At home in SLC, RSL's Beltran excited to open 2017 season at Rio Tinto Stadium


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SANDY — Claremont, California, native Tony Beltran admits he enjoyed Real Salt Lake’s recent preseason stint in Irvine, California, where he played in front of family and friends and went to dinner with his parents.

But the former All-Pac-10 selection from UCLA didn’t feel at home after 10 years with RSL.

“It’s home in the regards that my family is still here,” Beltran said of Southern California. “But to be honest, after 10 years in Salt Lake, every time I land at SLC Airport, I feel like I am coming home even more.”

The veteran right back will open the 2017 Major League Soccer season at home Saturday as RSL hosts reigning Eastern Conference champion Toronto FC at 2 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium.

For Beltran, the new season represents a new start — even after a long preseason in three different states.

“Preseason is an interesting animal,” Beltran said. “It’s always a fine balance of doing the right amount of work, not doing too much, and building the right way until March 4 and that first game. All the guys came in fit, which is a huge piece of the puzzle.

“I feel like we are trending in the right direction, and we’ll be ready.”

Beltran’s role as a leader on the team took a step forward in 2016, when RSL snuck back into the playoffs after having its eight-year postseason streak snapped the year before.

Now hoping to build on last season’s success, the club has gotten younger — the exchange at attacking midfielder that saw 37-year-old Javier Morales’ tumultuous departure to make room for 22-year-old Albert Rusnak is one example.

But RSL also brought in cover at several positions that lacked depth a year ago, including Beltran’s right back spot, by drafting former Denver defender Reagan Dunk.

Far from competition for starter’s minutes, Dunk’s role will allow Beltran to see more time off. The 29-year-old has started all but four matches of the past five years, and he’s played more than 2,000 minutes for RSL in every season since 2012.

“Those guys are a lot older and have a lot more experience than I do at this level, so there’s a good group of people to talk to,” Dunk said, referring to Beltran and fellow fullback Chris Wingert, among others. “They’re all good guys, too, so it’s easy to go up to them and ask questions. They’ve made this transition pretty easy on me, and I’m grateful for that.”

Dunk also knows his place on the team, and while the rookie will prepare to take every opportunity he is afforded, he is also enjoying the time to learn from several established veterans in front of him on the depth chart — Beltran included.

Courtesy photo: University of Denver Athletics
Courtesy photo: University of Denver Athletics

“I”m just a soccer fan, and any game I could watch I did,” Dunk said, before reflecting on his knowledge of MLS while growing up. “I know (RSL) won the cup in 2009 and made it back to (the final) in 2011.”

A defend-first right back with passing tendencies, Beltran has 11 assists since RSL selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.

Dunk still defends first, but he also isn’t afraid to push forward. He scored twice and tallied 18 assists, the third-most in the University of Denver’s Division I history.

“I’m a right back, and my first job is to keep the ball out of our goal,” he said. “But I do like to get forward and get into the attack, too. I’ll put some crosses in, and try to get a couple of goals, too. That’s nice.”

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