It’s time to dust off the tifos and tune the drums. Soccer season in Detroit has officially begun.
Following three preseason matches, Detroit City FC is set to begin its 2015 National Premier Soccer League campaign this Friday.
The preseason saw over 1,000 supporters flood the stands for each match. DCFC drew with Saginaw Valley State, 3-3, in its preseason opener before falling to Michigan State, 1-0, a week later. But last Saturday, Le Rouge beat the Muskegon Risers at Cass Tech by a 3-1 scoreline to put a happy ending on its respectable preseason schedule.
While the players have gone through training camp and have had the chance to increase fitness and team chemistry, the supporters have had the opportunity to clear their vocal cords and get their creative juices flowing.
After a tough 3-0 loss in Pontiac, Mich., to the PDL National Champion Michigan Bucks in the first round of U.S. Open Cup play, Detroit City FC will return back to Cass Tech for a match that will again draw passion out of the calmest of spectators. Cleveland AFC will pay a visit to southeast Michigan for the NPSL season-opener and the first Rust Belt trophy match of 2015. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
The remainder of the season will look a bit different than those in the past, however, with only a few matches that will pit DCFC against familiar opponents. Another conference realignment in the NPSL has shifted scheduling, and conferences no longer exist.
Instead, regions are now the dominant form of organizing the league standings. Le Rouge will play each team in the Midwest Region once throughout the regular season. The realignment allows City supporters to give a hearty, Cass Tech welcome to teams such as the Minnesota United Reserves, the Madison 56ers, and the Minnesota TwinStars — all teams that weren’t in DCFC’s conference last year.
And along with fresh teams come fresh faces, and this year’s Detroit City FC roster presents plenty. A strong connection with the University of Michigan soccer program has filtered several players that are likely to make an immediate impact in the lineup.
Defender Andre Morris and midfielder James Murphy are two of the newest additions to the Le Rouge roster. They’ll join Wolverine returnees TJ VanSlooten, William Mellors-Blair, Colin McAtee, Latif Alashe, and Zeke Harris, proving the pipeline from Ann Arbor to Cass Ave continues to blossom.
Other notable additions include forward Tyler Channell from Saginaw Valley State and defenseman Ryan Keener, a Michigan State alumnus. Channell brings great pace and high offensive IQ to the striker position, while Keener will provide a steady veteran presence on the back line. Javier Bautista, a newcomer from Ashford University in Iowa, enjoyed two goals in his debut at home against the Risers.
Along with Morris, Murphy, Channell, and Keener, Le Rouge has added 11 total players to its 2015 roster to play alongside a plethora of returning talent. The new faces to learn by Friday are listed below:
Tommy Catalano (Oakland)
Ross Hendry (St. Ambrose University)
Bennett Jull (Robert Morris University)
Charlie Macinnes (St. Ambrose University)
Troy Watson (Saginaw Valley State)
Brendan Woodfull (Oakland)
Alexandre Bouillennec (Saginaw Valley State)
They’ll join the familiar faces that any DCFC supporter would know. The returning corps is anchored by captain Josh Rogers, midfielders David Edwardson, Cyrus Saydee, and Alashe, and defenders Alex Isaevski and Zach Schewee.
The talent of this year’s 2015 squad is as deep and abundant as previous seasons, and the expectations continue to grow as a new campaign approaches. Whether someone is a new or veteran supporter, a fresh or familiar face, or a passerby on Grand River Ave, this season will have enough to please the masses.
Cass Tech had been solemn for too long until last Saturday. Back in its natural state, full of smoke and chants and food trucks, it finally feels like summer.
Come sing with us, and let’s support the city and game we all cherish. The year 2015 officially begins on Wednesday.
– Jeremy Summitt / DCFC Staff Writer
