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They're allies nine months out of the year, travelling the country as a soccer family every other weekend. But last Tuesday night, Whitman's Paul Torres and Dominick Yin were trying to get the better of Blair's Mikey Funes, not with him.

The three spent the first two-thirds of 2008 starting on Major League Soccer's D.C. United U-16 Academy Team, Funes and Torres in the midfield and Yin in the back.

Their abilities helped United reach the national championships last July of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, which matches 64 premier youth teams from around the country. This was the inaugural season of the league, a U.S. Soccer Federation initiative to improve the nation's youth soccer pool.

On their unbeaten high school teams, the three players are still pushing for titles. But it's a little more laid back.

"If you make a mistake there, people are down your throat," said Yin, a junior who marked Funes in the second half last Tuesday. "You still want to win here, though. Actually, I hadn't seen Mikey in a while, so [during the game] I was just like, "Yo, what's up, man?"

Club teams have long been the premier developmental platform for top youth soccer players, but with its MLS influence, the academy league is pushing players to grow at a swifter pace than ever before. D.C. United was ahead of the game, offering summer camps and U-15 training programs for the past three years.

Since moving over from the now-defunct Bethesda Roadrunners (three-time Maryland State Cup champions), Torres has been one of United's shining stars. A 2007 All-Gazette first-team midfielder, he was one of only four juniors named to the Maryland Association of Coaches of Soccer all-state team, and the only one from Montgomery County.

But his most notable accomplishments have come since joining the academy. He's recently joined the U-18 team (with Funes), and been one of a select few to practice with the professionals.

It wasn't lost on college coaches either — last summer, he verbally committed to University of Maryland, joining academy teammate Ethan White (Bethesda-Chevy Chase) in the Terrapins' 2009 recruiting class.

"I think there's more exposure there," said Torres. "The coaching is at a much higher level. It's definitely a dream to win a state championship, it's fun playing, but I'd say if you want to really develop, the place to go is an academy team."

Funes has improved dramatically since joining the academy program three years ago. He was already a talented striker at Blair during his sophomore year. He was the only non-senior starter on a team that won its first 11 games en route to the 4A West Region semifinals, where it lost to eventual state co-champion Walter Johnson.

He moved with his father to Gaithersburg last year, contributing six goals and eight assists on Magruder's undefeated 4A state championship squad, but he missed the state final with academy team obligations. Now he's back in Silver Spring to help return the Blazers to prominence.

They finished with just three wins a year ago, a total they could crush with their now-versatile forward/midfield hybrid.

"He's matured so much," said Blair head coach Adrian Baez. "His first year, he was very individual: Boom, boom, boom, ‘I'll take you on,' very much like the striker that he naturally is. Now his mentality has changed. Even though he gets pissed off when he's not scoring, he's getting other people passes all over the place."

"My mom works at Blair, I feel more comfortable here, and I knew I'd be a lot better here," said Funes. "A lot of us, we played together on JV three years ago."

Though their teams' matchup on Sept. 16 ended in a 0-0 tie, it was clear the three best players on the field had skills the others simply didn't. For the host Vikings, Torres was slowed in the first half, but moved up top in the second, creating several heart-stopping near-misses.

Yin — also known as "Nicky" — showed some flashy skills that few backs possess, dodging defenders while dribbling upfield and twice slide-tackling Blair forward George Nouboussie in double-overtime, saving potential game-ending goals.

Possibly because of his D.C. Academy background ("I'm kind of using it to get into a good college."), it wasn't satisfying enough.

"I was horrible — don't judge me by this game," he said.

Funes had an explanation. He made several pinpoint passes, including a thru-ball to Nouboussie that nearly won the game in the final seconds. But he was quick to point out how he and his academy brethren play different roles when they're all together.

"I've seen Nicky, I know he's a great defender," he said. "There are good players but there are not as many great players in high school. Like Paul Torres, Paul's a great passer, thru-balls and stuff. He's not going to look as good as [with] D.C. United. The players there, the intensity, everything, it's great."