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Zusi, Espinoza and Fontas sign again with Sporting KC

Graham Zusi, Roger Espinoza and Andreu Fontas have signed contracts again with Sporting Kansas City, according to an announcement Friday from the club.

One-year contracts went to Zusi and Espinoza, while Fontas received a two-year contract, according to a Sporting KC spokesman.

Sporting KC now has a roster of 26 players heading into 2023 competition, which begins the last weekend of February, a spokesman stated.

Zusi has spent his 14-year career at Sporting and won four major championships for Kansas City, including the 2013 MLS Cup and three U.S. Open Cup titles. He is Sporting’s all-time appearance leader with 395 matches played in all competitions, including 341 in the MLS regular season and 20 in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

He was the first MLS player in history to play all 14 seasons with one club.

A 13-season veteran at Sporting, Espinoza is one of the league’s longest-serving midfielders. He helped lead the club to three U.S. Open Cup championships and nine playoff appearances.

A 2012 MLS All-Star, Espinoza has logged 316 regular season appearances since joining KC in 2008, the third most all-time among one club MLS players behind Zusi and Portland midfielder Diego Chara.

Espinoza leads Sporting with 24 appearances in the U.S. Open Cup. Espinoza began his professional career in Kansas City as a 2008 MLS SuperDraft selection out of Ohio State University.

Fontas, who arrived in Kansas City in 2018, has been a backline staple for Sporting over the last two seasons. The Spanish center back has started in 62 of the club’s 70 MLS matches since 2021, flourishing as one of the league’s best ball-playing defenders.

In the previous two seasons combined, Fontas leads MLS in total passes, successful passes and touches while also leading the team in interceptions and clearances. He has finished back-to-back campaigns ranking in the top 10 of MLS in goals added, an advanced metric that measures a player’s total on-ball contribution in attack and defense.

Fontas earned Sporting’s Defender of the Year award for the second straight season in 2022, finishing the campaign with starts in 31 of 32 appearances across all competitions.

He helped the club reach the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals, starting in all four matches of the tournament run, and bagged goals in consecutive matches for the first time in his professional career by scoring at Austin FC on Aug. 13 and against the Portland Timbers on Aug. 21.

A native of Banyoles, Spain, Fontas developed in FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy.

KCKCC upsets Ellsworth, 93-88

KCKCC upset No. 4 Ellsworth, 93-88, on Tuesday. (KCKCC photo)

by Tyler Scott, sports information coordinator, KCKCC

The KCKCC men’s basketball team had to fend off a late surge from No. 4 Ellsworth Community College Tuesday night, as the Blue Devils nearly gave up a 21-point lead before holding on 93-88 inside the KCKCC Fieldhouse.

The Blue Devils are now 5-5 overall, while the team gave Ellsworth its first loss of the season.

KCKCC fell behind 7-0 in the first three minutes, but managed to claw back and trailed 11-9 at the 14:07 mark after a basket by Jaylon Moses. Gary Bess Jr. tied the game at 11 before both teams traded baskets throughout the first half.

Jerry Maxinaud and Bradley Lightbourne ignited a late run where the Blue Devils held on for the lead at halftime, 43-35.

The Blue Devils went on a 7-0 run in the starting minutes of the second half and found a big momentum boost when Joshua Dames hit a three-pointer.

The run continued and the Blue Devils led 70-49 at the 11:49 mark after Jalen Broyles nailed a three-pointer.

Ellsworth, however, came back with some full court pressure and went on a 29-12 run to cut the deficit to four at 82-78.

Free throws made the difference in the end and although KCKCC led 85-84 with 1:54 remaining, they made the charity stripe shots when it mattered the most.

Lightbourne led the team with 24 points and Dames had 21. KCKCC shot 44.1 percent from the floor and 80 percent at the free throw line.

The Blue Devils next face State Fair Community College at 7 p.m. Saturday in Sedalia, Missouri.

Leach announces retirement from KC Current

One of the six original players on the Kansas City roster in 2020, Taylor Leach, has announced her retirement from professional soccer.

A two-time first team all-SEC for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks before starting her professional career in Sweden, Leach played in eight Challenge Cup and 26 regular season matches for the KC Current.

“Taylor’s leadership and experience have been extremely important to the growth of this club,” said general manager Camille Levin Ashton in a news release. “We thank her for all that she has done for the Current and the Kansas City community. We wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.”

After a season with Östersunds DFF and four seasons with Kopparbergs-Göteborg FC, Leach returned to the United States to join the Utah Royals in 2020. On Dec. 18, 2020, Leach was named as one of 22 players who were being transferred to Kansas City’s roster.

“After much time and reflection, I have decided to retire from the game that has changed my life forever,” said Leach said. “It’s never easy to come to a decision like this but I’m ready and excited to start the next chapter of my life.

“To my teammates, current and former, thank you for making my journey a very enjoyable one. To the fans, thank you for always showing up. The atmosphere you created was unforgettable! To the coaches, club, and staff, thank you for giving me the opportunity to play for and represent this club and city,” Leach said.

While being counted on for her defensive abilities, she has scored two of the most memorable goals in the club’s short history.

On May 23, 2021, Kansas City found itself down against the Houston Dash 2-1 as the referee signaled for two minutes of stoppage time at the end of the match. Shortly after, Leach made a run from the backline and leaped over a defender to score the equalizer.

Then March 30, 2022, Leach scored the fastest goal in club and NWSL Challenge Cup history in the second minute of the team’s 3-0 victory over the Houston Dash. Hailie Mace swung a corner kick low into the box to find Taylor Leach, who perfectly volleyed the ball past Jane Campbell into the top left corner.

The Kansas City Current offseason continues with the 2023 NWSL draft at 5 p.m. Jan. 12, 2023.

Story from KC Current