2010 PDL season

The 2010 USL Premier Development League season was the 16th season of the PDL. The regular season began on April 24, 2010, and ended on July 26. The league consisted of 67 teams across eight divisions. The playoffs began on Friday, July 30 and concluded with the PDL Championship Game on August 8. As in previous years, the PDL Championship Game was broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel in the United States, with commentary by Kenn Tomasch and Jon Billings.

USL Premier Development League

Official 2010 PDL Championship logo
Season	2010
Champions	Portland Timbers U23's
Matches played	544
Goals scored	1,791 (3.29 per match)
Top goalscorer	Brandon Swartzendruber, Thunder Bay Chill, 15
Biggest home win	9–0, Portland Timbers U23's over Spokane Spiders
Biggest away win	7–1, Tacoma Tide over Yakima Reds 7–1, Reading United over New Jersey Rangers
Highest scoring	9 goals, Orange County Blue Star 7–2 Fresno Fuego 9 goals, Spokane Spiders 2–7 Washington Crossfire 9 goals, Lancaster Rattlers 3–6 Hollywood United Hitmen 9 goals, Des Moines Menace 2–7 Thunder Bay Chill 9 goals, Spokane Spiders 0–9 Portland Timbers U23's 9 goals, Abbotsford Mariners 4–5 Spokane Spiders 9 goals, Central Florida Kraze 2–7 Mississippi Brilla
Highest attendance	3,764, Des Moines Menace vs Rochester Thunder
Lowest attendance	20, Chicago Fire Premier vs Forest City London
Average attendance	550
← 2009 2011 →

The Portland Timbers U23's ended the season as national champions, beating Thunder Bay Chill 4–1 in the 2010 PDL Championship game. The Timbers also had the best regular season record, winning all their 16 games, scoring 53 goals and conceding just six along the way. In doing so the Saplings became the first team to post a perfect PDL regular season record since the Jackson Chargers in 1998,^[1] the first regular season champion to win the playoffs since the Central Coast Roadrunners in 1996, and the first team in PDL history to go through an entire PDL regular season and playoff campaign without posting a loss or a tie.

Portland Timbers U23's striker Brent Richards was named League MVP and Rookie of the Year for his stellar campaign with the national champions, while Timbers head coach Jim Rilatt was named Coach of the Year. Joe Tait of the Baton Rouge Capitals was named Defender of the Year after scoring six goals and an assist in 12 games, and helping his team to the national final four. Ryan Meara of Newark Ironbound Express was named Goalkeeper of the Year after recording an impressive eight shutout wins in only 12 games played, and ranking fourth in the league in goals-against average at 0.666.^[2]

Players from Canadian side Thunder Bay Chill led the majority of the statistical categories, with striker Brandon Swartzendruber leading the league with 15 goals, while his teammate Gustavo Oliveira led the league with 13 assists. Portland Timbers U23's goalkeeper Jacob Gleeson enjoyed the best goalkeeping statistics, allowing just five goals in 15 games and earning a 0.360 GAA average.^[3]

Changes from 2009

Name changes

• El Paso Patriots changed their name to Chivas El Paso Patriots after signing a formal partnership with Mexican side Guadalajara.^[4]
• Los Angeles Legends were taken over by the ownership group of the Los Angeles-based amateur side LA Blues, and rebranded themselves Los Angeles Azul Legends.^[5]
• Ocean City Barons changed their name to Ocean City Nor'easters after splitting from the South Jersey Barons Youth Academy and holding a "name the team" contest to decide their new nickname.^[6][7]
• Reading Rage became an official minor league affiliate of MLS expansion team Philadelphia Union, and renamed themselves Reading United.^[8]
• Seattle Wolves merged with a local youth soccer organization and renamed themselves Washington Crossfire.^[9]

New franchises

• Eight franchises were announced as joining the league this year:^[10]

Team Name	Metro Area	Location	Previous Affiliation
Albany BWP Highlanders	Albany area	Schenectady, NY	expansion
Bermuda Hogges	Bermuda	Hamilton, Bermuda	USL Second Division
Central Jersey Spartans	Central New Jersey area	Lawrenceville, NJ	expansion
Dayton Dutch Lions	Dayton area	Bellbrook, OH	expansion
Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy	Fort Lauderdale area	Lauderhill, FL	expansion
Portland Phoenix	State of Maine	Portland, ME	expansion
Vermont Voltage	State of Vermont	St. Albans, VT	returning from hiatus
Western Mass Pioneers	Springfield (MA) area	Ludlow, MA	USL Second Division

Folding

• Nine teams were announced as leaving the league prior to the beginning of the season:
  • Austin Aztex U23 – Austin, Texas
  • Bakersfield Brigade – Bakersfield, California
  • Cary Clarets – Cary, North Carolina
  • Cascade Surge – Salem, Oregon
  • Fort Wayne Fever – Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Fredericksburg Gunners – Fredericksburg, Virginia
  • Panama City Pirates – Panama City, Florida
  • Rhode Island Stingrays – East Providence, Rhode Island
  • Virginia Legacy – Williamsburg, Virginia

Standings

Key to colours in group tables
Team won the Division Title
Team qualified for playoff berth

Note: The first tie-breaker in PDL standings is head-to-head results between teams tied on points, which is why some teams with inferior goal differences finish ahead in the standings.

Central Conference

Great Lakes Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Michigan Bucks	16	11	3	2	43	14	+29	35
2	Forest City London	16	10	1	5	42	14	+28	35
3	Dayton Dutch Lions	16	8	3	5	32	20	+12	29
4	Chicago Fire Premier	16	9	5	2	28	12	+16	29
5	Indiana Invaders	16	8	7	1	23	25	−2	25
6	Cincinnati Kings	16	6	6	4	31	28	+3	22
7	Toronto Lynx	16	4	11	1	15	37	−22	13
8	Kalamazoo Outrage	16	3	13	0	17	55	−38	9
9	Cleveland Internationals	16	2	12	2	15	41	−26	8

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Heartland Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Thunder Bay Chill	16	12	2	2	40	12	+28	38
2	Rochester Thunder	16	10	3	3	22	10	+12	33
3	Real Colorado Foxes	16	7	3	6	26	18	+8	27
4	Des Moines Menace	16	6	3	7	30	23	+7	25
5	St. Louis Lions	16	5	7	4	23	21	+2	19
6	Springfield Demize	16	1	12	3	10	37	−27	6
7	Kansas City Brass	16	1	12	3	14	44	−30	6

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Eastern Conference

Mid Atlantic Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Reading United	16	10	2	4	40	14	+26	34
2	Newark Ironbound Express	16	10	3	3	29	12	+17	33
3	Central Jersey Spartans	16	8	5	3	31	23	+8	27
4	Carolina Dynamo	16	7	5	4	30	23	+7	25
5	Northern Virginia Royals	16	6	6	4	24	28	−4	22
6	Ocean City Nor'easters	16	5	6	5	23	25	−2	20
7	West Virginia Chaos	16	6	9	1	21	26	−5	19
8	Hampton Roads Piranhas	16	4	7	5	18	31	−13	17
9	New Jersey Rangers	16	5	11	0	18	37	−19	15
10	Bermuda Hogges	16	4	11	1	9	25	−16	13

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Northeast Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Ottawa Fury	16	11	2	3	33	10	+23	36
2	Portland Phoenix	16	10	2	4	37	14	+23	34
3	Albany BWP Highlanders	16	10	4	2	32	21	+11	32
4	Long Island Rough Riders	16	8	4	4	25	20	+5	28
5	Vermont Voltage	16	5	7	4	22	31	−9	19
6	Western Mass Pioneers	16	4	6	6	17	20	−3	18
7	New Hampshire Phantoms	16	3	9	4	10	23	−13	13
8	Brooklyn Knights	16	3	12	1	24	42	−18	10
9	Westchester Flames	16	1	9	6	13	32	−19	9

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Southern Conference

Mid South Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Laredo Heat	16	9	5	2	36	19	+17	29
2	Houston Leones	16	7	5	4	24	20	+4	25
3	DFW Tornados	16	7	5	4	23	19	+4	25
4	West Texas United Sockers	16	6	7	3	20	24	−4	21
5	Chivas El Paso Patriots	16	6	6	4	18	21	−3	19[a]
6	Rio Grande Valley Bravos	16	3	10	3	12	30	−18	9[a]

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Notes:

1. Chivas El Paso Patriots and Rio Grande Valley Bravos deducted three points for league rules infringement

Southeast Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Mississippi Brilla	14	11	0	3	41	14	+27	36
2	Baton Rouge Capitals	14	9	2	3	30	15	+15	30
3	Atlanta Blackhawks	14	6	4	4	27	31	−4	22
4	Central Florida Kraze	14	6	5	3	22	17	+5	21
5	New Orleans Jesters	14	6	6	2	30	22	+8	20
6	Bradenton Academics	14	5	5	4	19	15	+4	19
7	Nashville Metros	14	1	10	3	8	34	−26	6
8	Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy	14	0	12	2	5	34	−29	2

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Portland Timbers U23's	16	16	0	0	53	6	+47	48
2	Kitsap Pumas	16	12	2	2	38	14	+24	38
3	Tacoma Tide	16	9	4	3	33	20	+13	30
4	Victoria Highlanders	16	7	6	3	27	24	+3	24
5	Washington Crossfire	16	6	8	2	35	31	+4	20
6	Vancouver Whitecaps Residency	16	4	9	3	27	37	−10	15
7	Abbotsford Mariners	16	4	11	1	25	44	−19	13
8	Yakima Reds	16	4	12	0	18	42	−24	12
9	Spokane Spiders	16	2	12	2	26	64	−38	8

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Southwest Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Ventura County Fusion	16	11	4	1	35	12	+23	34
2	Hollywood United Hitmen	16	10	3	3	41	20	+21	33
3	Orange County Blue Star	16	9	3	4	42	24	+18	31
4	Fresno Fuego	16	8	4	4	42	33	+9	28
5	Southern California Seahorses	16	6	7	3	25	28	−3	21
6	Los Angeles Azul Legends	16	5	8	3	27	33	−6	18
7	Lancaster Rattlers	16	3	8	5	27	51	−24	14
8	BYU Cougars	16	4	10	2	17	27	−10	14
9	Ogden Outlaws	16	2	11	3	22	50	−28	9

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Playoffs

Format

The 2010 PDL playoffs will feature 16 teams, down from 24 the previous year. The format will have each division winner play against the second-place team in their counterpart division within their respective conference.

Bracket

Conference Semifinals

Conference Finals

PDL Semifinals

PDL Championship

NW1

Portland Timbers U23's

2

SW2

Hollywood United Hitmen

1

NW1

Portland Timbers U23's

2

Western Conference

NW2

Kitsap Pumas

1

SW1

Ventura County Fusion

1 (3)

NW2

Kitsap Pumas (AET/PSO)

1 (5)

NW1

Portland Timbers U23's

2

MA1

Reading United

1

NE1

Ottawa Fury

2

MA2

Newark Ironbound Express

0

NE1

Ottawa Fury

2

Eastern Conference

MA1

Reading United

3

MA1

Reading United

2

NE2

Portland Phoenix

1

NW1

Portland Timbers U23's

4

HL1

Thunder Bay Chill

1

HL1

Thunder Bay Chill

1

GL2

Forest City London

0

HL1

Thunder Bay Chill (AET)

2

Central Conference

GL1

Michigan Bucks

1

GL1

Michigan Bucks

2

HL2

Rochester Thunder

0

HL1

Thunder Bay Chill

2

SE2

Baton Rouge Capitals

1

MS1

Laredo Heat

1 (5)

Third place

SE2

Baton Rouge Capitals (AET/PSO)

1 (6)

SE2

Baton Rouge Capitals

2

MA1

Reading United

2 (2)

Southern Conference

MS2

Houston Leones

1

SE2

Baton Rouge Capitals (PSO)

2 (4)

SE1

Mississippi Brilla

2 (5)

MS2

Houston Leones (AET/PSO)

2 (6)

Conference semifinals

Michigan Bucks	2–0	Rochester Thunder
Uzoigwe 14' Robles  16' St. Louis 54'	(Report)	Bonilla  31'

July 30, 2010
3:00 PM EDT

Chapples Park Stadium
Thunder Bay, ON

Attendance: 515

Referee: David Barrie (USA)

---

Thunder Bay Chill	1–0	Forest City London
Swartzendruber 5' Buthelezi  45' Heck  65' Colaizzi  69'	(Report)	Morris  17' Haworth  46' Cekic  68' Bibby  90'

July 30, 2010
5:30 PM EDT

Chapples Park Stadium
Thunder Bay, ON

Attendance: 1,485

Referee: Gianni Facchini (USA)

---

Laredo Heat	1–1 (AET)	Baton Rouge Capitals
Garcia 17' Gunderson  21' Bayona  63' Lewis  73' Mulamba  80'  Lara  85' Ibarra  97'	(Report)	Williams  7' McCubbin  17' Chagnard 78'
Penalties
Galvan Hernandez Bautista Garza Abalos Hergert Lewis	5–6	Callon Anderson Tait Hayers Williams Chagnard Gordon

July 30, 2010
5:00 PM CDT

Harper Davis Stadium
Jackson, MS

Attendance: 215

Referee: Arthur Odom (USA)

---

Mississippi Brilla	2–2 (AET)	Houston Leones
Buffington 56' 104'	(Report)	Eastman  68'  95' Vallentine 69' Simon 112'
Penalties
	5–6

July 30, 2010
7:30 PM CDT

Harper Davis Stadium
Jackson, MS

Attendance: 1,453

Referee: Jared Peeler (USA)

---

Reading United	2–1	Portland Phoenix
Mulholland 73' Frimpong 89'	(Report)	Reilly  6' Weightman  8' Banks 55'

July 31, 2010
4:00 PM EDT

Algonquin College
Ottawa, ON

Attendance: 126

Referee: Joe Audi (USA)

---

Portland Timbers U23's	2–1	Hollywood United Hitmen
Braun  34' 63' Evans 66' Dugoni  73'  88' Ogunyemi  90'	(Report)	Whitfield 3'  90' Corona  31' Morales  56' Spitz  90'

July 31, 2010
1:30 PM PDT

Bremerton Memorial Stadium
Bremerton, WA

Referee: Manuel Soleded (USA)

---

Ottawa Fury	2–0	Newark Ironbound Express
Rigby  17' Theissen  44' Struthers 67' 72'	(Report)	Konopelsky  21' Grato  63' Niebles  72'

July 31, 2010
7:00 PM EDT

Algonquin College
Ottawa, ON

Attendance: 528

Referee: Marvin Mohring (USA)

---

Kitsap Pumas	1–1 (AET)	Ventura County Fusion
Gordley 2' Scott  45' Besagno  77'	(Report)	Da. Berrera 30'  42'  112' Guerrero  54'  120'
Penalties
Hepple Hyde Cascio Gray Wallace	5–3	Johnson Nicholson Becerra Jagne

July 31, 2010
5:00 PM PDT

Bremerton Memorial Stadium
Bremerton, WA

Attendance: 1,194

Referee: Nestor Chavez (USA)

Conference finals

Thunder Bay Chill	2–1 (AET)	Michigan Bucks
Robertson  20' Abegar  37' Intermoia  76' Swartzendruber 84' 118'	(Report)	Uzoigwe 79' Fuzetti  87' C. Givens  99'

July 31, 2010
5:30 PM EDT

Chapples Park Stadium
Thunder Bay, ON

Attendance: 1,496

Referee: David Barrie (USA)

---

Ottawa Fury	2–3	Reading United
Theissen  31' Dasah 73' 90'	(Report)	Witmer 35' 49' Hogan  58'  75' Mulholland 76'  76'

August 1, 2010
4:00 PM EDT

Algonquin College
Ottawa, ON

Attendance: 436

Referee: Mathew Arduini (USA)

---

Houston Leones	1–2	Baton Rouge Capitals
Richards 39'  60' Zelko  51' Phillips  82'	(Report)	Settle 76' Anderson 88'  89'

August 1, 2010
7:00 PM CDT

Harper Davis Stadium
Jackson, MS

Attendance: 156

Referee: Doug Ferguson (USA)

---

Kitsap Pumas	1–2	Portland Timbers U23's
Hyde  40' Lee 42' Phillips  58' Fishbaugher  88'	(Report)	Ramsey 24' Farfan 81'

August 1, 2010
5:00 PM PDT

Bremerton Memorial Stadium
Bremerton, WA

Attendance: 1,200

Referee: Armando Villareal (USA)

PDL Semifinals

Thunder Bay Chill	2–1	Baton Rouge Capitals
Abegar 78' Intermoia 81' Heck  85'	(Report)	Williams 75'

August 6, 2010
5:00 PM PDT

PGE Park
Portland, OR

Referee: Paul Northman (USA)

---

Portland Timbers U23's	2–1	Reading United
Ogunyemi 48' Braun 78' Granger  79'	(Report)	Houapeu 74'

August 6, 2010
7:30 PM PDT

PGE Park
Portland, OR

Attendance: 2,359

Referee: Artem Sher (USA)

Third-Place Game

Reading United	2–2	Baton Rouge Capitals
Sapong 2' Mulholland 28'	(Report)	Hedges 26' (o.g.) McCubbin  26' Tait 45' Magill  89'
Penalties
Reid Houapeu Wenger Mulholland	2–4	Tait Settle Ju. Portillo Williams Callon

August 7, 2010
1:00 PDT

PGE Park
Portland, OR

Referee: Desmond Miller (USA)

PDL Final

Portland Timbers U23's	4–1	Thunder Bay Chill
Hasson 30' Richards 51' 62' Ogunyemi  52' Evans  54' Braun 76'	(Report)	Heck  16' Oliveira  22' 45' Colaizzi  72'

August 7, 2010
4:00 PM PDT

PGE Park
Portland, OR

Attendance: 3,729

Referee: Maurizio Laudani (USA)

Award winners and finalists

MVP: Brent Richards (POR) (winner), Moses Aduny (MIS), Andrew Rigby (OTT), Brandon Swartzendruber (TB)
Rookie of the Year: Brent Richards (POR) (winner), Fredrik Brustad (CF), Dominic Reinold (NJ)
Defender of the Year: Joe Tait (BR) (winner), Matt Hedges (REA), Mark Lee (KIT), Alexis Pradié (OTT),
Goalkeeper of the Year: Ryan Meara (NWK)
Coach of the Year: Jim Rilatt (POR) (winner), Brendan Burke (REA), Dave Dixon (MIS), Martin Painter (LON)

All-League and All-Conference teams

Eastern Conference

F: Will Beaugé (OTT), Dominic Reinold (NJ), C. J. Sapong (REA)
M: Frank Alesci* (NWK), Luke Mulholland (REA), Scott Rojo* (CAR)
D: Chris Christian (CJ), John Fletcher (OcC), Matt Hedges* (REA), Alexis Pradié* (OTT)
G: Ryan Meara* (NWK)

Central Conference

F: Gustavo Oliveira (TB), Brandon Swartzendruber (TB), Kenny Uzoigwe* (MIC)
M: Steven Beattie (CIN), Alan McGreal (LON), Jeremy Warman (KC)
D: C.J. Brown (KAL), Stewart Givens (MIC), Logan McDaniel (DM), Sebastian Stihler (LON)
G: Oscar Moens (DAY)

Southern Conference

F: Moses Aduny* (MIS), Ben Callon (BR), Ryan Maloney (ATL)
M: Jonathan Mendoza (CF), Lucas Paulini (MIS), Carl Reynolds (NO)
D: Willie Hunt (MIS), Ryan McDonald (NAS), Guilherme Reis (BRD), Joe Tait* (BR)
G: Leif Craddock (WTU)

Western Conference

F: Jaime Chavez (HU), Brent Richards* (POR), Amani Walker (OrC)
M: Freddie Braun* (POR), Cameron Hepple (KIT), Jordan Hughes (VIC)
D: Mo Aziz (ABB), Ryan Kawulok (POR), Mark Lee* (KIT), Daniel Scott (KIT)
G. Jake Gleeson (POR)

* denotes All-League player

See also

• United Soccer Leagues 2010
• 2010 NPSL Season
• 2010 W-League Season