2008 PDL season

USL Premier Development League
Season2008
ChampionsThunder Bay Chill
← 2007
2009 →

The 2008 USL Premier Development League season was the 14th season of the PDL. The regular season started on April 26, 2008, and ended on July 20, 2008. The playoffs began on July 22, 2008, and ended with the PDL Championship Game on August 9, 2008.

Thunder Bay Chill finished the season as national champions, beating Laredo Heat on penalty kicks after a 1–1 tie in the PDL Championship game in Laredo, Texas on 9 August 2008.

Michigan Bucks finished with the best regular season record in the league, winning 13 out of their 16 games, suffering just one loss, and finishing with a +27 goal difference.

Yakima Reds striker Junior Garcia was the league's top scorer and MVP, knocking in 15 goals. Fresno Fuego's Fabricio Codeceira led the league with 13 assists, while Austin Aztex U23 keeper Miguel Gallardo enjoyed the best goalkeeping statistics, with a goals-against average of 0.615 per game, and keeping 9 clean sheets in his 13 games.

Changes from 2007

Name changes

  • Abbotsford Rangers changed their name to the Abbotsford Mariners to reflect the name of their parent organization.
  • Los Angeles Storm changed their name to the Los Angeles Legends to reflect the name of their parent organization.
  • The expansion Austin Stampede were renamed the Aztex U23 after the Austin Aztex USL-1 franchise was announced for 2009 and acquired controlling interest in the PDL team.

New franchises

  • Nine franchises joined the league this year, including six brand new teams:
Team Name Metro Area Location Previous Affiliation
Texas Austin Aztex U23 Greater Austin area Round Rock, TX expansion
Ohio Cincinnati Kings Greater Cincinnati area Wilder, KY relegated from USL-2
Texas Houston Leones Greater Houston area Richmond, TX expansion
Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage Kalamazoo area Kalamazoo, MI expansion
New Hampshire New Hampshire Phantoms Hillsborough County area Manchester, NH relegated from USL-2
New Jersey New Jersey Rangers Northern New Jersey area Denville, NJ expansion
New Jersey Newark Ironbound Express Newark area Newark, NJ expansion
Florida Panama City Pirates Panama City area Panama City Beach, FL expansion
British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Residency Metro Vancouver area Burnaby, BC transferred from PCSL

Folding

Final standings

Legend
Team won the Division Title
Team qualified for playoff berth

Central Conference

Great Lakes Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Michigan Bucks 16 13 1 2 40 13 +27 41
2 Cleveland Internationals 16 10 3 3 41 19 +22 33
3 Toronto Lynx 16 8 6 2 28 21 +7 26
4 Cincinnati Kings 16 3 10 3 14 32 −18 12
5 West Virginia Chaos 16 1 8 7 17 32 −15 10
Source: [citation needed]

Midwest Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Chicago Fire Premier 16 8 2 6 26 12 +14 30
2 Kalamazoo Outrage 16 8 6 2 27 24 +3 26
3 Indiana Invaders 16 6 6 4 20 21 −1 22
4 Fort Wayne Fever 16 2 9 5 16 33 −17 11
5 West Michigan Edge 16 2 10 4 18 40 −22 10
Source: [citation needed]

Heartland Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Thunder Bay Chill 16 13 2 1 42 17 +25 40
2 Colorado Rapids U23's 16 8 5 3 34 25 +9 27
3 Des Moines Menace 16 7 4 5 29 18 +11 26
4 St. Louis Lions 16 7 5 4 29 27 +2 25
5 Kansas City Brass 16 6 9 1 23 30 −7 19
6 Springfield Demize 16 0 16 0 8 48 −40 0
Source: [citation needed]

The top two teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. The Conference champion receives a bye into the Conference Semifinals, with the third place team from that division receiving a playoff berth.

Eastern Conference

Mid Atlantic Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Reading Rage 16 11 3 2 32 12 +20 35
2 Fredericksburg Gunners 16 8 8 0 27 23 +4 24
3 Hampton Roads Piranhas 16 6 7 3 22 23 −1 21
4 Virginia Legacy 16 4 8 4 16 31 −15 16
5 Northern Virginia Royals 16 3 8 5 20 34 −14 14
6 Richmond Kickers Future 16 2 8 6 17 27 −10 12
Source: [citation needed]

New England Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Cape Cod Crusaders 16 9 3 4 33 16 +17 31
2 Ottawa Fury 16 9 4 3 38 22 +16 30
3 Vermont Voltage 16 8 7 1 28 30 −2 25
4 New Hampshire Phantoms 16 3 9 4 14 28 −14 13
5 Rhode Island Stingrays 16 2 9 5 21 38 −17 11
Source: [citation needed]

Northeast Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Brooklyn Knights 16 10 2 4 33 17 +16 34
2 Newark Ironbound Express 16 8 2 6 33 17 +16 30
3 Long Island Rough Riders 16 8 4 4 36 26 +10 28
4 Westchester Flames 16 7 7 2 30 30 0 23
5 Ocean City Barons 16 6 5 5 29 25 +4 23
6 New Jersey Rangers 16 2 12 2 12 42 −30 8
Source: [citation needed]

The Division Champions and the Second Place team with the most points qualify for the playoffs.

Southern Conference

Mid South Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Austin Aztex U23 16 10 5 1 25 11 +14 31
2 Laredo Heat 16 8 4 4 33 15 +18 28
3 El Paso Patriots 16 8 5 3 22 20 +2 27
4 Mississippi Brilla 16 7 6 3 26 23 +3 24
5 Baton Rouge Capitals 16 7 8 1 20 23 −3 22
6 DFW Tornados 16 6 7 3 17 20 −3 21
7 New Orleans Shell Shockers 16 5 8 3 18 28 −10 18
8 Houston Leones 16 3 11 2 17 38 −21 11
Source: [citation needed]

Southeast Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Central Florida Kraze 16 11 3 2 38 18 +20 35
2 Bradenton Academics 16 10 2 4 37 13 +24 34
3 Cary RailHawks U23's 16 9 5 2 40 29 +11 29
4 Atlanta Silverbacks U23's 16 9 6 1 38 29 +9 28
5 Panama City Pirates 16 7 6 3 35 20 +15 24
6 Carolina Dynamo 16 7 7 2 35 31 +4 23
7 Nashville Metros 16 3 13 0 12 42 −30 9
8 Palm Beach Pumas 16 1 15 0 9 62 −53 −1[a]
Source: [citation needed]
Notes:
  1. ^ Palm Beach deducted 4 points for failing to fulfil three fixtures.

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 Tacoma Tide 16 11 4 1 46 23 +23 34
2 Vancouver Whitecaps Residency 16 11 4 1 34 14 +20 34
3 Yakima Reds 16 9 6 1 31 25 +6 28
4 BYU Cougars 16 7 6 3 21 20 +1 24
5 Ogden Outlaws 16 6 8 2 18 21 −3 20
6 Abbotsford Mariners 16 5 8 3 26 32 −6 18
7 Cascade Surge 16 3 8 5 17 35 −18 14
8 Spokane Spiders 16 3 11 2 20 43 −23 11
Source: [citation needed]

Southwest Division

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts
1 San Fernando Valley Quakes 16 8 2 6 32 25 +7 30
2 Fresno Fuego 16 9 5 2 38 27 +11 29
3 Ventura County Fusion 16 8 5 3 24 14 +10 27
4 San Francisco Seals 16 8 5 3 21 17 +4 27
5 San Jose Frogs 16 7 6 3 26 20 +6 24
6 Los Angeles Legends 16 6 6 4 32 25 +7 22
7 Bakersfield Brigade 16 4 5 7 16 21 −5 19
8 Orange County Blue Star 16 5 8 3 24 31 −7 18
9 Southern California Seahorses 16 3 8 5 15 27 −12 14
10 Lancaster Rattlers 16 2 10 4 18 39 −21 10
Source: [citation needed]

The top two teams in each division qualify for the playoffs.

Playoffs

The Divisional Round for the Central Conference took place July 22–23, 2008, with the Conference Championships taking place between July 25–27. The PDL Semifinals took place on August 2, and the final was played on August 9.

Playoff bracket

Divisional Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals National Semifinals PDL Championship Game
               
C1 Michigan Michigan Bucks 1
MW2 Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage (AET) 3
MW1 Illinois Chicago Fire Premier 0
MW2 Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage 2
MW2 Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage 0
Central Conference
HL1 Ontario Thunder Bay Chill 4
HL1 Ontario Thunder Bay Chill 3
HL2 Colorado Colorado Rapids U23's 1
HL1 Ontario Thunder Bay Chill 2
GL1 Ohio Cleveland Internationals 0
GL1 Ohio Cleveland Internationals 2
GL2 Ontario Toronto Lynx 1
HL1 Ontario Thunder Bay Chill 2
NW2 British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Residency 1
NW1 Washington (state) Tacoma Tide 3
SW2 California Fresno Fuego 0
NW1 Washington (state) Tacoma Tide 1
Western Conference
NW2 British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Residency 4
SW1 California San Fernando Valley Quakes 1
NW2 British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Residency (AET) 3
HL1 Ontario Thunder Bay Chill (AET/PSO) 1 (4)
MS2 Texas Laredo Heat 1 (1)
MA Pennsylvania Reading Rage (AET) 4
WC New Jersey Newark Ironbound Express 2
MA Pennsylvania Reading Rage 1
Eastern Conference
NE New York (state) Brooklyn Knights 0
NE New York (state) Brooklyn Knights (AET/PSO) 0 (5)
NWE Massachusetts Cape Cod Crusaders 0 (3)
MA Pennsylvania Reading Rage 0
MS2 Texas Laredo Heat 2
MS1 Texas Austin Aztex U23 2
SE2 Florida Bradenton Academics 1
MS1 Texas Austin Aztex U23 1
Southern Conference
MS2 Texas Laredo Heat 3
SE1 Florida Central Florida Kraze 1
MS2 Texas Laredo Heat 2

Divisional round

Illinois Chicago Fire Premier0 – 2Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage
Cutshaw Yellow card 52' (Report) Warmer Yellow card 19'
42' (OG)
Alvino Yellow card 62'
Muckey 63'
Attendance: 75
Referee: Pawel Wydra (USA)
Ontario Thunder Bay Chill3 – 1Colorado Colorado Rapids U23's
Oliveira 9' 56'
Coronado Yellow card 33'
Gold Yellow card 60'
Swartzendruber 74'
Paterson Yellow card 86'
Putrus Yellow card 90'
Zendejas Red card 90'		 (Report) Warner Yellow card 7' Yellow-red card 78'
Schmoker Yellow card 28'
Charles Yellow card 49' 84'
Howlan Yellow card 76'
Hemmi Red card 90'
Attendance: 1,005
Referee: Mike Delecruz (CAN)
Ohio Cleveland Internationals2 – 1Ontario Toronto Lynx
Williams Yellow card 20'
Nanchoff Yellow card 26'
Nagbe 54'
Zemanski 83'		 (Report) DeAbreu Yellow card 42'
Scott 44' Yellow card 54'
Binstock Yellow card 82'
Attendance: 45
Referee: Chris Ponso (USA)

Conference semifinals

Florida Bradenton Academics1 – 2Texas Austin Aztex U23
Ingvarsson Yellow card 17'
Gavin Yellow card 25'
Bello 74'
Maxwell Yellow card 83'		 (Report) Papandrea Yellow card 39' Yellow-red card 66'
Godbolt 56' Yellow card 59'
Bernard Yellow card 64'
Vincens 65'
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Robert Mauws (USA)
Massachusetts Cape Cod Crusaders0 – 0
(AET)		New York (state) Brooklyn Knights
Maloney Yellow card 33'
Munro Yellow card 73'		 (Report) Damiani Yellow card 27'
Gonzales Yellow card 82'
Ortega Yellow card 93'
Dos Santos Yellow card 108'
Penalties
Munro soccer ball with check mark
Maloney soccer ball with red X
Lynn soccer ball with check mark
Vercollone soccer ball with check mark		 3 – 5 soccer ball with check mark Matteo
soccer ball with check mark Damiani
soccer ball with check mark Guerra
soccer ball with check mark Dos Santos
soccer ball with check mark Kulkov
Attendance: 280
Referee: Tim Snyder (USA)
Florida Central Florida Kraze1 – 2Texas Laredo Heat
Araujo Yellow card 45'
Wolfe 54'
Mattson Red card 90'		 (Report) Cruz Yellow card 21'
Garcia 52' Yellow card 90+'
Mulamba Yellow card 53' 63'
Infante Yellow card 87'
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Agostino Minasola (USA)
Pennsylvania Reading Rage4 – 2
(AET)		New Jersey Newark Ironbound Express
Ports 22'
O'Connor Yellow card 66'
Burgess Yellow card 67' 109' (PK)
Taranto 74'
Benson 92'		 (Report) Kotynski Yellow card 4'
Robinson Yellow card 29'
Karcz 30' 62'
Grato Red card 82'
Bilbao Yellow card 83'
Chencinski Yellow card 100'
Stamatis Yellow card 100'
Ruesgen Yellow card 102'
Attendance: 657
Referee: Bo Maroo (USA)
Ohio Cleveland Internationals0 – 2Ontario Thunder Bay Chill
(Report) Putrus Yellow card 17'
Coronado Yellow card 21' Red card 45'
Alvarado Red card 27'
Swartzendruber 66'
Intermoia 82'
Referee: Clifton Ellis (USA)
British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Residency3 – 1
(AET)		California San Fernando Valley Quakes
Leslie Yellow card 65'
Davies Yellow card 69'
Dosanjh Yellow card 86'
Edwini-Bonsu 90+6' 110'
Russell Yellow card 114' 116'
Sandhu Yellow card 118'		 (Report) Borak Yellow card 72'
Agwu 82' Red card 84'
Tracy Yellow card 104'
Attendance: 1,291
Referee: Mike Kampmeinert (USA)
Michigan Michigan Bucks1 – 3
(AET)		Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage
DeMartin 31'
Morisset Yellow card 39'
Clark Red card 120'		 (Report) Alvino Yellow card 34'
Oatley 86' Yellow card 111' 120'
Muckey 98'
Referee: Marc Lawrence (USA)
California Fresno Fuego0 – 3Washington (state) Tacoma Tide
Alvarado Yellow card 32'
Calvo Yellow card 89'
Nunes Yellow card 89'		 (Report) Scott 18'
Mueller Yellow card 30'
Schomaker 76'
Tangney 90'
Attendance: 3,214
Referee: Maurizio Laudini (USA)

Conference finals

Texas Laredo Heat3 – 1Texas Austin Aztex U23
Galvan Yellow card 4'
Mulamba Yellow card 12' 68'
Quinones Yellow card 17'
Cruz Yellow card 26'
Garcia 47' 51'
Morales Yellow card 80'		 (Report) Alvarez Yellow card 4'
Vega Red card 5'
Watson 26' (PK) Yellow card 64'
Godbolt Yellow card 36' Yellow-red card 41'
Attendance: 100
Referee: Martin Bell (USA)
Pennsylvania Reading Rage1 – 0New York (state) Brooklyn Knights
Burgess 40' Yellow card 45'
Rowling Yellow card 69'		 (Report) Matteo Yellow card 40'
Smith Yellow card 43'
Gonzalez Yellow card 53'
Damiani Yellow card 61'
Carrizo Yellow card 77'
Alvarado Red card 90'
Attendance: 510
Referee: Ian Bongaardt (USA)
Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage0 – 4Ontario Thunder Bay Chill
Howard Yellow card 10' Milroth 11'
Intermoia Yellow card 20'
Oliveira 45' (PK)
Swartzendruber 59'
C. Gold Yellow card 75' 81'
Referee: Jason White (USA)
British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Residency4 – 1Washington (state) Tacoma Tide
Edwini-Bonsu 41' 64'
Semenets 66'
Russell 86'
Johnstone Yellow card 87'		 (Report) Mueller Yellow card 46'
Knapp Yellow card 54'
Agu Yellow card 82'
Schomaker 90'
Attendance: 510
Referee: Colin Arblaster (USA)

PDL semifinals

Ontario Thunder Bay Chill2 – 1British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Residency
Alvarado Yellow card 52'
Milroth 61' Yellow card 79'
Zendejas 90+4'		 Leslie Yellow card 41'
Dosanjh Yellow card 56'
Davies Yellow card 81'
Edwini-Bonsu 89' Yellow card 90+4' Red card 90+4'
Attendance: 1,546
Referee: Frank Carpino (CAN)
Texas Laredo Heat2 – 0Pennsylvania Reading Rage
Quinones Yellow card 29'
Ramos 41'
Garcia 78'
Humphrey Yellow card 87'		 O'Connor Yellow card 50'
Sanders Yellow card 84'
Attendance: 1,693
Referee: Carlos Salas (USA)

PDL final

Texas Laredo Heat1 – 1
(AET)		Ontario Thunder Bay Chill
Blackwell Yellow card 33'
Ibarra 46'
Infante Yellow card 83'
Galvan Yellow card 90'		 (Report) Putrus Yellow card 34'
Da Silva Yellow card 44'
Milroth Yellow card 56' Yellow-red card 76'
Oliveira 63' Yellow card 76'
J. Gold Yellow card 64'
Penalties
soccer ball with check mark Galvan
soccer ball with red X Ordaz
soccer ball with red X Su		 1 – 4 Oliveira soccer ball with check mark
Swartzendruber soccer ball with check mark
C. Gold soccer ball with check mark
Intermoia soccer ball with check mark
Attendance: 3,451
Referee: Jasen Anno (USA)

Awards and All-League team

F: Carlos Araujo (Central Florida Kraze); Felix Garcia (Laredo Heat) (U19 Player of the Year); Junior Garcia (Yakima Reds) (league MVP)
M: Will Beaugé (Ottawa Fury); Fabricio Codeceira (Fresno Fuego); Adam Gazda (Reading Rage); Nate Jafta (Michigan Bucks)
D: Darrius Barnes (Cary RailHawks U23's); Mike Holody (Michigan Bucks); Norberto Papandrea (Austin Aztex U23) (Defender of the Year)
G: Miguel Gallardo (Austin Aztex U23) (Goalkeeper of the Year)
Coach: Wolfgang Suhnholz (Austin Aztex U23)

See also