Sounders waive Andy Craven, make new USL signing

Two days before a Cascadia match against rival USL side Whitecaps FC 2, S2 have announced the signing of midfielder Irvin Raul Parra. Parra has played his last four seasons in Germany’s fourth division, most recently with club Kaiserslautern II.

In the past Parra has played primarily as an attacking midfielder: In 2012 scouting site Top Drawer Soccer likened him to ex-Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake player Luis Silva, describing Parra as “a technically sound player who does not triumph with athleticism, but truly understands the game.”

It’s not clear where Parra will fit into S2’s roster in the coming games, with Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson describing him as a multi-talented player who can play as a center forward, on the wings, or as a right back. These are all positions that need bolstering for S2.

This announcement comes in the same day that the Sounders’ MLS side disclosed forward Andy Craven had been waived from his contract with the team. Craven, who frequently served as S2’s captain, was signed to a first team contract in 2015 after being selected in the MLS SuperDraft, but had trouble breaking into the Sounders’ MLS squad. The 24-year-old had scored three goals in USL this season and had played a large roll in helping S2 leave their beginning-of-the-season woes behind them.

S2 have ten games left in their season and currently sit at tenth place in the USL’s Western Conference. The team has experienced an on field resurgence in the past few games, currently sitting on a four game win streak. It’s unclear why they would waive one of the key pieces of their offense in the midst of trying to push themselves into playoff position.