Morgan, Toronto FC dominate U-20 Player of the Year vote

Ashtone Morgan was named Canada’s U-20 Player of the Year Tuesday, and the voting was dominated by Toronto FC products.

Morgan, who became a regular on TFC’s back line in the second half of the season — and then earned his first two senior caps in World Cup qualifying in matches against St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis — got exactly one third of the ballots from all national team coaches and “A” and “B” licensed coaches who participated in the voting process.

Morgan played in 14 MLS matches with the Reds, and appeared in both of TFC’s CONCACAF Champions League round-robin games and all six of its group-stage games.

Vancouver Whitecap Russell Teibert, who earned a Generation Adidas contract just before the MLS season and played in the home-opening 4-2 win over Toronto FC, finished second in the vote.

Toronto FC’s Matthew Stinson (third), Doneil Henry (fourth) and Oscar Cordon (sixth) were all candidates for the award.

Morgan will hope a better fate befalls him than the last TFC product to win the U-20 Player of the Year nod. Former TFC defender Nana Attakora got nods in 2008 and 2009, but in 2011 was traded by TFC to the San Jose Earthquakes. After a season of struggles, he was made available for the Expansion Draft, but wasn’t selected by the Montreal Impact.

Amelia Pietrangelo, the Laval, Que. forward who plays at Rutgers University, was named Canada’s U-20 Female Player of the Year. Pietrangelo made three appearances for the Canadian team that won gold at the Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. She scored her first senior international goal at the Pan Ams, against Costa Rica.

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