Earthquakes teenager Cowell honored as MLS Player of Week
The strong start for San Jose Earthquakes teenager Cade Cowell is getting league-wide attention.
Cowell, 17, earned MLS Player of the Week for Week 3. Cowell and midfielder Jackson Yueill were also selected to Major League Soccer’s Team of the Week. The young duo combined for three goals and two assists in the Quakes’ 4-1 victory over D.C. United on Saturday.
Cowell, a forward, scored the winning goal and tallied two assists on Saturday.
Cowell is the thirdyoungest player ever to be named MLS Player of the Week. He currently leads the league with three assists and is tied with the LA Galaxy’s Chicharito with five total goal involvements (goals plus assists) in 2021. He is one of two players to be named to the MLS Team of the Week in each of the last two weeks, joining Seattle defender Brad Smith.
The most recent Player of the Week for the Quakes was captain Chris Wondolowski. Wondo won the honor in Week 21 last season. Wondo has claimed the honor 10 times in his career, including four weeks in 2012.
This is the seventh time the Quakes have won Player of Week since 2016 and the first non-Wondo since Vako in 2019.
“I am happy for him,” Earthquakes coach Matias Almeyda said of Cowell after Saturday night’s win. “If he is playing, it’s because he deserves it.”
Cowell, who doesn’t turn 18 until October, was also one of four finalists for the Player of the Week award in Week 2. Cowell has been nominated for MLS Player of the Week accolades twice in just seven career starts to date.
Yueill, 24, scored two goals, including a spectacular contender for MLS Goal of the Week. It marked the first multigoal game of his career.
Up next, Cowell and the Earthquakes (6 points) return to action on Friday against Real Salt Lake (6 points), a match that pits two of the Western Conference’s early point leaders. The teams trail Seattle by a point in the conference.