[PDL] The Premier Development League has moved into the quarterfinals with a pair of games set for Friday in Des Moines, Iowa, and Laredo, Texas. The
quarterfinalists represent the fourth division summer league's dynamic blend of the new and the old, including teams affiliated with the Chicago Fire, Burnley and the IMG Academies, a first-year
team from the Puget Sound area and a Southern California team that had its first player signed by an English Premier League club.
July 31 in Des Moines,
Iowa Des Moines Menace vs. Cary Clarets -- In its 16th season, the Menace has set the standard for support in the PDL. Its Red Army
Supporters' Club is one of the most colorful in all of the three USL men's league's. Des Moines has averaged 3,000 fans a game in recent years despite several stadium moves. The Menace
drew 3,683 fans at Valley Stadium for its 2-1 win over the Real Colorado Foxes in the Heartland Division championship. The Menace is led by
Armin Mujdzic, who
starred at local NAIA power Grand View and UAB.
-- The Clarets, the former USL-1 RailHawks' U-23 team, are now affiliated with English Premier League club Burnley. They feature
players from area ACC schools N.C. State North Carolina and Duke as well as North Carolina's fourth ACC school, Wake Forest. Duke's
Christian Ibeagha
earned all-conference honors for Cary.
Ocean City Barons vs. Chicago Fire -- The Barons made a name for themselves this season when they
beat two USL-2 teams to reach the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, where they fell to D.C. United, 2-0. They reached the PDL quarterfinals when they handed the Ottawa Fury its first loss of the
season with a 2-1 road win in the Northeast Division championship. Goalie
Tunde Ogunbiyi, who will play for Boston College after transferring from New
Hampshire in the fall, earned all-conference honors.
-- The Fire, not a formal reserve team for the MLS club, has a rich tradition. Among the former Fire PDL players are three members
of the U.S. Confederations Cup team,
Ricardo Clark,
Jay DeMerit and
Brad Guzan,
Bosnia international
Vedad Ibisevic and American
Eric Lichaj, who is pushing to earn a first-team spot at English club
Aston Villa. With a 2-1 win over the Kalamazoo Outrage in the Great Lakes championship, the Fire PDL moved to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003 when current Fire pro players players
Chris Rolfe and
Dasan Robinson lead the PDL to the championship game. The 2009 standouts include goalie
James Maurer (South Carolina), defender
Mark Blades (Northwestern) and former U.S. U-20 forward
Andre Akpan (Harvard).
July 31 in Laredo, Texas Laredo Heat vs. Bradenton Academics
-- The Laredo Heat won the PDL title in 2007 and finished second in 2008. Despite the loss of young star
Felix Garcia, who first
signed with MLS's Houston Dynamo in January, then returned home and has sat out 2009, the Heat returned to the final eight with a 1-0 overtime victory against the West Texas United Sockers in
the Mid South final. Goalie
Ryan Cooper and midfielders
Danny Galvan and
Greg Mulamba
earned all-conference honors.
-- The Academics, affiliated with the IMG Academies, traveled to Mississippi and won the Southeast
champion, handing the New Orleans Jesters their first loss of the season, then ending the Mississippi Brilla's season with a 3-2 win on an overtime goal by
Steve
Morris, who spent time in Honduras after finishing high school. Bradenton is led by West Virginia
Zach Johnson in goal and repeat all-conference pick
Zak Boggs (South Florida) and former USF star
Hunter West up front.
Ventura County Fusion vs. Kitsap Pumas
-- The Fusion is best known as the club that produced
Anton
Peterlin, who signed with Everton. The third-year Fusion won the Southwest Division title with a 3-1 overtime win over the Hollywood United Hitmen. The winning goal was scored by 18-year-old
Sam Myerson. Another of the Fusion's young stars is UC Santa Barbara sophomore
Danny Barrera.
-- With temperatures hovering around a record 100 degrees, the Kitsap Pumas found the conditions in Texas bearable when they arrived for Friday's
quarterfinals. In its first season in the PDL, Kitsap, located on the peninsula across the Puget Sound from Seattle, won the Northwestern championship with a 2-0 win over the Seattle Wolves.
Stephen Phillips had a goal and an assist against the Wolves. goalkeeper
Dustyn Brim and defender
Mark Lee were honored as members of the Premier Development League's All-Western Conference team.