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menuMarch 2023 Men's Team of the Month
With the regular season wrapping up in the Men's Division, there have been plenty of high-stakes matches played across every conference. The March 2023 Kings of the Court acknowledges the players that went above and beyond in their play this month.
MARCH 2023 Kings OF THE COURT
GOALKEEPER: Jorge Morales
A busy month for New Mexico Flagship FC gave goalkeeper Jorge Morales plenty of opportunity to make an impact on their season, and he did just that. A big win on the road against San Diego Voyagers, and an even bigger win at home against Brusa FC, kept Morales busy. NMFS have had a potent offense this season, but keeping Brusa FC to just 3 goals in a must-win match sets Morales apart in this Kings of the Court that features 3 goalkeepers.
Fixo: Lito Esquivel
Diminutive in stature, but dominant in status. Lito Esquivel's performances this season for Grand Rapids OLé have solidified him as one of the league's top distributors and playmakers. The OLé captain had a particularly eye-catching month, playing in 5 matches and recording 7 points (5G, 2A) en route to an NFPL playoff berth.
Ala: Miguel Cervantes
Miguel Cervantes spends as much time flying up court assisting in moving the ball around to fit Grand Rapids OLé's possession-based style of futsal as he does making saves between the posts. The OLé goalkeeper is recognized as one of the league's best shotstoppers and the league's best flying keeper, scoring 1 goal and providing 1 assist in March as Grand Rapids went 3-1-1.
ALA: Griffin Price
Griffin Price's addition to the Joy Athletic lineup has been monumental as the shifty playmaker has terrorized defenses across the league throughout the season. In March he recorded 4 goals and 1 assist in 3 games, including 3 goals in Joy Athletic's massive 10-9 win at home against league-leading FC Tryzub on March 11th.
Pivo: Kensuke Nakai
The late addition of Kensuke Nakai to the Ginga FS squad has been a revelation to the Cincinnati-based futsal club. In just three games with the team, Nakai recorded 7 points (5G, 2A), helping them finish 3rd in the conference and on a 2-game win streak after falling in a closely-contested match at Grand Rapids at the start of the month.
6th: Victor Barbosa
Victor Barbosa, the third goalkeeper joining the Kings of the Court in March, might feel slighted to not make the starting line after a heroic performance for Columbus Futsal. His game-winning goal and game-saving stops in the net earned him Player of the Week honors for Matchweek 14 as he helped his team secure home-court in the NFPL semifinal matchup and take 4 points from league-leading Grand Rapids OLé in two March fixtures.
Manager: Dante Garcia
The rise of Columbus Futsal Club has been one of the storylines of the season, led by manager Dante Garcia. Two massive results in March earn him the honor of leading the team of the month. Columbus have been equal parts skillful and determined this season, frequently clawing back to rescue points from losing positions and scoring late goals that stole the life from opposing teams. A draw at home and a win on the road, both against Grand Rapids OLé and both including late-game drama, put Columbus into the driving seat for home-court advantage in the NFPL semifinals and racked up Garcia's second Manager of the Month award.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to our March 2023 Team of the Month! Best of luck to these Kings of the Court and the rest of the players and managers in the upcoming games this season.
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