USL Louisville City FC

Harris Making his Mark Heading into Indy Eleven Game

Published on March 25, 2022 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Wilson Harris of Louisville City FC
Wilson Harris of Louisville City FC
(Louisville City FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)

Moments after Louisville City FC's shutout win last weekend over Miami FC, team captain Paolo DelPiccolo raved about the squad's newcomers. The attitude, the energy, the work ethic - the fresh faces, he said, "bought in."

Perhaps nobody better embodies that than Wilson Harris, the 22-year-old Californian who signed this offseason. Through three games, Harris has tallied 2 goals and an assist, including a late free kick from distance in the club's midweek win at New York Red Bulls II. Going into Saturday's matchup against Indy Eleven - the rivals kick off at 7:30 p.m. inside Lynn Family Stadium - Harris leads LouCity in pressures and counter-pressures, key metrics in the team's pressing system.

"Him going back and forth (running), it just takes a toll on defenders," DelPiccolo said. "He didn't get on the scoresheet (vs. Miami), but he did a lot of work and created a lot for us."

That was the exact goal in bringing Harris to LouCity - replenishing the attacking corps with an energetic, hard-working talent who helps in a variety of ways. The original plan, before star Cameron Lancaster's late-preseason injury, was to run opponents ragged with the USL Championship's most dangerous striker partnership. But while Lancaster rehabilitates his leg and before those plans come to fruition, Harris provides City with bona fide striker option.

Harris, who also delivered the game-winner in the season-opening win over Atlanta United 2, leads LouCity with 13 shots attempted. He's one of 10 USL Championship players too with multiple goals scored early in the campaign.

"I love playing with him, and I think he'll score a lot of goals," said veteran midfielder Corben Bone. "His movement, his willingness to play both sides of the ball, his knack for goal - it's all great. He continues to find the right spaces. I can't say enough about him."

Harris, the 2020 USL Championship Young Player of the Year, came to Louisville to play with, and learn from, the best. He scored 25 goals in 66 appearances with Sporting Kansas City II over the past four years and impressed in his matches against City.

The chance to represent a club that reached each of the past seven conference finals and won two USL Championship trophies, all while studying under Lancaster's tutelage, was too good to pass up. The former Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City academy product signed after spending part of the preseason with Major League Soccer's Toronto FC.

"It's a championship team," Harris said, "and you need depth like any team you see around the world. ... I've just been trying to pick up things from (Lancaster) as a consistent goal scorer in this league."

When Lancaster returns, City will boast two dynamic goal scorers leading the way, giving coach Danny Cruz the option to rotate strikers or play them together in a front two. That Harris is getting the chance to get his footing now should only help the squad in the coming months.

"All preseason, the two of them made it a competition," Cruz said. "Cam's done an excellent job with Wilson. Cam has taken that responsibility on board with his individual conversations he's having. While Cam wants to be out on that field, he'll do what he can to make sure Wilson's out there scoring and working with the group."

The season opener put that reality into focus for Harris, who'd played at Lynn Family Stadium five times with Sporting Kansas City II. The preseason work paid off in a big way, and City is hoping that continues.

"Wearing purple is different," Harris said. "Having support from all the fans, it's just an unreal feeling."

Follow along...

- For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @loucityfc on Twitter and Louisville City FC on Facebook. Also find us at louisvillecityfc on Instagram.

- Visit our Match Center for everything you should know before you go to Lynn Family Stadium.

- Can't make it? Saturday's game will air on WDRB and stream via ESPN+ and the WDRB Now app. Listen to live radio coverage from Jeff Milby and Casey Whitfield on ESPN 680/105.7 or at ESPNLouisville.com.

Story lines...

Hot start: With a win, LouCity would match the club's best-ever start of 4-0 in 2018, when the boys in purple also most recently raised the USL Championship trophy at the end of the year. Showing staying power, seven players from 2018's team are still on the roster: defenders Oscar Jimenez and Sean Totsch; midfielders Napo Matsoso, Niall McCabe and Paolo DelPiccolo; as well as forwards Cameron Lancaster and Brian Ownby.

Top of the table: After playing with groups (2020) and divisions (2021) amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the USL Championship has reverted to its traditional Eastern/Western conference format for 2022, and LouCity is atop the east early. Loudoun United FC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC - both 2-0 - are the other Eastern Conference clubs to have not yet dropped points.

Shutout streak: Along with a perfect start LouCity has yet to allow a goal, matching - once again - a mark from 2018. Twice that season the boys in purple put together three consecutive clean sheets. The club's longest run of shutouts lasted five games through June of 2016 when not allowing a single goal in USL Championship competition.

The LIPAFC: Last season brought about a Louisville Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest first as Indy Eleven claimed the better of LouCity in the season series, winning two of four meetings to go with a draw and loss. Following Saturday's game, LouCity will see the Eleven - who joined the USL Championship in 2018 - once more this season when traveling to Carroll Stadium on Aug. 31.

Know the foe: Indy Eleven has stumbled to an 0-2 start to the season, but it appears to have lost to top competition. Loudoun United FC went on to defeat New York Red Bulls II, 3-0, and the Tampa Bay Rowdies are also unbeaten. The Eleven are led by first-year head coach Mark Lowry, who twice took El Paso Locomotive FC to the Western Conference Final.

Locking down: LouCity had the firepower last season to win a USL Championship title, but a tendency to leak late goals ultimately did in the boys in purple, who have returned in 2022 looking much improved in that regard. Wednesday's midweek victory at New York Red Bulls II continued a trend that has seen opponents shut down offensively, as the hosts managed just one shot on target and an expected goals total of 0.55. Through three games, the club's shots on target/xGA averages per game are 1.3/0.38.

Landmark appearance: One of LouCity's most-storied players is on the verge of a career milestone with DelPiccolo - the club's longtime captain - sitting on 199 career USL Championship appearances. The vast majority of those were made in purple since the University of Louisville product signed to start the 2016 season. When next on the pitch, DelPiccolo will become the 12th player in the league to reach 200 regular-season appearances.

Account opened: Versatile forward Ray Serrano earned his first club start Wednesday and minutes later delivered his first goal, the product of combination play involving Enoch Mushagalusa and Paolo DelPiccolo. Serrano had subbed on in LouCity's prior two games, with the 19-year-old winger already a fifth-year pro having signed for the Seattle Sounders at age 15 back in February of 2018. Last year, Serrano led Tacoma Defiance with 6 assists and 38 chances created.

A club debut: While Ian Soler saw the field for only seconds Wednesday, it was a sign of things to come when the Spanish defender subbed on in the 91st minute of the Red Bulls II victory. Soler, who most recently played in Poland's first division, signed in February and had to await his work visa arrival until he moved to Louisville in March. A center back with English tutelage - Soler spent two years with Fulham FC's youth system - figures to be in line for more minutes as the season goes.

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Images from this story

Wilson Harris of Louisville City FC
Wilson Harris of Louisville City FC
(Connor Cunningham)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 25, 2022


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