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Tuesday, February 6, 2001

Former Flagler soccer standout drafted by MLS' Dallas Burn

By ANDREW MIKULA | News-Journal Staff Writer

FORT LAUDERDALE — Edward Johnson has spent a youth soccer career burning opposing teams with his offensive skills.

Now he'll get to do it in the pros as a member of the Dallas Burn. Johnson, a Palm Coast resident, was selected by the Burn in the second round of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft late Monday morning.

The 16-year-old was the 19th player taken in the draft and the third pick for Dallas. Because of contractually negotiated commitments to finish high school and to play with the National Under-17 team, Johnson will not play for the Burn until the 2002 season.

"It's really, really exciting," the son of Lewanna Johnson of Palm Coast said in Monday telephone interview. "I'm looking forward to a successful career with the MLS. I accomplished my goal about becoming a professional soccer player at age 16."

Johnson entered the MLS SuperDraft as one of two players from the Olympic Development Program National Under 17 team. His friend on the team, Santino Quaranta of Baltimore, was tapped as the eighth pick by D.C. United, becoming the youngest player at 16 years, 4 months, to sign with the MLS.

"We're both really happy to be going where we are," Johnson said. "It's exciting for Santino because he's from Baltimore, so he'll be close to home. I'm happy for him and he's happy for me."

Johnson, who turns 17 on March 31, has been one of the most coveted youth soccer players in the United States and was selected to the National ODP in the fall of 1998. He played almost two years at Flagler Palm Coast, but he didn't play for the Bulldogs in the 2000 state championship in Tallahassee because he had transferred to a boarding school in Bradenton that houses the National Under 17s.

He was joined at Monday's draft by his mother and aunt Angela Johnson, along with FPC coach Bob Sawyer Flagler girls team coach Pete Hald. Johnson was selected by the Burn just before 11 a.m.

Dallas selected San Jose State defender Ryan Suarez as its first pick and Joselito Vaca, a promising young midfielder from Bolivia, ahead of Johnson.

Sawyer said Johnson was a little concerned about rumors that the Los Angeles Galaxy might select Johnson, who had told friends he wanted to be drafted by the Tampa Bay Mutiny so he could be close to home. Sawyer said Dallas will be a good move for him.

"It's pretty awesome," Sawyer said. "The Tampa Bay Mutiny was his first choice, but he told me if he couldn't stay in Florida, that Dallas was his next choice. He's going to a great organization.

"The coach (Dave Dir) has already told him that he completely understands his commitments to high school and the Under 17s and not to worry about anything."

Three weeks ago, Johnson and Quaranta signed contracts with Major League Soccer to make themselves eligible to be drafted. With Sawyer's help, Johnson agreed to a five-year deal with the league worth $340,000. He also received a $7,500 athletic shoe endorsement contract and can earn up to $80,000 more as part of an incentive clause in his contract.

Johnson said he was surprised that Dallas was interested in him.

"I didn't have a clue. It pretty much surprised me, but its exciting knowing that the Dallas Burn wanted me," Johnson said.

The Burn finished third in the MLS Central Division in 2000, compiling a 14-14-4 season record and qualifying for the postseason for the first time in franchise history. They play in the same division as Tampa Bay and the Chicago Fire.

Johnson will not play in the upcoming MLS season because the National Under 17 will be involved in the World Youth Championships. The qualifying round of three matches will be played in April in St. Louis, and if the team qualifies it will travel first to Germany for preliminary rounds, then to the championship round in September in Trinidad and Tobago.

Johnson is used to international play. In his first year as a member of the Under 17s, he led the team in scoring and started all 12 of the team's games overseas.

HICI Special Report — Sports: Hometown Heroes

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