2009 PDL season

Changes From 2008

Name Changes

• Cary Railhawks U23's changed their name to the Cary Clarets to reflect their new association with English Championship team Burnley.
• New Orleans Shell Shockers rebranded themselves as the New Orleans Jesters, having terminated their sponsorship deal with the Shell Oil Company.

New Franchises

• Eleven franchises have been announced as joining the league this year:

On hiatus

• One team went on hiatus due to home stadium renovations:
  • Vermont Voltage – St. Albans, Vermont

Folding

• Nine teams have been announced as leaving the league prior to the beginning of the season:
  • Atlanta Silverbacks U23's – Chamblee, Georgia
  • Cape Cod Crusaders – Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
  • Colorado Rapids U23's – Boulder, Colorado
  • Palm Beach Pumas – Wellington, Florida
  • Richmond Kickers Future – Richmond, Virginia
  • San Fernando Valley Quakes – Woodland Hills, California
  • San Francisco Seals – San Francisco, California
  • San Jose Frogs – San Jose, California
  • West Michigan Edge – Kentwood, Michigan

Standings

In 2009, there was a more balanced 8 divisions (down from 10 in 2008). The top 3 from each division qualified for the play-offs, with the division champion receiving a bye through the first round.

Central Conference

Great Lakes Division

Heartland Division

Eastern Conference

Mid Atlantic Division

Northeast Division

Southern Conference

Mid South Division

Note: Austin finish in third place as a result of winning the head-to-head season series 2–0–1 against El Paso.

Southeast Division

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Southwest Division

Playoffs

Format

The top three teams from each division earn playoff bids. The division champion earns a bye to the Division Finals and the rights to host. The second place team will host the third place team in the Division Semifinals either at their home field or at the division champion's field. The two notable exceptions were the Chicago Fire Premier hosting Forest City London in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Ventura County Fusion hosting the Los Angeles Legends, despite Los Angeles having the higher seed.

Bracket

| RD2-group3=Southern Conference | RD2-group4=Western Conference | RD1-group1= Great Lakes Division | RD1-group2= Northeast Division | RD1-group3= Heartland Division | RD1-group4= Mid-Atlantic Division | RD1-group5= Mid-South Division | RD1-group6= Southeast Division | RD1-group7= Northwest Division | RD1-group8= Southwest Division | team-width=255 | RD1-seed1=GL2 | RD1-team1=Illinois Chicago Fire Premier | RD1-score1=1 | RD1-seed2=GL3 | RD1-team2=Ontario Forest City London | RD1-score2=0 | RD1-seed3=NE2 | RD1-team3=New York Long Island Rough Riders | RD1-score3=0 | RD1-seed4=NE3 | RD1-team4=New Jersey Ocean City Barons | RD1-score4=2 | RD1-seed5=HL2 | RD1-team5=Ontario Thunder Bay Chill | RD1-score5=0 | RD1-seed6=HL3 | RD1-team6=Colorado Real Colorado Foxes | RD1-score6=1 | RD1-seed7=MA2 | RD1-team7=North Carolina Carolina Dynamo | RD1-score7=1 | RD1-seed8=MA3 | RD1-team8=North Carolina Cary Clarets | RD1-score8=3 | RD1-seed9=MS2 | RD1-team9=Texas West Texas United Sockers | RD1-score9=2 | RD1-seed10=MS3 | RD1-team10=Texas Austin Aztex U23 | RD1-score10=1 | RD1-seed11=SE2 | RD1-team11=Florida Bradenton Academics | RD1-score11=1 | RD1-seed12=SE3 | RD1-team12=Louisiana New Orleans Jesters | RD1-score12=0 | RD1-seed13=NW2 | RD1-team13=Oregon Portland Timbers U23's | RD1-score13=2 | RD1-seed14=NW3 | RD1-team14=Washington Seattle Wolves | RD1-score14=3 | RD1-seed15=SW2 | RD1-team15=California Los Angeles Legends | RD1-score15=1 | RD1-seed16=SW3 | RD1-team16=California Ventura County Fusion | RD1-score16=2 | RD2-seed1=GL1 | RD2-team1=Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage | RD2-score1=1 | RD2-seed2=GL2 | RD2-team2=Illinois Chicago Fire Premier | RD2-score2=2 | RD2-seed3=NE1 | RD2-team3=Ontario Ottawa Fury | RD2-score3=1 | RD2-seed4=NE3 | RD2-team4=New Jersey Ocean City Barons (AET) | RD2-score4=2 | RD2-seed5=HL1 | RD2-team5=Iowa Des Moines Menace | RD2-score5= 2 | RD2-seed6=HL3 | RD2-team6=Colorado Real Colorado Foxes | RD2-score6= 1 | RD2-seed7=MA1 | RD2-team7=Pennsylvania Reading Rage | RD2-score7=1 | RD2-seed8=MA3 | RD2-team8=North Carolina Cary Clarets | RD2-score8=2 | RD2-seed9=MS1 | RD2-team9=Texas Laredo Heat (AET) | RD2-score9=1 | RD2-seed10=MS2 | RD2-team10=Texas West Texas United Sockers | RD2-score10=0 | RD2-seed11=SE1 | RD2-team11=Mississippi Mississippi Brilla | RD2-score11=2 | RD2-seed12=SE2 | RD2-team12=Florida Bradenton Academics (AET) | RD2-score12=3 | RD2-seed13=NW1 | RD2-team13=Washington Kitsap Pumas | RD2-score13=2 | RD2-seed14=NW3 | RD2-team14=Washington Seattle Wolves | RD2-score14=0 | RD2-seed15=SW1 | RD2-team15=California Hollywood United Hitmen | RD2-score15=1 | RD2-seed16=SW3 | RD2-team16=California Ventura County Fusion (AET) | RD2-score16=3 | RD3-seed1=GL2 | RD3-team1=Illinois Chicago Fire Premier | RD3-score1=3 | RD3-seed2=NE3 | RD3-team2=New Jersey Ocean City Barons | RD3-score2=0 | RD3-seed3=HL1 | RD3-team3= Iowa Des Moines Menace | RD3-score3=0 | RD3-seed4=MA3 | RD3-team4=North Carolina Cary Clarets | RD3-score4=1 | RD3-seed5=MS1 | RD3-team5=Texas Laredo Heat (AET) | RD3-score5=1 | RD3-seed6=SE2 | RD3-team6=Florida Bradenton Academics | RD3-score6=3 | RD3-seed7=NW1 | RD3-team7=Washington Kitsap Pumas | RD3-score7=1 | RD3-seed8=SW3 | RD3-team8=California Ventura County Fusion | RD3-score8=2 | RD4-seed1=GL2 | RD4-team1=Illinois Chicago Fire Premier (AET) | RD4-score1=2 | RD4-seed2=MA3 | RD4-team2=North Carolina Cary Clarets | RD4-score2=1 | RD4-seed3=SE2 | RD4-team3=Florida Bradenton Academics | RD4-score3=1 | RD4-seed4=SW3 | RD4-team4=California Ventura County Fusion | RD4-score4=6 | RD5-seed1=GL2 | RD5-team1=Illinois Chicago Fire Premier | RD5-score1=1 | RD5-seed2=SW3 | RD5-team2=California Ventura County Fusion | RD5-score2=2

Divisional Semifinals

7:30 PM EDT Schilawski Grossman O'Brien Petrasso Shriver Roberts Browns Summit, North Carolina

8:00 PM EDT Carmichael Noone South Huntington, New York

8:30 PM CDT Helton Mirsky Becerra Everson Furness
Franco James Midland, Texas

2:00 PM PDT Zimmerman Youngblood Farfan Portland, Oregon

8:00 PM EDT Sinovic Fort Wayne, Indiana

7:00 PM PDT Randolph Whitfield Hamilton Byrne Barrera Hill Ventura, California

7:00 PM CDT Callon Duncan Gledhill Hepple Kendall Ridgeland, Mississippi

7:30 PM CDT Cephers Jennings Stisser Bukoski Putrus Abolaji West Des Moines, Iowa

Divisional Finals

3:00 PM PDT (AET) Barrera Myerson
Becerra Los Angeles, California

7:00 PM EDT Ibeagha Petrasso Drake Brown Lassiter (OG) Bienenfeld Hogan Wheeler Burke Reading, Pennsylvania

7:00 PM EDT (AET) Melchionni Noone
Bellamy Pradié Schippers Ottawa, Ontario

7:30 PM EDT Edgar Lima Kalamazoo, Michigan

7:00 PM CDT (AET) Boggs
Williams Reis Ingvarsson Morris McFarland Lawrence Paulini Lilly Lemma Jackson, Mississippi

7:30 PM CDT Werth Salvaggione Salem Schmoker Pearson Jordan West Des Moines, Iowa

8:15 CDT (AET) Furness Everson Steven Mulamba Ramos Laredo, Texas

7:30 PM PDT Morris Scott Bremerton, Washington

Conference Finals

5:00 PM CDT Banks K. Miller Chapman Braun Akpan Cutshaw West Des Moines, Iowa

5:30 PM CDT Aghasyan López
Mohn Laredo, Texas

7:30 PM CDT Brown Grossman Drake Ibeagha Salem Mujdzic West Des Moines, Iowa

8:30 PM CDT (AET) Hepple Reis Voutier Morris Lopes Quinones
Bautista Infante Perez Laredo, Texas

PDL Semifinals

7:30 PM CDT (AET) Grossman O'Brien Petrasso Bouemboue Willis Gutierrez (coach) Rice Rodriguez (coach) Akpan West Des Moines, Iowa

8:15 PM CDT López Becerra Hamilton
Barrera Guerrero Aghasyan Reis Laredo, Texas

PDL Championship

7:00 PM PDT Akpan Sunderland (coach) Guzman Smarte Mikkelsen (coach) Motagalvan
Smith (coach) Ventura, California

Award Winners and Finalists

The awards finalists, Goalkeeper of the Year, and All-League teams were announced on August 4, 2009, with the winners announced on August 6.

Most Valuable Player

• Aaron Wheeler, F, Reading Rage (Winner)
• Tom Oatley, F, Kalamazoo Outrage
• Debola Ogunseye, F, Mississippi Brilla

U19 Player of the Year

• Christian Ibeagha, D, Cary Clarets (Winner)
• Sheanon Williams, D, Carolina Dynamo
• Max Touloute, F, Fort Wayne Fever

Defender of the Year

• Christian Ibeagha, Cary Clarets (Winner)
• Bonivenger Misiko, Fort Wayne Fever
• Daniel Scott, Seattle Wolves
• Chris Williams, New Orleans Jesters

Goalkeeper of the Year

• Jimmy Maurer, Chicago Fire Premier

Coach of the Year

• Casey Mann, Des Moines Menace (Winner)
• Dan Fisher, Long Island Rough Riders
• Mark Spooner, Kalamazoo Outrage
• Brent Whitfield, Los Angeles Legends

All-League and All-Conference Teams

Central Conference

F: Andre Akpan, CHI; Teal Bunbury, ROC; Tom Oatley*, KAL

M: Dave Hertel*, MIC; Nolan Intermoia, TB; Brad Stisser, COL

D: Anthony Di Biase, LON; Bonivenger Misiko*, FW; Wilson Neto, TB; Brian Wurst, KC

G: Jimmy Maurer*, CHI

Honorable Mention: Justin Ferguson, D, SPR; Saidi Isaac, F, IND; David Mueller, D, SL; Armin Mujdzic, F, DM; Yoram Mwila, M, CLE; Kyle Segebart, D, CIN; Jordan Webb, M, TOR

Eastern Conference

F: Cody Arnoux, CAR; Adam Arthur, WV; Aaron Wheeler*, REA

M: Will Beague*, OTT; Adam Gazda, REA; Zach Loyd, CAR

D: Brien Chamney, OTT; Christian Ibeagha*, CRY; Rich Martinez, LI; Sheanon Williams, CAR

G: Tunde Ogunbiyi, OCC

Honorable Mention: Frank Alesci, M, BRK; Zachary Carr, G, NJ; Kevon Harris, M, HR; Sean Kelley, G, NV; Michael Konicoff, M, WCH; Jerrod Laventure, F, NWK; Ken Manaham, G, FRB; Matthew Marcin, M, RI; Timothy Murray, G, NH; Ian Stowe, M, VIR

Southern Conference

F: Zak Boggs, BRD; Salvador Luna, RGV; Debola Ogunseye*, MIS

M: Danny Galvan, LAR;Greg Mulamba, LAR; Gary Stopforth, NO

D: Jamie Cunningham, AUS; Dwyane Demmin, MIS; Thomas Wharf, PAN; Chris Williams*, NO

G: Ryan Cooper, LAR

Honorable Mention: Jay Ambrosy, M, HOU; Lief Craddock, G, WTU; Janrai Gravely, G, DFW; Tommy Krizanovic, F, CF; Wilfrid Loizeau, M, ATL; Felipe Lowall, M, BR; Ryan McDonald, D, NAS; Jorge Muniz, G, EP

Western Conference

F: Rory Agu, TAC; Brent Whitfield, LA; Ryan Youngblood, POR

M: Ely Allen, SEA; Tomislav Colic, SC; Michael Farfan, LA; Armando Ochoa*, HU

D: Nick Cardenas, OGD; Mark Lee, KIT; Dan Scott*, SEA

G: Dustyn Brim, KIT

Honorable Mention: Richie Bindrup, M, BYU; Zach Brunner, G, LAN; Jason Devinish, M, VIC; Gagandeep Dosanjh, M, VAN; Eddie Gutierrez, M, FRE; Anthony Hamilton, F, VEN; Jacob Hustedt, M, BAK; Kristjan Johannson, G, ABB; Kristopher Minton, G, ORC; Vinicius Oliveira, F, YAK; John Prugh, F, SPO; Steve Reese, G, CSC

• denotes All-League selection

References

References

1. "PDL 2009 season details announced".
2. "Fusion overcome Fire for PDL title".
3. "PDL Statistical Honors Announced".
4. "2009 PDL Tiebreaker rules".
5. "PDL All-League Teams announced.".