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Hounds Add To Attack, Sign Kittian Devaughn Elliott

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Riverhounds are signing a player a day now — after yesterday’s announcement that the team will be bringing back the team’s leading scorer from 2016, Corey Hertzog, the organization announced the signing on Thursday of another experienced pro and Kittian international, Devaughn Elliott.
 
A native of St. Kitts and Nevis, a small, two-island country in the West Indies, Elliott will be playing in the United States for the first time in his pro career.
 
Elliott joins the Hounds with an extensive set of experience at both the professional and international level. He previously played for Murciélagos Fútbol Club in the Ascenso MX, the second tier of professional soccer in Mexico.
 

“Devaughn, his best trait is that he is fast. He’s got great speed and he’s a very aggressive attacker, so those are both big plusses for this club,” said head coach Dave Brandt.
“I think him having played in the Mexican second division this past year – that is a quality league where the tempo is also high. It’s a fast, skillful league. Coming out of a league like that, maybe instead of another one where the pace is a bit slower, that’s going to make his transition to the USL that much easier.”

 
Here’s some video footage of Elliott in action…

 
Elliott, 25, started his career in professional soccer in 2009, competing for first Positive Vibes then Village Superstars F.C. in the Saint Kitts Premier Division. He made the jump to Trinidad and Tobago in 2013, starring at W Connection F.C. of the TT Pro League for two seasons. At W Connection, Elliott tallied 25 goals in 64 appearances, most notably helping the club to a league championship in 2013-14.
 
 
His strong play for the Trinidad and Tobago side translated to a one-year contract with C.D. Pasaquina of the Salvadoran Primera División. Elliott notched eight goals in 23 games in his lone season for Pasaquina, eventually transferring to Murciélagos earlier this year.

Appearing in 19 matches between the pro team and the club’s B-side, Elliott scored five goals.
Internationally, Elliott has played a major role in the rise of St. Kitts as a world competitor and is the first player to score against a European side in the country’s history – he notched the lone goal in a 1-0 victory over Andorra in 2015. The forward has tallied five goals in 29 appearances for the Sugar Boyz, including goals in qualification for both the 2014 World Cup and Caribbean Cup.
With Brandt’s assertion that Elliott can provide more speed and aggressive attacking style to the Hounds’ attack, and from looking at some video clips, he could be a positive addition on the flanks where they struggled a year ago — or possibly at the top of the attack as well as it appears that he has played a lot of his career as a play-making forward or “second-striker.”   It appears that the Hounds are already stocking up on players with goal scoring pedigree, having re-signed Hertzog, and last year’s PDL MVP, Chevaughn Walsh.
With the addition of Elliott, the Hounds have now added six newcomers, including Kay Banjo, Keasel Broome, Shane Campbell, Ritchie Duffie and John Manga, to go along with returners Hertzog, Kevin Kerr and Walsh for the 2017 season.

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

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