Sebastian Manon, wearing the No. 4 for the Dominican Republic, emerged as a starting center back at Taft in 2019. (Courtesy photo)
The Dominican Republic has never qualified for a FIFA U-20 World Cup, and the Caribbean nation faces long odds to reverse history for the 2021 version in Indonesia.
But Los Quisqueyanos are one step closer to forging a new path, with a Taft sophomore defender central to the island nation's efforts.
Sebastian Manon, 17, captained the Dominican Republic in late February at a Concacaf U-20 qualifying tournament that booked their spot at the regional championship this June. They advanced by placing atop Group B with wins over Anguila, Dominica and Grenada, and now await a to-be-determined opponent in Honduras during the Round of 16.
