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By Brigde Staff Writer -- Matthew Martz

The Bakersfield Brigade closed out the 2009 regular season with back-to-back road losses to the BYU Cougars and the Ogden Outlaws.

The Brigade (2-11-3) finished the season in last place in the Premiere Development Leagues Southwest Division.

The first match of the road trip resulted in a 3-0 loss on Friday, July 17 against the BYU Cougars (7-5-3).

The Cougars first goal came at the 42-minute mark when midfielder Curtis Graham slipped past the Bakersfield defenders and crossed the ball to forward Steve Fellows, who finished it off with a header into the net, giving BYU a 1-0 advantage.

The second half began with a Cougars offensive attack that lead to the games second goal at minute 51 when midfielder Richie Bindrup shot a ball into the net from 28 yards out.

Forward Brady Marshall scored the games final goal on a through ball from midfielder Jordan Cushman, slamming it home, capping the scoring at 3-0.

After Friday nights loss the Brigade took a short bus ride north to face off against the Ogden Outlaws the following evening for the first and only time this year.

The struggling Outlaws (4-11-1) who came into the match just one point ahead of the Brigade and only averaging 1.2 goals per game, gunned down the Brigade 6-0.
The Outlaws first goal came just 18 minutes into the match when forward Andy Cornia corralled a loose ball of the toe of a Brigade defender and found the back of the net, giving Ogden a 1-0 lead.

Ogden got their second goal of the match just five minutes later when midfielder Sunghyun Kim tucked one in off his own rebound, before defender Gabe Causse added one more in the final minute of the first half.

Leading 3-0, the Outlaws scored three more in the second half of play when midfielder Mike Hodgen shot a laser into the upper corner of the net from 25-yards out, followed by back-to-back goals from midfielder Joe Hickman at the 73 and 76-minute mark, solidifying a 6-0 win for Ogden.

This years leading scorers for the Brigade were Adan Arteaga (3 G, 6 PTS), Ken Taylor (2 G, 1 A, 5 PTS), Kyle Holland (2 G, 4PTS), and Wes Feighner (2 G, 1 A, 5 PTS).

Keeper Steve Trojanowski finished the year with a 1.20 GAA, with one clean sheet.

The Brigade will return to action in May 2010.

For more information, including ticket information for the 2010 season contact the Brigade Corporate office at 410 KICK (4625) or by visiting www.bakersfieldbrigade.com.

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By Brigade Staff Writer, Matthew Martz

The Bakersfield Brigade will close out the 2009 regular season with a two-day road trip to Utah to play back-to-back matches against the BYU Cougars on Friday, July 17 and the Ogden Outlaws on Saturday, July 18.

The Brigade (2-9-2) are winless in their last six outings with four losses and two draws, and are currently in last place in the Premiere Development Leagues Southwest Division.

The first match of the road trip will be played on Friday against the BYU Cougars (6-5-3). This will be the first and only meeting between the two clubs this season.

BYU have won three of their last four games and are currently in fourth place, but have were officially eliminated from post-season play in the their loss to The Orange County Blue Star on July 12.

The Cougars leading scorers are Zachary De Francis (2 G, 1 A, 5 PTS), Steven Fellows (2 G, 1 A, 5 PTS), and Brent Jensen (2 G, 1 A, 5 PTS). Keeper Bryan Black (1.14 GAA) who has given up just 12 goals in 945 minutes of play, has posted five clean sheets, and will be expected to start his twelfth game of the season.

After Friday nights match the Brigade will take a short bus ride north to face off against the Ogden Outlaws for the first and only time this year.

The struggling Outlaws (3-10-1) are coming off just their third win pf the year, 2-1 over the Fresno Fuego on July 11. The win moved them into ninth place, one point ahead of the last place Brigade.

Ogden’s leading scorers are Samuel Charles (4 G, 12 A, 10 PTS), Andrew Cornia (2 G, 1 A, 5 PTS), and Sung-Hyun Kim (2 G, 1 A, 5 PTS). Keeper Jeff Rodgers (2.33 GAA) anchors the Outlaws defense.

Bakersfield who is coming off a 1-1 draw against the So Cal Seahorses on July 11, will have four days of rest before leaving for Utah, and will look for strong performances from leading scorers Adan Arteaga
(3 G, 6 PTS), forward Kyle Holland (2 G, 4 PTS), and Ken Taylor (2 G, 1 A, 5 PTS) as well as solid defensive play from Jamie Scope, and Jason Santos.

Keeper Victor Chinchilla (3.14 GAA) is expected to make the start in goal.

While their spot in tournament play has been eliminated, the Brigade are looking to finish off their season with solid wins against their upcoming opponents.

For more information, including ticket information contact the Brigade Corporate office at 410 KICK (4625) or by visiting www.bakersfieldbrigade.com.

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By Matthew Martz, Brigade Staff Writer

The Lancaster Rattlers edged out the Brigade 3-2 in Bakersfield’s final home game of the 2009 season on Friday, July 10 at BCHS Stadium.

The match would get off to rough start for the Brigade, as midfielder Matt O’Sullivan went down hard and would leave the match at the 9-minute mark with an injury to his right knee.

The Rattlers (4-7-3) dominated the first half with extended periods of possession and solid defensive play.

Lancaster opened the scoring at the 13-minute mark when Jose Garay took a pass from Mauricio Harrie and found the back of the net, tucking it just inside the far post and behind Brigade keeper Victor Chinchilla to give the Rattlers an early 1-0 advantage.

The Rattlers received a prime scoring opportunity just seven minutes later when Brigade defender Cameron Walters miscued a clearing pass that ended up on the toe of Jose Garay who fired a shot off the crossbar.

Then, 14 minutes later, Garay (6 G, 2 A, 14 PTS), got his second of the match when he caught up to a loose ball in the area, beating Chinchilla far post making it 2-0 in favor of the Rattlers

The Brigade would narrow the deficit 2-1 at the 43-minute mark when Ken Taylor (2 G, 1 A, 5PTS) scored on a free kick from 24 yards out beating Lancaster keeper Zach Brunner, far post.

The second half of play began much the same way with Lancaster on the attack when at the 58-minute mark, the Brigade’s Esteban Arias would catch up to an arrant clearing pass and in a foot race with a Lancaster defender got dragged down inside the Rattlers box. Lancaster would clear the ball quickly from their area on and on a swift counter attack, scored the eventual game-winner at the 59-minute mark when Mauricio Harrie (7 G, 3 A, 17 PTS) slipped behind the Brigade back line, and after the first shot was turned aside by Chinchilla, took his own rebound and buried it giving the Rattlers a 3-1 lead.

Head Coach Francisco Gomez would be ejected from the match at the 61-minute mark for having a few words with referee Francisco Orozco.

“That play was a real turning point in the match for us,” said Gomez, “Had we gotten the penalty kick we may have tied it, instead they turned the ball around and were able to go up by two goals.”

The Brigade answered back just three minutes later to again pull within one when Adan Arteaga (3G, 6 PTS) took a serve from Heber Mora (1A, 1 PT) and jammed one home past an outstretched Zach Brunner, 3-2.

Bakersfield continued to attack the Rattlers defense but could not find the equalizer.

Adan Arteaga and Jay Gore also received red cards in the closing minutes of the match.

Keeper Zach Brunner (2.36 GAA,) made four saves on five shots while Brigade keeper Victor Chinchilla (3.14 GAA) made five saves on eight shots.

The Brigade (2-9-2) are winless in their last five outings with four consecutive losses.

The Brigade are currently in last place in the PDL Southwest Division, just one point behind the Ogden Outlaws.

Bakersfield will play their remaining three games on the road beginning with a match against the So Cal Seahorses on Saturday, July 11, before heading to Utah to complete the 2009 season with games against the BYU Cougars on July 17 and the Ogden Outlaws on July 18.

For more information, including ticket information contact the Brigade Corporate office at 410 KICK (4625) or by visiting www.bakersfieldbrigade.com.

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By Brigade staff writer-Matthew Martz

After shutting out the Fresno Fuego 2-0 on June 10, the Fuego heated up the pitch scoring three goals in the second half, shutting out the Brigade 3-0 on Friday in front of 1,243 at BCHS Stadium.

The Brigade opened the first half of play with two shots on goal in the first two minutes. From there the match settled into a rhythm that saw both clubs sharing equal periods of possession.

The Fuego (4-4-4) got their first scoring opportunity at the nine-minute mark when Santiago Aguilera just missed giving Fresno and early lead on a shot just wide of the far post.

Again Fresno would get an opportunity to take the lead when Fuego striker Tyler Reinhart flicked a header just over the crossbar at the 26-minute mark, just inside the 6-yard box.

The Brigade received their best scoring chance in the closing minutes of the first half when Jacob Hustedt fed a pass to the speedy Wes Feighner who slipped behind the Fuego back line and punched a shot wide of Fresno keeper Ryan Kenny.

The Fuego would break the deadlock just seconds into the second half when Paul Islas scored on a serve from Orlando Ramirez just inside the Brigade area passed an outstretched Victor Chinchilla, giving Fresno a 1-0 advantage.

Five minutes late Fresno’s Islas threaded a pass to Tyler Reinhart who dribbled up the far touchline into the Brigade area, beating Chinchilla just inside the far post, to increase their lead 2-0.
Reinhart inflicted the final blow, scoring his second of the night on a beautiful sliding shot off an uncontrolled save by Chinchilla at the 57–minute mark.

Brigade keeper Victor Chinchilla (3.17 GAA) faced 13 shots making six saves while Fuego keeper Ryan “Rhino” Kenny (1.75 GAA), made two saves on six shots and posted his second clean sheet of the season.

The Brigade (2-8-2) increased their winless streak to four with Friday’s loss to the Fuego, scoring just one goal in their last four matches, and have dropped to ninth place in the Premiere Development League Southwest Division just four points ahead of the last place Ogden Outlaws.

The Brigade will play their final home game of the 2009 season against the Lancaster Rattlers on July 10. Kick off will be at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, including ticket information contact the Brigade Corporate office at 410 KICK (4625) or by visiting www.bakersfieldbrigade.com.

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By Brigade Staff Writer Matthew Martz

After shutting out the Fresno Fuego 2-0 on June 10, the Bakersfield Brigade will be looking to sweep the season series when the two clubs meet again for the final time on Friday at BCHS Stadium.

The Brigade (2-7-2) are winless in their last three appearances and coming off a disappointing loss to the struggling Lancaster Rattlers in their last outing.

The Fuego (3-4-4), are coming into this weekends contest with back-to-back draws against the Orange County Blue Star and Ventura Fusion. Fresno’s last win was on June 19, when the beat the Lancaster Rattlers 2-1.

In the previous match against the Fresno, the Brigade would take an early lead when midfielder Kenneth Taylor (1G, 2 PTS) found the back of the net beating Fuego keeper Ryan “Rhino” Kenny (1.39 GAA), at the six-minute mark, giving the Brigade an 1-0 lead.

The two clubs would find themselves in a defensive battle for most of the second half of play, until defender Adan Arteaga (2 G, 4 PTS) administered the final blow, capping the scoring with a goal at the 88-minute mark, his second of the year, 2-0.

Things would heat up as the game wore on.

Artega received a yellow card at the 26-minute mark of the first half and was then ejected from the match at the 89-minute mark.
Atreaga (2 G, 4PTS) will be looking for reprisal against the Fuego in the upcoming match and will be joined by Bakersfield leading scorers Wes Feighner (2 G, 4 PTS), and forward Kyle Holland (2 G, 4 PTS).

Keeper Steve Trojanowski (1.20 GAA) who did not make the trip or the start in last Saturday’s match against Lancaster has been flawless in goal and will be expected to get the call between the posts in Friday’s contest.

As with any other Bakersfield vs. Fresno rivalry, the upcoming match is sure to produce some fireworks, including the ones that will be displayed immediately following the game in celebration of Independence Day.

The Brigade will play their final home game of the 2009 season against the Lancaster Rattlers on July 10. Kick off will be at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, including ticket information contact the Brigade Corporate office at 410 KICK (4625) or by visiting www.bakersfieldbrigade.com.