HARRISON, N.J. – Preseason is underway in Orlando, Fla., and there are five guests from within the organization - Rafael Diaz, Stefano Bonomo, Tim Schmoll, Noah Powder and Mason Deeds - training with the First Team.
All five players are familiar faces, with Diaz and Bonomo returning for their second season with Red Bulls II while Schmoll, who signed with NYRB II last week, is a former standout with the Red Bulls U-23 PDL team. Deeds and Powder are also known commodities and have played at multiple age levels within the academy.
Here’s what you need to know about the five preseason guests currently with the First Team:
Stefano Bonomo
Bonomo enters camp following an impressive first year with Red Bulls II. After signing in the second half of the season, the forward scored in his second start and became a key player for the team. In the final six games of the season, Bonomo recorded eight points, including three goals and two assists. He also started in both USL playoff games, including finishing the full 120 minutes in the club’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinals overtime victory.
Mason Deeds
Deeds, a standout with the Red Bulls U-18 academy team, played 12 games in the Fall season, making 11 starts. At the USSDA Winter Showcase, Deeds started all three games and recorded one assist. The defender made his professional debut with Red Bulls II last Spring, and played in two matches after helping guide the Red Bulls academy to a 2015 Generation adidas Cup Premier Division championship. Deeds also brings experience as a U.S. youth international, having trained with both the U.S. U-14 and U-15 teams in past years.
Rafael Diaz
Diaz is working towards a role as a starter for Red Bulls II. In 2015, he served as a backup to Santiago Castano on Red Bulls II. He played six games last season and did well with his playing opportunities, finishing with a 1.65 goals allowed average and one shutout. In four starts, he made 14 saves and ended with a record of 1-1-2.
Noah Powder
Powder joins the team after a successful Fall season with the Red Bulls U-18 academy team. The defender played eight games, including six starts, and recorded two goals. Powder started all three USSDA Winter Showcase matches to finish the season and tallied one goal and an assist. He is also a Trinidad & Tobago youth international and participated in the 2015 CONCACAF U-17 Championships in Honduras in which he started all five matches and scored two goals.
Tim Schmoll
Newcomer defender/midfielder Schmoll is aiming to make a positive first impression with the coaching staff. The 6-foot-6 Harvard graduate earned 10 goals and 6 assists in four years with the Crimson and played for the Red Bulls U-23 PDL team in 2015. He played primarily as a center back with New York and helped the club to a 9-2-3 record. Schmoll was vital to helping the team reach the PDL Championship game and was named to the PDL All-Eastern Conference team after a highly successful season.
