Sunshine Conference

February 22, 2019 by Lola Vaughn

In a state known for its entertaining sports, attractions, and culture, the Sunshine Conference keeps that Florida reputation with its teams. Filled with former professional players from all over the world, it’s no surprise that the Sunshine state hosts some of the most entertaining soccer in NPSL, with the top three teams making it the most competitive conference in the league. However, with a Miami team winning the conference for the past five years, including Miami FC 2- which also lifted the NPSL National Championship trophy in 2018 -some have pointed out an unfairness of the well-funded teams against the smaller or newer clubs. Will Miami teams continue their dominance in 2019 or will the trophy finally move out of South Beach? To decide that, let’s look at the teams.

Miami FC 2

Miami FC came into 2018 already having a historically successful 2017 season in the NASL. Winning both the spring and fall season championships in 2017 and setting league records while doing it, Miami FC 2 continued its success in the NPSL, only allowing five goals in a twelve game season. The eventual 2018 NPSL national champion was not only the hardest team to score against, it was also the hardest team to stop. With a roster full of diverse players like former MLS player Johnny Steele in the midfield, Jamie Sanchez- the striker with fifteen goals and eleven assists in two seasons, and former USL player Shawn Chin leading the backline, it’s hard to find a weak spot in this team. Owned by Ricardo Silva, the team played in a 20,000-seat stadium named after the owner himself. Miami has the resources to dominate its division.

Darío Suárez was a serious threat for opposing clubs in 2018. Image courtesy of Miami FC.

While exciting to watch, there was some criticism with the team. With the collapse of the NASL, Miami FC 2 found itself in a situation of having many first team players needing to play but not having a league to play in. This is what some have called the unfair advantage Miami FC 2 has had, stating most of the players were professional players who would have not been playing NPSL if Miami FC 2 had a league to play in that year. However, with the new NPSL Founder’s Cup, Hank Steinbrecher Cup, and the departures of important players like Jeff Michaud, Sean McFarlane, and Kris Tyrpak to other leagues, will the heavy workload be a challenge Miami to keep up its dominant plus 25 goal differential form? Watch for Cuban midfielder, Darío Suárez, who had 10 goals on 39 shots last season, showing he’s a threat down the wing and cutting inside with one of the best goals to shots ratios in the league.

Jacksonville Armada FC

If there’s one team picked to give Miami FC 2 a run for its money, it’s the 2018 Sunshine Conference second place finishers Jacksonville Armada. Started in May of 2013, the Sunshine Soccer Group was formed to bring soccer to Jacksonville. Later that year, the NASL awarded Jacksonville the rights to expand and add the league’s thirteenth team. After a couple of years in the league, the NASL bought the Jacksonville Armada FC franchise and took ownership and operation of the team while looking for a new owner. It was then that local businessman Robert Palmer purchased the Armada and changed its structure on and off the field. With seven and eight goals from Ciarán Kilduff and J.C. Banks respectively, it was the only team to beat the national champions in the regular season and brought Jacksonville its first soccer playoff in almost three decades. While it had its best record in franchise history, it was playing in its home of Hodges Stadium where it was an unstoppable force.

Remaining undefeated at the 12,000 seat natural grass stadium at North Florida University, Jacksonville was successful in all parts of its attack (especially on the counter) and led by team MVP Yuma. Cheered on by its supporters group, Section 904, Jacksonville showed how passionate it is about its team with impressive home and away support. However, coming up on its fifth year anniversary, Jacksonville has many holes to fill, as Banks, Kilduff, and Yuma have all departed for different leagues. It has also announced it will be fielding a U-23 team with former captain Aaron Pitchkolan as the head coach. Defense will be a spot to focus on with the team as Haitian international Mechack Jérôme tries to lead the back line that only allowed three goals at home in all of 2018. It may need the help of its forty foot Octopus friend, Squid Vicious, to keep its third-best conference defense. Outside of its match with Miami FC 2, its close matches with Palm Beach United (3-2 win at home and 4-2 loss away) could be the deciding factor on Jacksonville having a shot for first place and its first conference title.

Naples United FC

The 2017 expansion team saw considerable improvement in 2018, going from last place to fifth on the Sunshine Conference table. From one win in its first season to five last year and led by head coach Vicente Sandoval, Naples improved on its chemistry this year with exciting build up play through the midfield. Players like Kevin Guillen brought a spark to the Naples offense with quick passes through the middle leading to beautiful goals. Another midfielder who was there to create the goals and even finish them was Danny Tenorio, who had multiple two goal games and finished tied with the most goals on the team. Right there with him was forward Jonathan Moyano, who consistently scored in games, accounting for 33% of the team’s goal. However, while the goals may be plentiful, it was the defense that would negate the offensive hard work. Matching its middle of the table points, the goal differential was plus one in 2018 and will most likely be the main part of its game it is looking to fix in 2019. Especially with playmaker and scorer, Danny Tenorio off to join USL League One. From its preseason workout on the beach, to gameday at Palmetto Ridge High School, it’ll be exciting to see if Naples can continue its growth coming into year three.

Central Florida Panthers SC

The newest team to the conference, Central Florida could be the team in the conference to disrupt the Miami dominance, led by an Executive Board of Directors that includes President Eddie Loyola, Vice President Giovanni Taliaferro, and Treasurer Alphonse Amato. Loyola serves as Vice President for the Florida State Soccer Association (FSSA), which serves as a huge advantage for a first-year team. As part of the Central Florida Soccer League- a 501c4 not for profit USASA sanctioned adult amateur league located in the greater Orlando area -another advantage the Panthers have is a youth system and the development of players in their area. Speaking with VP Giovanni Taliaferro, Giovanni spoke on what their front office looks forward to the most in its debut season.

Anton Faith, the new head coach. Image courtesy of CFSC.

“We are focused on the local player and coach along with helping build our community through soccer. With all of the talent in the Central Florida Soccer League, we are confident that they, along with some local collegiate and youth players will provide a unique core of players for our first season.”

The CFSL was founded in 1964 and is the oldest and largest adult amateur league in Florida. The league boasts more than 2,700 registered players with more than 70 teams playing in 12 divisions. Playing their home games at Winter Park High School, the Panthers should have a sense of home field advantage with their history of playing the CFSL championships at the same location. While the team has yet to announce any new signings, it has announced open tryouts will be in the month of February. You can also expect the team to bring in some of its youth players that it feels are ready to take the next step into the professional level.

Storm FC

While Naples United has been improving since its inaugural season, the opposite could be said for 2018’s Sunshine Conference last place team, Strom FC. Founded in 2013, the Storm came into NPSL with a bang, placing third in the conference in its first year and making it all the way to the conference semifinal. However, it has not been able to make it over the fifth place mark since, and had its worst season ever in 2018, scoring only one goal. Playing its home games at Central Broward Regional Park- the park that the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers once called home -the 20,000-seat capacity stadium is definitely one of the most exciting venues not just in the Sunshine Conference but all of the NPSL. Led by Spanish coach Enrique Guijarro, Storm FC is hoping to revamp its team on both sides of the ball. After allowing a conference-high 41 goals, Enrique will focus on finding a defensive core and a midfield that holds the ball to allow more of a buildup and offensive chances.

Miami United FC

While Miami FC 2 may have dominated both the Sunshine Conference and UPSL in 2018, another Miami team is used to finishing on top. The 2014 and 2016 Sunshine Conference champs, Miami United FC is the oldest team in the group and the only NPSL club to make the fourth round in the U.S. Open Cup. Founded in 2012, the team plays in the 5,000 seat Ted Hendricks Stadium at Milander Park. Founder & CEO Roberto Sacca set forth on his vision of the team after the fall of Miami FC (USL) and Miami Fusion (MLS). Wanting to embrace the community of Miami, the team is made up of thirteen different nationalities and uses the motto "Bringing the community together for the LOVE of the game," to bring together the many different players, supporters, and people of Miami. Recently, Miami United showed just how diverse its population was, hosting a friendly against the defending Uruguayan champions Peñarol. The 2-2 draw was hosted in front of over 11,000 fans.

Miami’s high-powered offense scored the second most goals in the conference in 2018, including a 9-0 win. With Victor Pelae Cardoso and Sebastian Exequiel Obregon both scoring hat tricks in the 2018 season, Miami found a lot of success with speedy play on the wings thanks to Venezuelan midfielder Gabriel Privitera. Head coach Gerardo Reinoso brings one of the most impressive portfolios to the NPSL, playing for Independiente, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Club Leon, and appearances for over ten other teams. While its offensive wing play is fun to watch, Miami United is impressive on the other side of the ball as well. United only allowed seven goals in 2018, good for second best in the conference. However, something to look for in 2019 is consistency, as its only loss last year came at home to the fourth place team Palm Beach United. It then went on to the conference playoffs as the third place team, forcing it to play a Jacksonville Armada team in Jacksonville, where the Armada only allowed three goals all season. The teams were separated by one point and would have played in Miami had it not lost its game against Palm Beach United. This consistency could be the key for Miami to make a deep playoff run or another first round exit.

Photos courtesy of club social media and Protagonist Soccer, unless otherwise mentioned. Custom art designed by Laura Mills. Previews written by Jason Weintraub with input from David Baker, Joshua Duder, and Dan Vaughn.

Southeast Conference

February 21, 2019 by Lola Vaughn

Chattanooga FC

Chattanooga Football Club had an amazing 2018. It took home the regular season conference championship in its tenth season in the Scenic City. After the season was over, it was announced that it would be going pro in 2019 as one of the teams competing in the Founders Cup. 2019 is set to be an even more historic year for the club. For starters, the club announced that it is selling shares in the club to fans. The shares give fans the opportunity to be partial owners in the club and gives them a vote on certain issues. So far, the sale of shares has netted nearly $560,000 from just over 2,000 investors. That’s sure to bring a surge of proud fans/owners to their matches.

This year will see the club look to win back-to-back regular season conference championships. In 2018, it lost to the Atlanta Silverbacks under controversial circumstances in the Conference Championship Game. Hopefully for CFC things will go differently. On top of the regular NPSL season, Chattanooga FC will compete in the Founders Cup following the end of the National Playoffs. This will be the first time we see the club competing as a professional team as it takes the field against other nationally (and internationally) recognizable names, such as the New York Cosmos, Miami FC, and Detroit City FC.

It’ll also be the first time that CFC will have to worry about in-city competition as USL League One’s Chattanooga Red Wolves SC will begin competing this coming season. The club has all of the pieces for a special season. Overall, it should be another successful season for “the club that Chattanooga built.”

Atlanta SC

Fresh off the back of a highly-publicized rebranding, Atlanta SC enters 2019 having conquered the Southeast in 2018. The club finished second, four points away below Chattanooga, but would eventually win the conference title in a conference playoff final against Chattanooga. The club would lose its chance to win its first regional title, however, after losing to Miami FC 2- the eventual national champions -in the regional semifinal.

Atlanta SC has become a common source of conference success in the NPSL, with the club finishing second on the table in every consecutive season since 2012, excluding a hiatus in 2013. The club, however, has only gone on to win its conference playoffs twice, leaving some serious room for improvement. All of this is a testament to the club’s long tenure in the NPSL which dates back to 2008, before the club was affiliated with the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks and long before it adopted the name for its own use.

The club’s 7-3-4 record is a good one, though the club did find itself conceding far more than the clubs around it with 21 conceded and a goal difference of plus eight. With Chattanooga FC conceding sixteen and New Orleans Jesters conceding eighteen, an improved goal concession rate could be a big statistical boost for the club’s 2019 squad and at the very least help it secure another second place finish. With the Jesters only finish one point behind them in 2018, any improvement will be a important for Atlanta.

Atlanta SC will be competing for the title with a Chattanooga FC side that is rocketing toward professional soccer, leaving Atlanta with a bigger hill to climb than ever before. With a new home stadium on the way, a new badge, and a new name, the former Silverbacks have a big year ahead of them. Success will leave supporters excited for the future, failure to live up to top table expectations could leave most thinking only of the past.

Inter Nashville FC

With a 6-2-6 record and a respectable fourth place finish to its name, Inter Nashville is a promising club in the Southeast, one that’s young age puts it on the other end of a spectrum filled with older clubs. Having joined the NPSL in 2016 after spending five years as a smaller scale youth and adult soccer program, INFC finds itself competing with clubs that have called the NPSL home for nearly a decade and the likes of New Orleans, which played in the PDL for nine years before joining the league.

The club isn’t just competing with long time titans through its presence- it’s managed to earn strong results, finish with twenty points (eight away from first place) and tying the Atlanta Silverbacks for second-most goals scored at 29. Inter Nashville conceded 26 goals, far too many to realistically climb any higher in the table, but a shift in that number would leave the Southeast with a club that could very well find itself above Atlanta SC or the New Orleans Jesters.

One notable detail of Nashville’s goals conceded count comes from conceding goals in otherwise strong victories. This includes its 3-2 win over Greenville FC, its 6-2 win against the Georgia Revolution, and its 5-3 win over Emerald Force SC. All three opponents finished below Inter Nashville with Greenville earning five fewer points and Emerald eight fewer. The seven goals in those games are the difference between a fantastic 19 goals conceded and its actual finish with 26.

Tightening up the defense in games against weaker sides while maintaining its offensive skill could put Inter in a powerful position when the 2019 season comes along, one that will pit it against a soon-to-be pro Chattanooga FC, a rebranded Atlanta SC, and an Emerald Soccer-less conference. Times of change are often the best for a sudden burst of quality. Keep an eye on Inter Nashville.

Asheville City SC

Asheville City is yet another young club playing in a league of veterans. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, the club played its first season in the Southeast in 2018, having spent the prior season in the Southeast East division while the Southeast was split into two sections by the NPSL. This left the club with three brand new opponents in New Orleans, Chattanooga, and Inter Nashville. With that in mind, the club ended the year in fifth place with a 5-3-6 record and largely represented the line between the clubs that did well and those that struggled in the Southeast.

Asheville City was slower in the final third than most of its competitors, only scoring eighteen goals, the least of any clubs in the conference. This was paired with a reasonable 22 goals allowed, leaving the club with a minus four goal difference. Three of the clubs above Asheville ended the season with at least ten more goals scored.

Asheville also suffered from a wildly inconsistent series of results, ranging from a 3-1 win over the Silverbacks to a 2-0 loss to last-placed Emerald Force. The club went as far as to lose 5-1 to Inter Nashville and then beat Inter 2-0 three days later. Consistency makes great squads, and it’ll be crucial for Asheville City to find it if it wants 2019 to be a different story from 2018. A top three finish seems out of the cards if Asheville City stays on its current path, but a slight improvement on fighting for wins and draws could see them rise to fourth or at the very least defend its fifth-place finish. As with Inter, Asheville is a younger project that may simply need the time Atlanta and Chattanooga have already had to develop into a stronger club. With that in mind, City is a club to watch for the long haul, regardless of whether or not it earns a top spot in 2019.

Georgia Revolution

The Revs are coming off of a sixth place finish in the NPSL Southeast last season. Despite finishing in a relatively low spot on the table, it was still a historic season for the team from McDonough, Georgia. For the first time since 2015, the club made the playoffs. That set up a match in Louisiana with the Jesters where the improbable happened. The Revolution upset the third seeded Jesters and picked up its first playoff win in club history. It would be knocked out in the next round, but that’s not the important part of this whole thing.

The Revs will be looking to continue improving after one of the best seasons in club history. Backed by his team’s supporters’ group, The Uprising, general manager Eric Morrison will be dealing with massive turnover as only about half of the 2018 roster will be returning for 2019. Those players include Ehjayson Henry, Toni Tiente, Rodrigo Goncalves, Aaron Whitten, and Jack Gurr. These guys contributed massively last year whether it was on the attack or back on the defensive side of things. The club has always focused on having players from the Atlanta area and this offseason, it’s looked to the same area to find more players. The overlap of the player pool causes the Silverbacks (now Atlanta SC) and the Revs to be feature as one of the biggest rivalries in the Southeast Conference.

Greenville FC

Coming to seventh place, we find Greenville FC, which finished three points behind the Georgia Revolution with a record of 4-3-7. The club won’t have Emerald Force to finish above next season and will indeed have to take inventory to find out how to finish above the final place in the conference.

The club scored a decent 20 goals but conceded 28 - the most in the conference apart from Emerald Force -and will need to work on both numbers to pass the Revolution and Asheville City and find a home in the middle of the table. Greenville is the youngest club in the conference, having laid its foundations in 2017 and playing in the NPSL for the first time in 2018.

The club’s most shocking results quickly show the roots of its table placement, as it lost twice to last-placed Emerald Force in two blowout losses, a 5-2 loss and a 4-1 loss. The combined nine goals are roughly a third of the team’s goals conceded and the six points lost would have left it in fifth place, well above Asheville and the Georgia Revolution. Keeping composure in otherwise “easy” matches and earning those key points is easily at the top of the list for what Greenville needs to work on for 2019. With that in mind, Greenville won’t have Emerald to play next season.

Led by NPSL Supporter of the Year, Leithan Allen, Mill Town Operatives are quickly becoming one of the loudest SGs in the NPSL.

While Greenville can afford to score more goals, its table position can be best changed by a slight change in consistency when it comes to playing the teams near it on the table. Its youth means it has every reason to believe progress is in the future, but it’s hard to see it catching up to Inter Nashville and Asheville City levels of young success in 2019 with its conference marching toward more professionalism and losing its weakest club.

Photos courtesy of club social media and Protagonist Soccer, unless otherwise mentioned. Custom art designed by Laura Mills. Previews written by Aarik Long and Dominic Bisogno with input from David Baker, Joshua Duder, and Dan Vaughn.

Lone Star Conference

February 20, 2019 by Lola Vaughn

Dallas City FC

Founded in Dallas in 2013 in response to the MLS franchise playing in Frisco (actually 30 miles outside of Dallas), Dallas City FC has always sought to be the team of Dallas. With so many other clubs in the area, that’s a great first step for the club. Not playing in 2018 won’t help achieve that goal, but the club will be coming back to play in 2019. There’s never a bad time for a fresh start! Their last season, DCFC finished 4th in the Heartland Conference, qualifying for the conference playoffs. That was a short-lived playoff run, however, as they were knocked out, losing their first match to FC Wichita 3-2. What this upcoming season brings is hard to tell. The club, like many at this level, also has a team that plays in the UPSL, competing in the Central Conference - North.

Denton Diablos

Most expansion sides in this level have jumped from one league to the next, but Denton is a club starting from scratch. Club owners Michael Hitchcock (who also owns the Fort Worth NPSL club) and Damon Gochneaur chose the name Diablos because of “the alliteration, the cultural ties to Denton’s Day of the Dead festival, and the aesthetic appeal.” Going so far as to focus group the brand identity, the choice was a deliberate one. The imposing figure of the cross-armed demon implies strength, but, as with all new clubs, the results on the field are still only in theory. Denton is now the fourth club in the East Texas area, joining Dallas City, Fort Worth Vaqueros, and Tyler FC. That’s four clubs within a 2 hour drive, which greatly reduces travel costs. With so many NPSL sides in the area, It’s clear that this region of Texas is a hot bed for up and coming soccer talent.

Head Coach Chad Rakestraw and the rest of the Denton Diablos front office have been holding tryouts over the last couple of months, so the roster is being filled for this upcoming season. According to co-owner Damon Gochneaur, the club has already signed a host of talented players, including collegiate All-Americans, international players, and players with MLS academy experience. With the right coaching from Rakestraw, Denton may be the darkhorse pick to make a run into the conference playoffs.

Fort Worth Vaqueros

Fort Worth entered the NPSL in 2014 and has been a bulwark in the Lone Star Region ever since. Stability has been a goal of the NPSL since its founding and Fort Worth is an example of a club who has worked to achieve that goal. Featuring on of the best-named supporters groups in the country, Panther City Hellfire, Vaqueros have worked hard to connect to their city. Even the name of the club was chosen by fans. Being successful in marketing has been match by limited success on the field. Last season Vaqueros FC finished the 2018 6-2-2, qualifying for the conference playoffs. Once there, Fort Worth beat 5th seed FC Brownsville 5-0 in the first round. The second round brought a loss to eventual conference champion, Laredo Heat SC, 3-1. MF Jamie Lovegrove earned Regional XI honors, as well as scoring the NPSL Goal of the Year (a beautiful, game-winning free kick against FC Brownsville). With the return of Dallas City FC and the addition of Denton Diablos, the Dallas-Fort Worth area is suddenly crowded with NPSL sides. It will be exciting to see geographic rivalries play themselves out on the field. As the club solidifies its roster, signs point to another successful season for Vaqueros FC.

Katy 1895 FC

As an expansion club last season, Katy 1895 FC had a rough 2018, finishing the season 3-7-0 and a dismal -13 goal differential. Maybe this should have been expected of a brand new side, but this team really struggled to produce offense, getting blanked 3 times in their first season. The scoring that was accomplished was led by Abdullah Mirza and Sergio Loredo, who both had four goals for Katy. With a rough first year behind them, Katy 1895 FC is holding a host of tryouts to tap into the Houston-area talent base. Without a single player earning regional recognition, there is a great need to bolster the roster for the upcoming campaign. Hopefully the addition of more talent will allow the club to be more competitive in 2019.

Laredo Heat SC

After having one of the best seasons in the league, going 12-0-0 in the regular season before losing in the Regional Semi-Final in extra time, Laredo Heat SC made an unlikely change to the staff. Last year’s coach Dana Taylor moved away from the sidelines and handed the reins over to Aiden Davison. Davison previously coached in the I-League with Pune City FC. The club’s success last season was completely unexpected by the league, as Laredo was entering the NPSL from a two year hiatus (after a decade of play in the PDL). Forward Guillermo Diaz led the charge for Laredo in 2018, making the NPSL National IX. They look to continue their run of good form with a club with the high turnover (70%) you might expect in a league developing young talent who move on to greener fields (8 NPSL players were taken in the MLS Superdraft). Regardless of this talent exit, forward Gabriel Rodriguez (Colombia) and goalkeeper Carlos Herrera (Mexico) will be back to continue to the quality from the previous season. Herrera was chosen as the goalkeeper for the Regional XI and has shown tremendous talent in his college matches (playing for Texas A&M International University).

Followed by their supporters group, 956 Ultras, the club has its sights on another great run in 2019, with the goal of making it to the NPSL Championship. The defeat in last year’s Regional Semi-Final to Little Rock still sticks with the club’s staff, as they felt they were too confident going into that match. With the wealth of talent in an isolated border community in Laredo, TX, Heat should be able to reload easily and field another superior squad. After the success of last season, Heat SC should be seen as a top contender in this region.

Midland-Odessa Sockers FC

If you play football in Midland-Odessa, most people will think you mean the American version of the sport. However, Sockers FC has carved their own niche in the desert. In its 10th year of existence, the club finished second in the regular season standings - with only two losses (Fort Worth and Laredo). The club was a powerhouse offensively, scoring 30 goals against only 8 given up. Midland-Odessa also qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and won their opening match before getting knocked out by USL side San Antonio FC. Sockers FC was led by NPSL Regional XI starters MF Andres Felipe Rodriguez Becerra and FW Nathan Regis. The success of 2018 was a continuation of the great 2017 campaign, which saw Midland-Odessa make it to the National Championship.

2019 will be a challenging one for Midland-Odessa for several reasons, the biggest being roster turnover. Currently the Sockers are only expecting 2-4 returning players from last season’s squad. If you know anything about the Midland-Odessa area, this fact is not surprising. The towns are oil towns and people, particularly young men, are quick to come and go as the oil prices go up and down. Pair that massive turnover with a coaching change and the challenge to make the playoffs becomes even greater. Johnny Clifford, former player and assistant coach for the club will take over the team. Clifford is also the head coach of St. Mary’s (San Antonio, TX). Clearly he knows the club and the area, it will be curious to see what he can put together with such a fresh set of names.

Regardless of the difficulties of playing in a small market, dominated by another sport, Sockers FC has proven that they will be competitive. The club is already revving up for what they see as their big conference matchups, which Jeff VonHolle, General Manager, Soccer Operations lists as Laredo Heat and Ft. Worth Vaqueros - “Those two teams, in the past couple of years, have been the teams that have given up the most trouble, and are generally at the top of the table, along with us, in our conference. That said, something tells me that a new team this year, the Denton Diablos, may quickly become a big game for us as well.”

Tyler FC

So there’s rough seasons and then there’s Tyler FC’s 2018 season. The club finished dead last in their conference without a win while giving up 54 goals. Typical of last season, in two back-to-back matches, the club yielded 8 and 9 goals respectively. It was not a fun season. And don’t forget the club had a disastrous 2017 season that ended in last place with only 2 points for Tyler FC. And to make it worse, the tumultuous two seasons saw two head coaches come and go. VP of Tyler FC, Jason Martinez, shared his thoughts on those first two seasons - “After the 2018 NPSL season we were really thinking about dropping out of the league, it was a very expensive way to embarrass ourselves locally, statewide, nationally and internationally. It is no secret we were a team that had not figured it out yet.” In an effort to right the ship, the club put together a new Board of Directors to get more direction as an organization. They hired a new head coach, Karl Pierre, who had played for the club the first two seasons. And while the roster needs to be upgraded, two key players are returning from last season, midfielders Sergio Gonzalez and Jimmy Sandoval.

When your club has finished last two years in a row and year end point totals are single digits, the goals have to be realistic and incremental. Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor will Tyler FC suddenly be National Champions. According to Martinez, Tyler FC’s goal is to finish fourth or better in their conference in 2019. That goal is marginal and not impossible, but just getting some positive momentum will go a long way for this East Texas club.

Photos courtesy of club social media and Protagonist Soccer, unless otherwise mentioned. Custom art designed by Laura Mills. Previews written by Dan Vaughn with input from David Baker and Joshua Duder.

Heartland Conference

February 19, 2019 by Lola Vaughn

Demize NPSL

Originally established in 2003, Demize NPSL has made it a habit of finishing just out of the playoff picture the last three years. But with season results of two, three, and three wins, that might be expected. The club has shown signs of life, however, as they’ve improve their goal differential to a -6 from an abysmal -29 in 2016. What is needed is more depth and stability in the club’s roster. The club has struggled to find even footing without them. Simply finishing out of the bottom of the conference and making it into the conference playoffs would be a massive improvement for this side.

And the foundation to get to that goal is already beginning to take shape. Over half the players from last year are back for this season, including team co-captain Jaxn Rogers, an All-Conference selection last season. Joining Jaxn is returning co-captain Kyler Moore, who recently signed a professional contract to play in Australia, and Joao Machado, an attacking mid with all the skills necessary to be an offensive threat. If the club can add talent around these key players, hope springs eternal in Missouri!

FC Wichita

FC Wichita won the Heartland conference in 2018, narrowly beating out Little Rock Rangers by a single point. Unlike their second place competitor, Wichita had an impressive goal differential of +13, showing that when they won, they won by wider margins. The season began with a run of 7 straight wins before two losses by single goals to finish the season. The regular season conference title was a repeat performance for the Kansas club and set them up for a deep run in the playoffs. Sadly that was not to be. Little Rock Rangers got their revenge in the conference playoffs, beating FC Wichita on penalties, denying the double. For this season, club owner Blake Shumaker highlights their record of success, while focusing on pushing further - “Every year we set out to win the heartland conference regular season and gain hosting rights through the post season. Our goal is to get into the National Semi-Final.” The club has focused on the development of their players and it shows in their track record of players moving on to professional leagues. In the last four years, the club has had 30 players transition into professional leagues. The 2019 version of the club feature a large majority of returning players, which should translate into another great run by the club. The team will also return to Stryker Soccer Stadium this season after a year-long hiatus, while the stadium was remodeled and expanded.

Little Rock Rangers

You’d have to look at a lot of crests to find a better one than Little Rock Rangers signature roundel. The professionalism behind that logo is reflected by the club’s excellence on the field. Lead by founding President Jonathan Wardlaw, the Rangers finish in 2018 a surprise success last year. The club finished the regular season 7-3-0, just a single point from winning their conference. In the conference playoffs, their success would continue. Little Rock beat Tulsa Athletic and then the regular season champion, FC Wichita, without conceding a goal. With a Conference Championship in its back pocket, Rangers headed into the National Playoffs and took their first match against Laredo Heat SC. The run ended in the Regional Finals against eventual national champion, Miami FC. All that success last season certainly makes 2019 a year to look forward to for Rangers. The club plays their home matches in War Memorial Stadium, where their supporters groups, the Red Watch and the Red Order, have created a legitimate home field advantage. Last year, Little Rock only lost a single home match. This year’s roster will be almost unchanged, only losing a couple of players to higher leagues. Of primary importance, Captain Nick Doyle will return for his fourth season with the club, providing the backbone of their defensive backline.

Rangers has built a great squad and managed to keep it together. Combined with a solid backbone of die-hard supporters, Little Rock should be expected to finish in the national playoff picture this season.

Ozark FC

Formed in 2017, Ozark FC has had little box score success in its short history. After a two win first year, their sophomore run ended with only a single point. But the box score doesn’t tell the whole story. Last year, weeks before the season kicked off, new ownership took over the club led by Todd Carrigan and Oddvar Naustvik. Armed with little more than “a name, a logo, and an NPSL game schedule” it was a steep learning curve for the club and its new coach, Scott Marksberry. That learning curve was travelled without much offense, ending the season with four goals in ten matches. But the lessons learned were as much off the field as on it. The team lined up important sponsorships (primarily kit sponsor, Simmons Foods) and began building connections within the local community. The club even purposely played matches at multiple home venues in order to find the right part of town to put down roots.

18' - goal by @ozarkfc Barbosa curls it into the net. FCW down 2-0 pic.twitter.com/YtIraJ8yzZ
— FC Wichita 🏆 (@FCWichita) May 28, 2017

This year the goals are to continue strengthening those community ties, elevate the standard of play, and develop a fan-friendly home match experience. The roster will remain relatively stable, with local product, Jose “Lalo” Castro returning for his second season with the club. He’ll be joined by two former PDL players, Hazeley Pyle and Giovani Bejarano, with Championship experience. With a bolstered roster, focused front office leadership, and lessons learned from a challenging season last year, Ozark FC sees this season as a chance to set themselves apart from the rest of the Heartland Conference.

St Louis Club Atletico

While three teams seem to own this conference, there is a fourth playoff spot and St. Louis Club Atletico won that spot in 2018. Finishing just two points back from Tulsa, Atletico was just a single win from being equal with the third place finisher. The conference playoffs was a quick exit for the young club, losing to Wichita 4-0 in the opening match. Without a doubt, the club views their inaugural season as a success. What remains to be seen is if the club can build off its strong showing in 2018.

The club is owned and coached by members of the Garza family and is an extension of a club from South America (Bolivia). The Bluebirds made it a point to start mostly young, untested talent in their first year with the hope of developing a platform for young players from St. Louis. That mission will continue this year with the hope of moving further into conference standings. The club estimates that only 25% of the club roster will be returning for 2019, and that fact might make moving up in the standings difficult. Key returning players are Wil Linder and Eric Lopez, but last year’s team captain Josh Ward suffered a knee injury during the off-season and is doubtful for the 2019. Should he make a return, it would certainly boost the team’s morale and chances of success.

What is certainly clear about Club Atletico is that they have the desire to climb into the top three of the conference. What is unclear, however, is if they have the talent to overcome the front-runners. With only one season under their belts, that task may prove to be impossible.

Tulsa Athletic

This conference is dominated by three clubs - Little Rock, FC Wichita, and Tulsa Athletic. Both FC Wichita and Tulsa Athletic entered the NPSL in 2013. Tulsa’s success has been from day one in the league, having never finished lower than third in their conference over their first six years of existence. Owned by Sonny Dalesandro and Dr. Thomas Kern, the club takes that history of success seriously. Last season the club finishing third in the Heartland Conference, but Dalesandro focuses on the fact that the club only won six, yet led in nine of the club’s ten matches. That fact was described as “disappointing” by the club owner.

The 2019 NPSL season will see Athletic return to Veterans Park with a roster packed with players returning from last year. Joe Garcia, a two-time D2 All American, and Gustavo Vargas, who was third in the conference in goals, return to the roster for 2019. With a track record of excellence, Tulsa should be expected to return to their conference playoffs for the sixth time in seven years. Whether they can re-establish dominance over their conference foe, Little Rock Rangers, will be an interesting storyline to follow as the season progresses. They have a load of talent, it’s a matter of putting it all together and winning in the playoffs. Honestly, there’s a lot to love about this club from Oklahoma, but certainly a highlight that should be noted is their “undying love of unicorns, beer, and victory.”