over the final weeks of the season on several occasions.  He finished the season with 2,568 minutes, his best figure in three seasons with the Sounders.

Hurtado, meanwhile, started 20 of 34 matches for Seattle, losing just one of his final nine starts.  He finished ahead of the likes of George John from FC Dallas, Jamison Olave of RSL and Carlos Valdes of Philadelphia.

To read more about the Top 5 MLS center backs, as selected by Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney, click here.

Posted in Sounders FC