MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
BY DAN STICKRADT
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST | WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
BUSINESS LINE: (248) 525-2349
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PEORIA, Ill. – The most storied program in USL-League Two history faces off with one of the league’s up and coming programs that is enjoying a record-breaking season.
What else could you ask for in the USL-League Two Central Conference finals?
If last weekend’s Central Conference semifinals are any indication, fans should be entertained.
The matchup will be 8:30 p.m. EST in Peoria, Illinois, featuring the home-standing Peoria City SC, which is just in its third season of USL-League Two competition, and the visiting Flint City Bucks, who are making their 18th appearance in at least the Central Conference finals in their 29-year history. The game will be played at Shea Stadium on the campus of Bradley University – one of the top collegiate soccer stadiums in the Midwest if not the entire country.
Earlier Friday at 4:30 p.m. EST at Shea Stadium, Project 510 will face FC Tucson in the Southwestern Conference finals. The two conference championship winners will face off Sunday afternoon at Shea Stadium in the North American semifinals at a time to be determined.
Mike Paye, in his first season at the helm of the Peoria City SC program, said his team is excited to play the Bucks, who own four North American titles, two runners-up and nine trips to the league’s Final Four.
“We re are excited. The Bucks are always a good team, always in the playoffs. They are very talented, the standard of the league,” noted Paye, who next month will be entering his fourth season as head coach at NAIA member Clarke University.
In its third season, Peoria City SC (10-1-3, 8-1-3 Heartland Division) has already averaged over 1,500 fans per game and is expected to bring out a much larger crowd for this weekend’s activities. The side finished second (27 points) in the Heartland Division to longtime powerhouse Des Moines Menace (two-time North American champions) and even tied the Menace twice during the regular season. Des Moines captured the Heartland Division crown with 29 points.
The two met again in the Central Conference semifinals on July 21 in a wild affair that saw multiple lead changes during the double overtime thriller. Peoria City ended up tying the game at 5-5 with less than 10 seconds left in the second overtime to force a shootout and ended up gaining a 4-2 edge in the shootout before prevailing 6-5 and advancing to the conference finals for the first time.
Peoria City’s reward?
Playing against a 29-year program that has more wins, more championships, more Final Four appearances, more divisional titles and more conference championships in league history – the Flint City Bucks. The USL-League Two began back in 1995 under the name USISL-Premier League and has existed under four different names, including switching to the USL-League Two before the 2019 season.
The Bucks have been there since the 1996 campaign. Peoria City joined in 2022.
Peoria City SC boats a potent offense that has averages 3.08 goals a game over 14 matches, including 12 regular season games and two postseason games against USL-League Two competition.
So far this season, Peoria City SC has outscored the opposition 43-18 overall over the past 2.5 months and have earned five clean sheets. In two postseason games, the side has outscored the opposition 8-5 with one shutout. Its 37 regular season goals is one of the higher totals in the entire USL-League Two, which encompasses a league record 128 teams in the U.S. and Canada this season.
Peoria City was ranked as high as No. 2 in the USL-League Two Power Rankings and remained in the top 15 all season long. Peoria City entered the postseason ranked 14th, two positions behind divisional rival Des Moines.
Forward Lucas Persemico (Clarke University) has been a dangerous sniper in the USL-League Two this season, as he has scored a team-best 13 goals in 13 appearances for Peoria City SC. That total ranks amongst the league’s top 20 in scoring entering the final weeks of the postseason. Persemico had nine goals in the regular season which tied for 19th entering the postseason.
Running-mate up top DJ Koulai (Bradley University) has offered up seven goals and six assists. After that, there is balance across the scoring sheet for Peoria City SC.
Other key members include midfielder Justin Wilson (Longwood University; four goals); goalkeeper Sami Slimi (Campbell University), who has been sharp when needed to be, midfielders Jose Gomez (Northern Illinois University), Charlie Dickerson (Bradley University) and Thomas Coughlin (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay), while backs Joshua Reddy (Clarke University), Abasa Aremeyaw (MSK Zilina Africa FC, Ghana), Wesley Gibson (Southern Illinois University-Evansville) and Fritz Volmar (Northwestern University) have been steady mainstays for Peoria, which is only in its second postseason appearance this season including 2022 and 2024 where they have a combined 2-1 record.
Peoria City SC reached the postseason in 2022 in its debut campaign in the USL-League Two, while the side missed the cut for the playoffs in 2023 after finishing third (18 points) in the Heartland Division last year.
“This is the second time they reached the playoffs,” noted Paye. “In their first year they made it, but they lost in the first round. This year we’ve won two games and now we are in the (conference finals).
“We have come together this season,” admitted Paye. “Our chemistry is really good. We all get along and we have a lot of talented players. That has helped us all season. Most of our top players have been here all season, and a couple joined after the first few games.”
Peoria City also advanced to the Elite Eight after scoring the late goal against Des Moines to force a shootout in a game that featured more twists and turns than a Rocky Mountain road.
“We scored (the game-tying) goal on literally the last kick of the game,” said Paye. “After the kickoff, the ref blew his whistle like two seconds later. We ended up winning on penalties.”
The Flint City coaching staff is very much aware of Peoria City’s offensive prowess.
“They are a very skilled, dangerous, offensive-minded team,” said second-year Flint City coach Paul Doroh, who has watched plenty of film this week on Peoria City. “We know they have one very gifted goal-scorer up top but they have a lot of weapons and a lot of very good players. They put up five goals (in regulation and double overtime) against Des Moines last Sunday. And I believe they tied Des Moines twice this season. So, any team that can do that against Des Moines this year is a very dangerous team.”
Flint City, which entered the postseason ranked fifth in the USL-League Two Power Rankings and were also ran ked as high as second, ventured through some late-season bumps in the road after tying Oakland County FC (1-0) and dropping a decision to USL newcomer Union FC Macomb (3-1) in mid-July. Flint City regrouped in its regular-season finale and erupted for a 10-0 shutout over the Michiana Lions in a game that saw the Bucks explode for eight second-half goals. That win clinched the Great Lakes Division title with 33 points (two ahead of Midwest United FC).
After the Bucks blanked the Cleveland Force (1-0) in the Central Conference quarterfinals on July 19, Flint City engaged in a wild contest against Fort Wayne on Sunday in the Central Conference semifinals – much like Peoria City did in its semifinals matchup with the Des Moines Menace.
After being tied 1-1 at the half on July 21 in the conference semifinals, Flint City engaged in an epic battle with fourth-year USL-League Two member and Valley Division champion Fort Wayne FC. The Bucks played down two men in the contest with a red card inside the final 20 minutes of regulation and a second in the 15th minute of the first overtime period.
The Bucks fended off a rash of scoring opportunities by Fort Wayne late in the second half and overtime before scoring in the 24th minute of the second overtime. Flint City held on for dear life down the stretch to escape with a dramatic 2-1 victory at Flint’s Atwood Stadium at Kettering University.
Flint City (13-1-3, 10-1-3 Great Lakes Division) has outscored the opposition 42-17 over 16 USL-League Two games, including a 3-1 advantage in two wins last weekend. The team also owns six shutouts under five goalkeepers, with Jakub Grzesiak (Oral Roberts University) playing around 95 percent of the minutes this season during 16 league games.
The Bucks have also outscored the opposition 43-17 overall in 17 games, including a non-USL-League Two shutout of the Michigan Jaguars Pro (1-0) in mid-June.
There are 39 players that are listed on Flint City’s 2024 roster pool – only 26 can be designated for each round of the postseason and only 18 can dress for each game – and several have made huge impacts throughout parts of the season.
“The one thing we have is our depth. Whenever we have someone out, whether that be for a card, an injury, being called back to their university, it’s always the next-man-up mentality. We have a lot of depth on this team,” admitted Doroh, who is the new head coach at NCAA Division I Oakland University. “We’ve lost some guys here and there, but many of our top players are still with us. We have hard decisions to make before each game in terms of who will start or who will dress.”
Case in point.
Leading goal scorer and playmaker Palmer Ault (Butler University) has six goals on the campaign, including the game-winner in the conference semifinals against Cleveland Force (1-0), but left that game in the 78th minute due to an injury and will be held out for Friday’s game or Sunday’s game if the Bucks are to advance to the North American semifinals. Midfielder/defender Landon Fisher (Western Michigan University) is also out Friday after picking up a second yellow in the 15th minute of overtime against Fort Wayne in the Central Conference semifinals.
Defender Schinieder Mimy also picked up a red card in the win over Fort Wayne, but the card was repealed by league officials who ruled that the red card was excessive and overturned the card. The Bucks have also lost a couple of other players that have been injured or called back to their respective colleges in recent weeks. Another player signed a pro contract earlier this month to play in the Canadian Premier League.
The answer to who will fill in those voids can be answered by a multitude of regulars on the deep and talented roster.
Versatile speedster Malik Henry (D/M/F, University of Akron), center back Jonas Buetche (University of Akron), midfielder/forward Brock Pickett (Wright State University), midfielder Colin Innes (Boston University), forward Josemir Gomez (Butler University), defender Woodi Pondeca (Mercer University and midfielder Daire O’Riordan (Davenport University) have also been key players.
Abdul Al-Rashed (Spring Arbor University), Kai Phillip (University of Evansville), Baraka Tarleton (University of Evansville), Pierre Lurot (University of Michigan), Dyson Clapier (University of Akron), Scott McLeod (Virginia Commonwealth University), Sam Harshe (Yale University) and Micah Sonnenberg (Oakland University) have also pitched in, although Harshe and Sonnenberg joined the roster later in the campaign. Most of 39 players have appeared in at least one game this season.
The Bucks last won a North American title in 2019 but have been to the Final Four the last two years. A year ago, the Bucks – winners of the Central Conference nine times since its debut campaign back in 1996 – dominated Ballard FC in the North American semifinals but simply not covert. Flint City ended up falling, 1-0, while Ballard FC went on to capture its first North American championship in just its second year in the USL-League Two in August of 2023.
Over the past 11 years, the Bucks have reached the North American Final Four five times, including championships in 2024, 2017 and 2019 to go along with semifinals appearances in 2022 and 2033. The other national title came back in 2006, while the Bucks were also runners-up in 2000 and 2007.
Ballard FC was knocked out in the Round 0f 32 this season, signaling that a new champion will be crowned in 2024. Could that be Flint City? Could that be Peoria City SC? Could it be one of the other six teams remaining in the hunt that could emerge and stand on top of the USL-League Two mountain in just over one week’s time?
“I don’t even look at the other teams right now, but I’m sure they are all very talented,” added Peoria City’s Paye. “Our only concern right now is Flint (City). How do we match up with them. We have scouted them quite a bit. We kn ow they have a bunch of really good players. They have only lost one game. But we’ll be ready for them.”
USL LEAGUE TWO POSTSEASON CONFERENCE FINALS / NORTH AMERICAN SEMIFINALS PAIRINGS
Friday, July 26
SOUTHWESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Project 510 vs. FC Tucson, 3:30 p.m. at Shea Stadium, Peoria, Illinois.
CENTRAL CONFERENCE FINALS
Flint City Bucks vs. Peoria City SC, 7:30 p.m. at Shea Stadium, Peoria, Illinois.
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Asheville City SC vs. Corpus Christi FC, 4:30 p.m. at Townebank Stadium, Newport News, Virginia
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Lionsbridge FC vs. Seacoast United Phantoms FC, 7:30 p.m. at Townebank Stadium, Newport News, Virginia
Sunday, July 28
NORTH AMERICAN SEMIFINALS
Game 1 – Southwestern Conference champion vs. Central Conference champion at Shea Stadium, Peoria, Illinois, TBD.
Game 2 – Eastern Conference champion vs. Southern Conference champion at Townebank Stadium, Newport News, Virginia, TBD.
Saturday, Aug. 3
NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Game 1 – Finals, TBD vs. TBD at site and time TBD.
GAME RESULTS FOR ALL LEVELS
SHELBY TWP., Mich. – The Michigan Soccer Network, Premier Media Group and all affiliates, will continue to compile a random sampling of game results from around the state each day. To send in game and tournament results (game wraps, box scores, statistics, coach’s quotes, photos, video clips) from high school varsity, collegiate, youth club, amateur, pre-pro, semi-pro or professional soccer for teams within Michigan’s borders or with ties to Michigan players, email all pertinent details to Communications Specialist / Web and Content Editor / Director of News Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com, or submit information right on the correct link on the MSN website at www.michigansoccernetwork.com.
CENTRAL CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS FINALISTS AT A GLANCE
CLUB: Flint City Bucks
HEAD COACH: Paul Doroh, second season
2024 RECORD: 13-1-3, 10-1-3 USL League Two Great Lakes Division (first)
LAST FIVE REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE GAMES: Kalamazoo FC (W, 4-3); AFC Ann Arbor (W, 2-1); Oakland County FC (T, 1-1); Union FC Macomb (L, 3-1); Michiana Lions (W, 10-0)
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Cleveland Force (W, 1-0); Fort Wayne FC (W, 2-1, 2OT)
REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE STATS: 39 goals, 16 against; five shutouts.
POSTSEASON STATS: Three goals, one against; one shutout; 2-0-0 record.
HISTORY/FAST FACTS: Over the last 29 years, the Bucks have become one of the most storied programs in league history. The Bucks began as the Mid-Michigan Bucks in Saginaw in 1996 and later became the Michigan Bucks in 2004 before moving to Flint and rebranded as the Flint City Bucks before the 2019 campaign. They own four North American championships (2006, 2014, 2016, 2019), finished as the runner-up three twice (2000, 2007) and reached the semifinals three other times (1997, 2022, 2023) along with several other postseason berths and runs. In fact, the franchise has a record 26 postseason berths in its illustrious history. The Bucks missed in 2009, 2018 and 2020 when there was no season due to the Covid restrictions. The team played a six-game exhibition schedule that August and September of 2020. This year FCB defended its Great Lakes Division title while the Bucks have earned 16 regular season divisional titles and nine times advanced to the league’s postseason Final Four. This is the 18th time the Bucks have reached the conference finals.
TOP PLAYERS: Jakub Grzesiak, G (Oral Roberts University); Jonas Buechte, D (University of Akron; two goals); Malik Henry, D/M/F (University of Akron, three goals, three assists); Josemir Gomez, F (Butler University); Colin Innes, M (Boston University); Dyson Clapier, F (University of Akron); Landon Fisher, M (Western Michigan University; unable to play in conference finals due to red card); Palmer Ault, M (Butler University, injured in conference quarterfinals and still out; team-leading six goals); Schinieder Mimy, D (Oral Roberts University; red card in last game overturned by league officials); Brock Pickett, F (Wright State University); Woodi Pondeca, D (Mercer University); Abdul Al-Rashed, M/F (Spring Arbor University); Daire O’Riordan, M (Davenport University; four goals)
OTHER PLAYERS: Jelldrik Dallmann, F (Southern Methodist University); Baraka Tarleton, M (University of Evansville; two goals); Scott McLeod, D (Virginia Commonwealth University); Pierre Lurot, D (University of Michigan; three goals); Barzee Blama, F (Mercer University); Kai Phillip, F (University of Evansville; four goals); Pasha Dashin, F (Southern Methodist University; three goals); Nolan Miller, D (University of Michigan; not available for postseason); Micah Sonnenberg, D/M (Oakland University); Sam Harshe, D (Yale University); Mitch Budler, G (University of Akron); Blake Gillingham, G (Creighton University); Robert Wright, G (Northwood University); Carson Shene, G (Allen Park High School / Michigan Jaguars MLS Next Academy); Hugo Tavares, M (New Jersey Institute of Technology; injured and not available for postseason); Eskil Gjerde, M (Drake University); Ashton Kamdem, M (University of Akron); Matthew Fisher, D (University of Michigan; not available for postseason); Deryn Armstrong, F (Coastal Carolina University); Devin O’Hea, F (Simon-Fraser University; not eligible; signed pro contract on July 22 to play rest of season with Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League); Joost de Shutter, M (Butler University); Hideto Gondo, D (Georgia State University); Andriy Bilous, M (California University of Pennsylvania); Eddie Hudson, D (Duquesne University); Stephan Moreira, F/M (Southern Illinois University-Evansville); Mzokhulayo Mthembu, F (Saginaw Valley State University)
CLUB: Peoria City SC
HEAD COACH: Mike Paye, first season
2024 RECORD: 10-1-3, 8-1-3 USL-League Two Heartland Division (second)
LAST FIVE REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE GAMES: Chicago City SC (W, 2-0); St. Charles FC (W, 2-1); Chicago City SC (W, 4-1); Des Moines Menace (T, 2-2); Sueno FC (W, 4-2)
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT RESULTS: Thunder Bay Chill (W, 2-0); Des Moines Menace (W, 6-5, 2OT, SO, 4-2 on penalties)
REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE STATS: 35 goals, 13 against; four shutouts.
POSTSEASON STATS: Eight goals, five against; one shutout; 2-0-0 record.
TOP PLAYERS: Lucas Persemico, F (Clarke University; 13 goals); DJ Koulai, F (Bradley University; seven goals, six assists); Justin Wilson, F/M (Longwood University; four goals); Sami Slimi, G (Campbell University); Jose Gomez, M (Northern Illinois University); Thomas Coughlin, M (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay); Joshua Reddy, D (Clarke University); Charlie Dickerson (Bradley University); Abasa Aremeyaw, D (MSK Zilina Africa FC, Ghana); Wesley Gibson, D (Southern Illinois University-Evansville); Fritz Volmar, D (Northwestern University)
OTHER PLAYERS: Elias Benitez Saiz, D (Bradley University); Alonso Campos Nunez, M (Clarke University); Michael Cardet, M (Montreal College Ahuntsic); Nick Cenek, M (Creighton University); Lucas Fontana, G (Chicago State University); Noah Grieshaber, G (Normal University High School); Kayden Hudson, F (Peoria Notre Dame High School); DJ Ibognihou, M (Bryant University; four goals); Jonas Lyshoj, M (Bryant University); Noah Madrigal, F (Marquette University); Joe McInnes, F (Rio Grande College); Joel McIntyre, D (Western Illinois University); Pepe Mellado-Alandi, M (Bradley University); Christian Merritt, D (Bryant University); Sam Moore, M (DePaul University); Claudel Ngongang, F (Bradley University); Nadji Rebai, D (Clarke University); Jorge Rodriguez, F (Bryant University); Joao Saraiva, M (Bradley University; four goals); Danail Sergiev, F (Chicago State University; two goals); Myles Sophanavong, M (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay); Jonah Stekly, M (Bryant University); Nick Tjahjadi, M (McKendree University); Alejandro Valverde Oria, D (Clarke University); Dela Zakli, F (Iowa Western Community College)
USL-LEAGUE TWO POWER RANKINGS
(Through July 13)
1. Asheville City SC
2. Seacoast United Phantoms
3. Western Mass Pioneers
4. Little Rock Rangers
5. Flint City Bucks
6. Long Island Riders
7. Ventura County Fusion
8. Ocean City Nor’Easters
9. Corpus Christi FC
10. Lionsbridge FC
11. Virginia Beach United
12. Des Moines Menace
13. United PDX
14. Peoria City
15. FC Motown STA
NOTE: There are a record 128 teams spread over 18 different divisions in the USL-League Two in the United States and Canada.
MICHIGAN SOCCER NETWORK: MSN NEWS: www.michigansoccernetwork.com/msnnews
USL-LEAGUE TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
(formerly USISL Premier League; USISL Premier Developemntal Soccer League, USL- Premier Developemntal League)
YEAR NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONS RUNNERS-UP
USISL Premier League
1995: Richmond Kickers San Fransisco All-Blacks United
1996: Central Coast Roadrunners Richmond Kickers
USISL Premier Developemntal Soccer League
1997: Central Coast Roadrunners Spokane Shadow
1998: San Gabriel Valley Highlanders Jackson Chargers
USL-Premier Developmental League
1999: Chicago Sockers Jackson Chargers
2000: Chicago Sockers Mid-Michigan Bucks
2001: Westchester Flames Calgary Storm
2002: Cape Cod Crusaders Des Moines Menace
2003: Cape Cod Crusaders New Orleans Shell Shockers
2004: Central Florida Kraze Chicago Fire Reserves
2005: Des Moines Menace Orange County Blue Star
2006: Michigan Bucks Laredo Heat
2007: Laredo Heat Michigan Bucks
2008: Thunder Bay Chill Laredo Heat
2009: Ventura County Fusion Reading Rage
2010: Portland Timbers U23s Thunder Bay Chill
2011: Kitsap Pumas Fresno Fuego
2012: Forest City London Michigan Bucks
2013: Austin Aztex Thunder Bay Chill
2014: Michigan Bucks Des Moines Menace
2015: K-W United FC Michigan Bucks
2016: Michigan Bucks Calgary Foothills FC
2017: Charlotte Eagles New York Red Bulls U-23
2018: Calgary Foothills FC Des Moines Menace
USL-League Two
2019: Flint City Bucks Des Moines Menace
2020: No season, cancelled due to Covid restrictions
2021: Des Moines Menace North Carolina Fusion U23
2022: Ventura County Fusion Long Island Rough Riders
2023: Ballard FC Lionsbridge FC
2024: To be determined
MOST NORTH AMERICAN/NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
4 – Flint City Bucks/Michigan Bucks
2 – Des Moines Menace
2 – Ventura County Fusion
2 – Cape Cod Crusaders
2 – Chicago Sockers
2 – Central Coast Roadrunners
1 – Ballard FC
1 – Calgary Foothills
1 – Charlotte Eagles
1 – K-W United FC
1 – Austin Aztex
1 – Forest City London
1 – Kitsap Pumas
1 – Portland Timbers U23
1 – Thunder Bay Chill
1 – Laredo Heat
1 – Austin Aztex
1 – Central Florida Kraze
1 – Westchester Flames
1 – San Gabriel Valley Highlanders
1 – Richmond Kickers
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer of teams or players with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com, or call 248-884-1051. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com.)
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