PDL Feature
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
As four teams from the PDL make their way to face MLS opposition in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this week, all four clubs, and the players within them, have stories to tell.
There is the newcomer, FC Tucson, which eliminated the San Antonio Scorpions after a dramatic penalty shootout to advance in their first appearance in the tournament.
There are the storied programs, in the Ocean City Nor’easters and Des Moines Menace, who get another crack at MLS opposition, continuing their clubs’ histories of success in the event.
Then there is Reading United, which reached the third round for the first time this season after coming up short in four previous attempts.
For Georgetown standout Steven Neumann, who was part of Reading teams that came close in the past, last week’s victory against the Harrisburg City Islanders was a big moment in the club’s history. A top prospect for next year’s MLS SuperDraft, Neumann is eager for the opportunity to face the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night.
“It’s going to be great,” Neumann said. “We’re all really looking forward to the chance to have a shot at an MLS team. I don’t know how many of their starters that they’ll play, but just being on the field against a team that boasts players like Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill; those are guys I watched on TV growing up. And I’m a big Arsenal fan so Thierry Henry was always one of my favorite players growing up, so, I mean, just playing a team where he’s on the roster there is just an unbelievable opportunity for me personally, and we’re all really excited to get the chance at it.”
Reading, the PDL affiliate of the Philadelphia Union, has been a consistent contender in the Eastern Conference in recent years thanks in part to the leadership of the front office, led by President Art Auchenbach, and the coaching staff, led by Head Coach Brendan Burke. An assistant with the Union in addition to his duties with Reading, Burke has been able to assemble top-level college talent year-in and year-out, with graduates of the Union’s Academy such as Darius Madison also now playing a part in the club’s success.
“I had heard about Reading United before from past players that are now in MLS who played with Reading, and I think they hold a great standard of professionalism within the organization,” Neumann said. “Whether it’s in management, the coaching, just the way the players handle themselves on a daily basis, so it’s definitely a great opportunity to have during the summer to stay sharp and also have exposure to a lot of professional coaches.”
While a professional career is likely in Neumann’s future, a return to MLS is the aim for Des Moines Menace goalkeeper Scott Angevine. Formerly with Sporting Kansas City, Angevine returns to Sporting Park on Tuesday night with his new side after helping the Menace defeat Minnesota United 1-0 last week.
For Angevine, games such as this one offer the opportunity for him to not only help his team succeed, but also try to catch the eye of a professional side that could use his services. If he can help his current club claim an upset against his former club, so much the better.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to go back to Kansas City and show them I can play, prove it to them first-hand,” Angevine said. “Then I really wanted the rest of my teammates to get the opportunity and the experience to play in that beautiful stadium at Sporting Park and also in front of what I believe to be the best fans in MLS.”
After his release from SKC, Angevine’s options were limited to continue in the professional ranks. After tryouts with a pair of USL PRO clubs didn’t work out, his agent suggested he head to Des Moines to get playing time and stay on the radar. With Mike Jeffries installed as the new head coach, and owner Kyle Kraus continuing to run one of the top-attended clubs in the PDL, Angevine has been pleased to play for the Menace.
“To be honest, it’s exceeded my expectations,” he said. “As a PDL side, they really run it as professionally as they possibly can with the limited resources that they have. The owner does an incredible job just making sure that the organization is well run, and the professionalism is outstanding for the PDL level, so in a way it really exceeded my expectations, and that’s all credit to the owners, the general manager and the front office staff with the Des Moines Menace.”
For Ocean City’s Kevin Curran, the Nor’easters are much more than a club. Having been part of the team’s youth program since he was a youngster, the club captain is now embarking on another potential run in the Open Cup. Part of the squad in 2009 that fell to D.C. United in the third round, Curran is hoping to make more memories this season as his side travels to PPL Park to face the Philadelphia Union.
“Back then in 2009 it was a different setup with the Open Cup where you had to qualify in the first three games of your season instead of from the year before, so obviously it was my first year and we had all of these things happening all at once,” Curran said. “We had the first games in the PDL, we had the qualifying period and then we played Crystal Palace Baltimore and Real Maryland, so it all happened so fast, but the fact that we came together and united within that short span was the most memorable thing, it really brought that group together and I’ll remember that for the rest of my life.”
This is Ocean City’s first appearance in the tournament since that run, with the club surging back to the top of the Mid Atlantic Division a season ago with the leadership of Coach Tim Oswald. With the goal of reaching the third round now complete, Curran said the side now has its sights set on going a step, or two, further than four years ago.
“Being with them for two weeks now and getting comfortable with each other, you’re looking for more,” Curran said. “You’re not just looking to get to the third round, but maybe the fourth or the fifth round. Personally, I’ve been with this club since I was 10 years old, so starting with the youth program and going up to the amateur level, it’s really special to be part of it for such a long time.”
While Curran has been part of the fabric of Ocean City for more than a decade, FC Tucson’s meteoric rise has been one of the great stories of this year’s Open Cup so far. In just its second season, Tucson has already defeated a pair of professional sides, including a dramatic penalty shootout win against the San Antonio Scorpions last week on the road.
Travis Campbell has been a key player for Tucson since its inception, and the New Mexico grad is hopeful that the club’s run of success won’t peter out as it faces Eastern Conference power the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Field.
“Going into Houston and playing in their stadium against an MLS team; I don’t think anything needs to be said to anyone on our team,” Campbell said. “Everyone knows it’s a big game, it’s their chance to shine, and playing against a couple of MLS teams this preseason with this FC Tucson team, we already got a feel for their pace, because they definitely play a lot more organized and smarter on the ball, but I think if we can stick to our game plan I think it could be a pretty fun game.”
For Campbell, as with Neumann, the chance to showcase his talent in front of an MLS audience is also an appealing one. Having completed his college career this past December, the former Lobo is now hoping a big performance could bring the chance to jump to the pro ranks, joining fellow Tucson alumni Donny Toia and Reid Schmitt in doing so.
“Right now I’m playing this summer to hopefully have some opportunities jump out at me, to see if I can get a look, get a tryout or something,” Campbell said. “These games are all huge for me; I have to approach it as though every game is a championship game.”
It’s likely that all four games that pit PDL sides against MLS opposition will have a championship feel to them, with the underdogs looking to spring a surprise to keep their remarkable runs alive. Whatever happens, though, players from all four clubs will have some great stories, and memories, to carry with them in the future.
“It’s exciting to be in a tournament like this where you’re playing against teams that are higher up in the hierarchy in professional soccer in America, and you get chances to play against guys that are in spots that you hope to be in when you get out of college,” Neumann said. “It’s exciting to play against those guys, and it’s absolutely a great opportunity to try and prove yourself at a little bit higher level and see what you can do.”