Menace head coach Laurie Calloway expects to see a tougher defense in 2011.

 

As he works to set the opening-night roster for May 14, the veteran coach knows this was a missing element in his 2010 team (6-3-7), which missed the Premier Development League postseason and finished fourth in the Heartland Division.

 

“Hopefully, with our generals’ corps we have coming in, we’ll be much more solid in the back,” Calloway said. “We gave away games in the last five minutes (in 2010), and ultimately that kept us from making the playoffs.

 

“We’re going to expect our central defense to step up. We’re looking for a lot of harmony among the defenders, and for a forceful leader to emerge.”

 

Calloway is welcoming more than a dozen defenders and five goalkeepers who will be fighting for playing time and spots on the 26-player master roster.

 

The Menace’s season opens with four qualifying matches for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: May 14 and May 21 against rival St. Louis at Valley Stadium on consecutive Saturdays, and May 17 at Springfield and May 25 at Kansas City.

 

“I’m excited, based on the first 12 or so guys in town already,” Calloway said. “Things will start coming together next week, when about 20 more players report.”

 

Calloway gets to see his current players in action on Saturday, when they play in a scrimmage against National Premier Soccer League newcomer Quad Cities Eagles in Rock Island, Ill. Menace fans are invited to a free intra-squad exhibition on Thursday (May 12), set for a 6 p.m. start at Grimes Sports Complex.

 

Last week, we announced the team’s returning players, including goalkeeper Jordan Kadlec and defenders Jubril Lawal and Ben Taylor.

 

In the week leading up to the opener, we’ll introduce the midfielders and forwards joining the team.

 

 

 

Player Capsules:

 

GOALKEEPERS

 

Phil Boerger

Hometown: Jamestown, N.D.

College: Syracuse (2011 transfer from Evansville)

Was a member of the U.S. U-15 and U-17 National Teams…While at Evansville was a 2009 All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree…Has played for the Kalamazoo Outrage (2010) and Ft. Wayne Fever (2009) in the PDL.

 

Andy Holte

Hometown: Iowa City

College: Butler

A state champion with Iowa City West in 2009…Did not see varsity action for Butler in 2010.

 

Brendan Roslund

Hometown: Denver, Colo.

College: San Francisco

The first USF goalkeeper to earn West Coast Conference all-freshmen team honors…Was named the Colorado Rapids.Academy’s 2009 Player of the Year.

 

Eric Shannon

Hometown: Valencia, Calif.

College: Cal State Bakersfield

Placed second in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation with 62 saves his freshman year, which earned him conference honorable mention …Previously played in the PDL for Orange County Blue Star in 2009.

 

DEFENDERS

 

Anthony Colaizzi

Hometown: Gurnee, Ill.

College: Marquette

A 2011 graduate of Marquette University…Played 65 games for the Golden Eagles…Helped Thunder Bay reach the PDL Championship game last season.

 

Garrett Crall

Hometown: Norwalk

College: Drake

Was named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Top 100 Freshman list in 2010, when he started all 18 matches for the Bulldogs...In 2010, led Norwalk to the state title and was crowned Iowa’s “Mr. Soccer.”

 

Kooten Johnson

Hometown: Macomb, Ill.

College: Western Illinois

Earned second team All-Summit League honors in 2010.

 

Jamiel Hardware

Hometown: Jamaica

A member of the U20 Jamaican National Team

 

Diego Marroquin

Hometown: Petaluma, Calif.

College: Sacramento State

A second team all-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation selection last season for the Hornets…Led Sacramento State to the second round of the 2010 NCAA tournament.

 

Francis Otira

Hometown: London, England

College: Northern Illinois

Named the Northwestern Lakeside Classic MVP for his performance against Holy Cross and Gonzaga, also earned College Soccer News National Team of the Week honors and co-Mid-American Conference Player of the Week recognition…Suited up for Rochester Thunder in 2010.

 

David Parato

Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.

College: Drake

Appeared in six matches for the Bulldogs in 2010…Has played in the PDL for the Kalamazoo Outrage (2010) and St. Louis Lions (2009).

 

Jace Peters

Hometown: Glenwood

College: Creighton (Transfer from Doane College)

Was a first team all-Great Plains Athletic Conference selection while attending Doane College (Neb.).

 

Uriah Polley

Hometown: West Bloomfield, Mich.

College: Western Michigan

Will undergo his freshman season with the Broncos this fall.

 

Roger Thompson

Hometown: Brampton, Ontario

College: Cincinnati (Transfer from Graceland)

Started all 19 matches in the Bearcats run to the semifinals of last year’s Big East Conference Tournament…Also a member of the U20 Canada National Team.

 

Chris Van Leur

Hometown: Sydney, Australia

College: San Francisco (Transfer from ABM College in Sydney, Australia)

Spent seven seasons with Manly United F.C. and helped the club to multiple championships.

 

Brian Visser

Hometown: American Canyon, Calif.

College: San Francisco

An incoming freshman for the Dons…Was captain for the San Jose Earthquakes’ U-17/18 Academy team in 2010.