It?s just two weeks old, but Chris Agorsor?s junior ? and senior ? season has already been a wild one.
The McDonogh forward, combining his junior and senior years at the Owings Mills private school, has guided the Eagles to an undefeated start through four games and was recently promoted to the Under-20 national team, which will compete in Europe next month.
“It?s really exciting,” Agorsor said. “It?s very, very humbling to know people see you play and they like your ability.”
Professional teams also like his ability. Agorsor has already received contract offers from at least two European teams and has drawn interest from Spain?s Real Madrid and Italy?s Juventus. That?s akin to a high school basketball player being signed scouted by NBA teams.
“He could be one of the best players to ever come out of our country,” McDonogh coach Steve Nichols said. “He?s that good.”
As a sophomore last season, Agorsor scored 16 goals and added eight assists, leading the Eagles to a record of 15-4-1. Entering this season, he has recorded 26 goals and 6 assists. He?s posted eight goals and three assists this season.
“He?s the best I?ve ever had here, and that includes a lot of players,” Nichols said. “The only one who can stop him is himself.”
Agorsor turned 17 last week, and his birthday present was an invitation to play for the U-20 national team. He was already with the U-18 team as a 16 year old.
He accepted a scholarship offer from Virginia as a sophomore, turning down offers from nearly every major soccer program in the country.
“His speed is incredible,” said Baltimore Blast president Kevin Healey, who is a coach on the Casa Mia Bays, the nationally ranked club team for which Agorsor plays. “He?s very, very fast, very, very quick. He?s a tough kid who is developing his soccer skills.”
Said Nichols: “He?s hands down the best high school soccer player in the United States of America.”
He?ll get a chance to prove it late next month. The 5-foot-6, 140-pounder will join the U.S. U-20 team when it competes in France from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4.
Meantime, Agorsor is trying to complete two academic years by the end of May.
“We actually started school last week and I?m getting a taste of what it?s going to be like,” Agorsor said. “I?ve got to take it a little bit differently, but its something I think I can do and I wanted to test myself. It wasn?t solely generated around football. I thought I could be productive in a college environment.”
Nichols points to Agorsor?s 4.0 grade-point average as evidence he?ll succeed: “He could have gone to Harvard, too, if he wanted.”
