The Des Moines Menace’s opening-night roster will include the names of seven returning players.

 

When the Menace opens the Premier Development League season on May 14, five members of last year’s team will be in the mix. A couple other players make their return to the organization, after a year’s absence.

 

Head coach Laurie Calloway looks to his returners to provide leadership as the team forms in the coming weeks.

 

“You’d like them to be able to quickly pull together,” Calloway said. “They know what I expect. For our newcomers, these returning players are our lieutenants of what Neathan (Gibson, PDL assistant coach), Kevin (Schalk, PDL goalkeeping coach) and I are expecting. We want to win the (PDL) championship.”

 

Midfielders Lebogang Moloto, Luis Piffer and Husref Jupic and defenders Jubril Lawal and Brandon Fricke are back from the 2010 team that made the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and lost only three matches. They have their sights set on getting the Menace back to the league playoffs after seven ties (6-3-7) kept the team from capturing one of the Heartland Division’s two postseason berths a year ago.

 

Midfielder Ben Taylor and Drake goalkeeper Jordan Kadlec return to the Menace after playing, respectively, for division foes Springfield and Rochester (a team that folded in the offseason).

 

The Menace’s season starts with four Open Cup qualifying matches: 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.

We will be announcing the team's newcomers in each of the two weeks leading up to Opening Night.
 

 

Player Capsules:

 

 

Lebogang Moloto

Position: Midfielder

Hometown: Polokwane, South Africa

College: Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.)

With the Menace: Scored five goals in 2010, sharing the team lead with Clark Bradford and Logan McDaniel. Was named to the PDL Team of the Week in May, after scoring game-winning goals in back-to-back outings...A member of the NAIA all-America first team in 2009 (when Lindsey Wilson won the national title) and an honorable mention selection in 2010.

 

Luis Piffer

Position: Midfielder

Hometown: Amparo, Brazil

College: Grand View University

With the Menace: Appeared in 15 matches, scoring one goal…A member of the 2010 NAIA all-America second team and the Midwest Collegiate Conference’s Player of the Year.

 

Husref Jupic

Position: Midfielder

Hometown: Johnston

College: Western Illinois

With the Menace: Played in 13 matches last season, notching his lone goal in a 6-0 rout of Kansas City on July 17.

 

Jubril Lawal

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

College: Mobile (Ala.)

With the Menace: As a 16-year-old last summer, became the youngest player in the franchise’s history. Played more minutes (973) than any other returning player, notching four points in 12 appearances…As a freshman last fall, was part of Mobile’s NAIA Final Four team, along with 2010 Menace teammates Jason Williams and Stephen Okai.

 

Brandon Fricke

Position: Defender

Hometown: Grimes

College: Butler

With the Menace: Was a late addition in 2010, playing every minute of his only appearances – the team’s last two games.

 

Ben Taylor

Hometown: Dundee, Scotland

College: Drury (Mo.)

With the Menace: Paced the Menace’s 2009 PDL Elite Eight squad with 13 points and five assists…Was an NCAA Division-II all-Midwest Region first-teamer in 2009 and 2010.

 

Jordan Kadlec

Position: Goalkeeper

Hometown: Hiawatha

College: Drake

With the Menace: Made the team’s roster in 2008 and 2009. Seeks his first action with the Menace, after playing for Rochester (Minn.) in 2010…Named to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Team and last fall.