Wisconsin Soccer Central

Muskego's Andrija Novakovich leaves Tuesday for a week-long trip to Japan with the U.S. Under-17 national team.

The team has trained the past four days in Carson, Calif., ahead of a tournament in Niigata next weekend. The U.S. will face Japan on Saturday, Croatia on Sunday and the Niigata All-Stars next Monday.

Novakovich, who has committed to play at Marquette for 2014, is making his first appearance in a national team camp and is one of six players on coach Richie Williams' 18-player roster who wasn't a part of the Under-17 Residency Program.

The 6-foot-4 striker had 41 goals and 13 assists for Muskego High School last fall and was named the Gatorade Wisconsin Player of the Year, then scored 22 goals in 19 matches for the Chicago Magic PSG Under-15/16 team in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy – he ranked third in the nation in goals, and his average of 1.16 per game was second in the country.