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Last season was capped by the surprising run of the Tornados, who won the Blossomland Cup with three post-season victories. The Niles-based squad, which finished the regular season with only a 3-6-3 record, defeated Athletic Jaier in the Cup championship. The success of the fifth-placed Tornados exemplifies the relative strength of the league. "We are seeing much more parity," states league registrar Paul Pantaleo. "No longer are we a league of 'haves' and 'have nots.' From top to bottom we offer a solid product. Even the second division teams which participated in last year's Cup put forth strong showings, as evidenced by second tier Real Dowagiac's one-goal overtime loss to 2009 regular season champion St. Joe Kickers Premier." Promotion and relegation, long a standard of international leagues, allows second division champion St. Stephens Villains and runner-up Real Dowagiac to return to the first division after a year in the lower pool. Michigan Diamonds FC (known last year as Diamonds United) was the only first division team relegated since Barcelona, the first division's last place team, opted to not participate in 2010. Red Arrow FC, after amassing a three-season record of 4-26-0, also ceased operation. The 2010 Blossomland regular season runs from May 2 - July 10. Most league games will be played on Thursdays and Sundays. The league tournament begins July 15 with three games; the tourney semi-finals will be played on July 18 and the Blossomland Cup championship match will take place on July 25 at 3:00pm at the St. Joe Kickers Club in Arden. There is no admission to any Blossomland game. FIRST DIVISION ST. JOE KICKERS PREMIER Last year the Kickers won the regular season title for the first time since 2005, doing so with an undefeated record of 10-0-2. But after an overtime victory over Real Dowagiac in the first round of tournament play, the Germans went down to defeat at the hands of the dark horse Tornados. "We were a little tight going into that game" states Kicker coach Craig Black. "Trying to keep an undefeated string going is difficult, and we weren't expecting that level of play from the Tornados after defeating them during the regular season." This season the Kickers will again be led by the Girvan brothers, Jason and Andrew, who accounted for 18 of the Kickers' 49 goals in 2009. Besides the Girvans, the Kickers also feature the three Soto brothers, Efrain, Freddy, and Ben. Coach Black hopes these players will pick up the slack on offense caused by the recent season-ending ACL tear suffered by his son, Tony, whose 54 career goals ranks third on the league's all-time list. The Kickers had a successful indoor season, posting a record of 9-0-1 and finishing in first place. "The last year has been a good year to be a Kicker," states team manager Nick Lesch. "Two league championships and a combined record of 20-1-3 for both the outdoor and indoor seasons. Last season's Blossomland totals now put us at an all-time mark of 57-9-5 in that league." St. Joe is the last team to open league play, with their first match not set until May 20 when they host the St. Stephens Villains at 6:30pm. NILES WOLVERINES After achieving a 9-1-0 mark as a new second division club in 2008, the Niles Wolverines put in another strong performance in their first division-one campaign and finished with an 8-4-2 record after losing to Athletic Jaier in penalty kicks in the Blossomland Cup semi-finals. Most of last year's Wolverines return, including former Albion College star Andy Low, who won the league's "Golden Boot" Award last season with a 16 goal effort. Low, the BSL's second leading career scorer with 58 tallies, also claimed the "Boot" in 2005. Mike and Mat Peters and Andy's brother, Kyle, will help Low up front, as well as Matt Wieger, who returns after a one-year absence. Wieger scored five goals for the Wolverines in their inaugural season. Indiana residents Matt Knowlton and Kelly Ball, who were the Wolverines' second- and third-leading scorers in 2009, also return. Former Niles High School goalkeeper David Shier will front the Wolverines' net. Shier is a double threat who can move to forward when needed. "Our promotion to the first division has only strengthened our will to bring back a championship to Niles," states Wolverines' coach Evan McCullough. "Last season we were only a penalty kick away from playing for the Blossomland Cup. This season I think we could become the second team to win both the regular season and tournament championships" [Athletic Jaier accomplished this feat in 2008]. The Wolverines will play their home matches at Brandywine High School's soccer-only facility. They kick off the season on May 2 when they host first-division returner St. Stephens Villains at 2:00pm. ATHLETIC JAIER FC Athletic Jaier will bring back much of the same side that was defeated in the 2009 Blossomland Cup by the upstart Tornados. Jaier ended with a third place finish and a 9-4-2 record last season. Coach Jeremy Woolery has been able to tap into his connections with college programs to create one of the deepest teams in West Michigan. Last year a strong effort by collegiate stars helped make up for the loss of 2008's league-leading scorer, Kempess Villafana. Davenport University standout Alex Boehm accounted for nine of Jaier's 43 goals, while Albion College forward Clay Hewitt added seven. Gerard and Joseph John-Williams, originally from Trinidad & Tobago, also return, as do former St. Joseph prep standouts Kyle Haumersen and Ryan Robinson. Grace College stalwart Ryan Wenrick returns to anchor the defense. Jaier's high pressure style of play caused their opponents to commit many defensive mistakes. Four of Jaier's tallies came on own goals, which established a Blossomland league mark for forcing self-inflicted scores. Athletic Jaier's men's team is the pinnacle of the club's structure. Long known for their competitive youth teams, the AJFC Blossomland squad offers a place for former Jaier youth players to hone their skills between intercollegiate seasons. Jaier will play their home games at Bridgman High School. They begin their season on May 4 when they travel to Rockey Weed Field in Stevensville to take on Whirlpool United at 6:30pm. WHIRLPOOL UNITED Whirlpool's leadership has undergone a complete overhaul as longtime coach Marcelo Castro has returned to his home in Brazil. John Scouler and Peter Richmond will take over the team and will function in a capacity similar to the Castro and Tomas Diaz duumvirate. Whirlpool finished with a respectable 7-5-1 mark in 2009, bowing out of Cup play in the first round to eventual tournament champion Tornados. Whirlpool United features players from nine different countries, including the ageless Manolis Anagnostou, originally from Greece, who led Whirlpool in scoring last year with eight goals. Jonatan Martinez of Argentina and Sergio Duarte of Brazil will support Anagnostou on offense. Last year Martinez and Duarte accounted for nine of Whirlpool's 26 goals. Colombian Santiago Restrepo will sustain the midfield along with Mike Dalton, whose 23 career goals still stands as best among Whirlpool players. The club is sponsored by the Whirlpool Hispanic Network and a majority of the players work for the Benton Harbor-based company. Whirlpool United is one of two teams that will share Rockey Weed Field as its home pitch (St. Stephens is the other). Whirlpool opens their 2010 campaign when they host Athletic Jaier on May 4 at 6:30pm. TORNADOS The Tornados were the Blossomland Soccer League's "feel good" story of 2009. After barely qualifying for the BSL tournament with a disappointing 3-6-3 regular season , the Tornados won three one-goal games --- equaling their regular season victory total --- to capture the Blossomland Cup. The Tornados achieved their surprising success by getting balanced scoring from Ryan Mitchell, Bulgarian Grigor Petkov, and Zambian Chaiwa Chende, who all return. Coach Tony Catanzarite is proud of how his club stepped up in the absence on Andy Low, who transferred to the Wolverines before the 2009 season. "We only scored one more goal than our opponents last year, but we scored them at the right time in the right games. We didn't have one single star: everyone worked together to achieve something that no one thought possible. We will need to pull together again in 2010 to make up for a pre-season injury to Hector Rodriguez that has put him out for the year." The Tornados are trying to insure future success by forming a "farm club." The Tornados have established a reserve team, the Cyclones, who will play in the second division. Both the Tornados and their "B" team, the Cyclones, will play their home games at Niles Ballard Elementary School. The Tornados start the season when they face first division returnee Real Dowagiac on May 2 at 2:00pm. ST. STEPHENS VILLAINS After going "0-for" in 2008 and being relegated to the second division, the St. Stephens Villains made a complete turn around in 2009. After losing the first game of the season to Real Dowagiac, St. Stephens reeled off eleven straight wins before losing to the first division Wolverines in Cup play. The Villains' sterling 11-2-0 mark earned them a promotion back to the first division, where they had played their first three seasons in the league. In 2009 the Villains scored 54 more goals and allowed 20 fewer goals than they did in 2008 (their 58 total goals was the fourth best ever in Blossomland history and that count likely would have been higher except for a forfeit victory over lowly Red Arrow FC). Coach Aaron Soule led the scoring with eight markers, while his brothers Ryan and Jud added six and five respectively. Wes Barker and Adam Hess also scored seven goals each for SSV in 2009. The Villains' average scoreline last season was an impressive 4.46-1.08. St. Stephens helps kick-off the Blossomland season on May 2 when they travel to Niles to take on the Wolverines in a rematch of their 2009 season-ending contest. Game time at Brandywine High School is 2:00pm. REAL DOWAGIAC A year in the second division proved rejuvenating for Real Dowagiac as the team rebounded from a 1-6-1 record in 2008 to post a 9-3-1 mark in 2009. Real played regular season champion St. Joe Kickers Premier in the first round of the BSL Cup and were only defeated after extra time. The Hernandez family will again be featured prominently: Alejandro, Ishmael, Octavio, Rodolfo, and Samuel. The Hernandezes account for over ten percent of all the goals ever scored in Blossomland Soccer League history (208). Octavio Hernandez is the league's all-time scoring leader with 62 goals. His brother Alejandro is close behind with 53, followed by Ishmael and Rodolfo with 41 and 40 goals respectively (Samuel chips in with a dozen goals of his own). Jesus Zaleta returns in goal for Real and Coach Samuel Hernandez has added former Dowagiac High School star Brian Edgerly to the roster. Real (a Spanish word meaning "royal") is primarily a Hispanic side, with Mexico the home country for 16 of the team's 19 players. Real Dowagiac plans to use the newly-renovated St. Joe Kickers "B" Field for home games. They open the 2010 season against the Tornados at Niles Ballard on May 2 at 2:00pm. SECOND DIVISION MICHIGAN DIAMONDS FC After finishing 9-2-1 just three seasons ago, the Diamonds' slide has continued. After posting a 2-9-2 record in 2009 the Berrien Springs-based team has dropped from the first table into the second division. The loss of 2008's leading scorer David Wall was evident, as the squad managed to score only 17 goals while giving up 42. Other than Aden Kamala, who found the net six times, no other Diamond scored more than two goals on the season. Kamala, the "Kenyan Prince" will return, along with Claston "Junior" Reid, Doug Pittman, and Isaac Thumbalamoto. Diamonds' mentor Octavio Latino also coaches the Southwest Michigan under-19 select team (as well as the Southwest Michigan Academy team and the over-40 men's team!) and will expect double-duty from his youth players. Area prep stars Taylor Wilkinson, Andrew Kutzner, and goalkeeper Jose Rangel will play for both Latino's u19 and BSL squads. Rangel claimed top senior honors at John Adams High School and was the South Bend Hispanic League's most valuable goalkeeper. Latino also picked up Javier Orbe-Bernal, Jesus Sanches and Demetrio Aguilar from the South Bend league and added Carlos Morales and Juan Luis Sandoval from the 2009 Barcelona BSL contingent. The Diamonds have an international flavor: two-thirds of the team are foreign born, representing nine countries and four continents. Coach Latino states that "the Diamonds should have a wide-open offense, but we will need to work on our defense. Our goalkeeping was very suspect last year as we gave up over three goals per game on average. I think we now have security in that area." The team has changed its official name from Diamonds United to Michigan Diamonds FC but will once again play their home games at Andrews Academy in Berrien Springs, where they will host the newly-minted Cyclones in the season opener on May 2 at 6:00pm. P&R FC P&R FC quadrupled its win total in 2009 to finish with an 8-4-0 mark and fell short of promotion by just one win. Despite this disappointment, league president and P&R coach Dennis Ott believes that 2010 will be the last season the club will play in the second division. "We have a solid collection of players from a variety of area high schools," states Ott. "I think they will help us climb back up to the top.: P&R boasts a "who's who" of southwest Michigan prep standouts from the last two decades, including standouts Lakeshore High School standouts T. J. and Alex Moneta, Terrence Wakefield, and Taylor Brushwyler. St. Joseph alumni Eric Buckleitner, Kevin Chaddock, and Casey Janick will figure prominently in P&R's plans,, as will Bridgman's Jason DelBosque and Buchanan's T. J. Sater. P&R allowed an average of two goals per game last year but should improve upon that number with the addition of Lakeshore High School goalkeeper Drew Kalinowski, who was named to the MHSAA Division II all-state first team. Ott's home field is unique: the full-sized pitch is located at the P&R coach's home on Gast Rd. in Bridgman. P&R FC does not start their season until May 14 when they host the expansion Cyclones at 6:30pm. BUCHANAN FC Buchanan FC finished in fourth place in division two in 2009 with a respectable 6-4-2 mark. BFC allowed just 16 goals all season, but scored only 20 --- a number due in part to the nearly season-long suspension of their 2008 leading scorer, Doug Summers. Buchanan FC will have a new look this year as coach Heath Warmbein has been busy replacing and recruiting players during the off-season. Warmbein has added players from the defunct Red Arrow FC team and hopes the additions of Steve Petro, Adam Schmaltz, Josh Young, and Mike Becktell will give Buchanan FC a boost on the field. Becktell formerly played for BFC and will be a very solid defender. Buchanan High School alumnus Joe Scoggins will bring stability to the midfield, while current Buck teammates Zack Pierce and goalkeeper Steven Van Alstine will anchor the defense. Buchanan FC's roster also features Grant Hemminger, Sean Jesse, Brandon Schmeling, Zach Powers, and Alex Gordon , who have all been with the team since their start in the league in 2006. Buchanan FC will open the season on May 2 when they host the St. Joe Kickers Reserves at 2:00pm at the Van Den Berg Sports Complex at Buchanan Middle School. The Red Bud City squad is sponsored by Buchanan Pallet Products. DOWAGIAC DAWGS The Dawgs are the only remaining original Blossomland Soccer League team composed primarily of high school-age players. And for a team of mostly 14-18 year olds they performed quite well in 2009, ending with a 4-7-1 record and a fifth place finish in division two. Dowagiac Union High School varsity coach Mike Williams believes that the league has helped his high school team improve fundamentally. "We play in a very strong soccer conference [Wolverine], with the likes of Plainwell and South Haven, and the BSL has helped us develop a mental toughness that carries over to the fall prep season" states Williams. Hazen McMeeken returns as forward for the Dawgs. McMeeken scored an amazing 14 goals in 2009 and was runner-up for the second division's "Golden Boot." Craig Zebell, Andrew Cripe, and Joey Pasternak will be back to help with the attack. Dawgs' coach Justin Rose will also appear on the field as one of the few Dowagiac post-graduates to wear the Orange and Black, and Williams will join his counterpart on the pitch when the Dowagiac school year closes. The Dawgs will continue to hold their home games at the Dowagiac Union High School auxiliary field, which has been increased to 114 x 70 yards to enhance the speed of adult premier level play. The Dawgs will play host to division two-newcomer Michigan Diamonds FC on May 6. Kickoff is at 6:30pm. ST. JOE KICKERS RESERVES The St. Joe Kickers Reserves have retooled yet again after a disastrous 0-12-0 season. Coach Neil Harris' 2009 collection of weekend warriors has been released and a cluster of youth players have been added to aide the reliable veterans who remain. Homero Uribe and Frenchman Fabrice LeBlanc return for another season with the Reserves. Last year these two were responsible for almost half of the Reserves' nine goals. The Kickers have released or repositioned their 2009 netminders --- who gave up an average of over 5 goals per match last year --- and brought in veteran Carl Spikner and the league's youngest player, Christian Haack, as goalkeepers. Former Grace Christian standouts Levi Easton and Aaron Haack have been added, as well as former St. Stephens Villain Shane Bookwalter. "After last season we realized that the Reserves should also include younger or less developed players who could help the Kickers' Premier team some day" states Kickers Premier coach Craig Black. Reserve coach Harris adds "We have been working more closely with our first division team and Coach Black to insure the continued success of the Kickers Club in the BSL for years to come." The Reserves will play their home games on the St. Joe Kickers newly renovated "A" Field. The Kickers' clubroom will be open for all Thursday and most Sunday games and beverages will be available. The Arden-based club's second team will open their 2010 season on May 2 when they travel to Buchanan Middle School to take on Buchanan FC at 2:00pm. CYCLONES The Tornados have added a reserve team, the Cyclones, who will share a field with their parent squad at Niles Ballard Elementary School. In addition to his coaching duties with the Cup champion Tornados, Tony Catanzarite will also mentor 2010's lone BSL "expansion" team. Like the Dawgs, the Cyclones also consist of mainly high-school age players. With seven Cassopolis residents, the Cyclones hearken back to the days when the BSL featured two teams from the Cass county seat, the Rangers and Vipers. Agust Olafsson, son of Cassopolis High School's varsity coach Oli Olafsson, will play a prominent role in the team's offense, with support from the Samadder brothers, Alfred and George, who hail from Bangladesh. The Cyclones do have a few veterans scattered throughout the roster that will help balance the team's formation. Coach Catanzarite candidly admits "I expect that we will start slow, but the enthusiasm and the chemistry of this team is great. Once the kids get their feet wet and know what it is like to play against adult premier players, they should become comfortable and incorporate the strategies we have been working on in practice."
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