Tag Archives: Sac2MLS

Sacramento Republic Roster for 2021 (Updated)

Sacramento Republic GM Todd Dunivant and Head Coach Mark Briggs made their first roster moves this week in preparation for the 2021 season. Their 2020 campaign was cruelly ended when they were punched out of the USL Championship playoff quarter-final by eventual finalists, Phoenix Rising.

With the club’s entry into Major League Soccer pushed back to the 2023 season, management seems to be looking for youth in hopes of developing players for MLS duty. We will be updating this page through the off-season as changes happen.

January 2021 Update:

  • Goalkeeper Tomas Gomez joins the club from Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The 27-year-old Mexican native has five seasons of experience.
  • Irish youth international defender, Dan Casey, joins from Irish League runners-up Bohemians.
  • Matt Glaeser was hired as an assistant coach for 2021, after a season with the MLS Real Salt Lake organization. He previously worked with Head Coach Mark Briggs in Wilmington.
  • 24-year-old attacking midfielder Tucker Bone joins Republic FC following a season with Reno 1868 FC. He attended Jesuit High School in Carmichael and played for local area youth clubs, Placer United and Sacramento United.
  • Defensive midfielder Luis Felipe joins Republic FC following three seasons with the San Jose Earthquakes. He also has played for Reno 1868 FC and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the NASL.

December 17th 2020 Update:

  • The club’s leading goalscorer in 2020, Polish attacking midfielder Dariusz Formella signed a new contract for 2021.
  • After a season with San Antonio, defender Mitch Taintor has returned to Sacramento.
  • Forward Kharlton Belmar has signed a new contract for 2021.

December 10th 2020 Update:

  • Finnish veteran midfielder Petteri Pennanen signed with the Republic, pending Federation and visa approval. Pennanen was voted “Midfielder of the Year” in 2018 and 2019 by his fellow Finnish league players.
  • New Jersey native Markhus ‘Duke’ Lacroix joined the club from USL Eastern Conference side Charlotte Independence. The defender had previously played for Reno 1868 FC.
  • Jamaican international midfielder Maalique Foster signed a contract with Sacramento after a season in the Israeli Premier League.

November 30th 2020 Update:

  • Sacramento native and Academy product Rafael Jauregui signed a professional contract

November 17th 2020 Update:

  • Young Player of the Year Finalist Hayden Sargis and fellow Republic FC Academy product Mario Penagos as well as club captain Cameron Iwasa are already under multiyear contracts.
  • Contract extensions have been exercised on Rafael Diaz, Shannon Gomez, Jordan McCrary, Jaime Villarreal, and Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu.
  • Contract negotiations continue with Kharlton Belmar and Dariusz Formella.
  • Contract extensions were not offered to Ashkanov Apollon, Villyan Bijev, Adam Grinwis, Rodrigo Lopez and Drew Skundrich.
  • Contracts with Juan Barahona and Matt Mahoney will expire at the end of the league year.
  • On loan players Brady Scott and Frank Lopez will return to their respective clubs.
  • Sam Werner and Tomas Hilliard-Arce have retired from professional soccer.

Here’s what the roster now looks like:

No. Position Player
18Goalkeeper Rafael Díaz (DOM)
27GoalkeeperTomás Gómez (MEX)
49Goalkeeper Diego Ramos (USA) Academy Player
2 Defender Shannon Gomez (TTO)
3 Defender Hayden Sargis (USA)
4Defender Mitch Taintor (USA)
5DefenderDan Casey (IRL)
14DefenderMarkhus “Duke” Lacroix (USA)
15Defender Juan Barahona (SLV)
21Defender Dekel Keinan (ISR)
30Defender Jordan McCrary (USA)
7MidfielderTucker Bone (USA)
8Midfielder Petteri “Pete” Pennanen (FIN)
10 Midfielder Dariusz Formella (POL)
22Midfielder Julian Chavez (USA) Academy Contract
23Midfielder Mario Penagos (USA)
24Midfielder Jaime Villarreal (USA)
28Midfielder Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu (USA)
34Midfielder Rafael Jauregui (USA)
96Midfielder Luis Felipe (USA)
99MidfielderMaalique Foster (JAM)
7Forward Frank Lopez (CUB)
9 Forward Kharlton Benmar (USA)
31 Forward Cameron Iwasa (USA) [CAPTAIN]

BOLD = Signed for 2021 season
“Academy Contract” = Retains NCAA Amateur Status

Republic Roster: January Signings (Updated)

Sacramento Republic GM Todd Dunivant and Head Coach Mark Briggs continue to make roster moves this week with the pre-season games quickly approaching.

Just after New Year the team signed defender Tomas Hilliard-Arce, the 2nd overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft (by the LA Galaxy). He made 5 appearances for the MLS team in 2018 and played for Galaxy II in the USL during 2019.

Two 17-year old members of the Republic’s Academy program were signed to professional contracts, defender Hayden Stargis from Turlock CA and midfielder Mario Penagos from Elk Grove CA. They have been with the club since 2015.

January 21st the Republic announced the signing of experienced goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. The Michigan native previously played for Orlando City with a loan spell with Real Monarchs during 2018.

The team announced on January 23rd that forward Stefano Bonomo was retiring from professional soccer after a five year pro career.

With the opening of training camp January 27th at Consumnes River College the team invited Republic Academy goalkeeper Diego Ramos and midfielder Julian Chavez to attend. Also participating were midfielder Ashkanov Apollon, forwards Khalid Balogun and Daawdy Seay.

Here’s what the roster now looks like as the team builds not just for its seventh USL season but also looks towards MLS in 2022:

No. Position Player
99Goalkeeper Adam Grinwis (USA)
18Goalkeeper Rafael Díaz (DOM)
2 Defender Shannon Gomez (TTO)
3 Defender Hayden Stargis (USA)
5 Defender Matt Mahoney (USA)
4DefenderTomas Hilliard-Arce (USA)
15Defender Juan Barahona (SLV)
21Defender Dekel Keinan (ISR)
30Defender Jordan McCrary (USA)
8MidfielderRodrigo Lopez (USA)
10 Midfielder Dariusz Formella (POL)
11 Midfielder Sam Werner (USA)
12Midfielder Drew Skundrich (USA)
20Midfielder Villyan Bijev (BGR)
23Midfielder Mario Penagos (USA)
24Midfielder Jaime Villarreal (USA)
28Midfielder Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu (USA)
9Forward Kharlton Benmar (USA)
29 Forward Stefano Bonomo (USA)
31 Forward Cameron Iwasa (USA) [CAPTAIN]

BOLD = Signed for 2020 season

RoRo Returns to Republic

Sacramento Republic FC announced this week the return of legendary midfielder Rodrigo “RoRo” Lopez for the 2020 season. The 32-year-old dynamo was Republic FC’s first-ever signing back in 2013 and returns after spells with Celaya (Ascenso MX), Toluca and Veracruz (Liga MX).

He is wrote his name in Republic club history during the 2014 USL Semifinal Playoff against bitter rivals LA Galaxy II (Los Dos). The game became known as, “The Miracle at Bonney Field”. Trailing by two goals Lopez scored three second-half goals to take Sacramento to the USL Cup Final and its first Championship.

Manager Mark Briggs will do doubt be relying on the veteran Lopez to lead the team both on and off the pitch. The Republic continues to build its roster for the upcoming season and for MLS in 2022.