Gold and Thunder Bay Chill defeat Heat to Claim PDL Championship August 19, 2008

Jeremy Gold and the Thunder Bay Chill defeated the Laredo Heat this weekend, becoming the first Canadian team ever to win the PDL Championship. Building on momentum from their Central Conference Championship victory and national semi-final performance, the Chill were able to overpower the heat and take home the National Championship. Among the top performers for the Chill this season was MLF striker Jeremy Gold, who notched 9 goals and 3 assists this season for the, including several crucial plays in the Conference final and Championship semi-final.

Jeremy Gold Leads Chill to Play-Off Birth July 14, 2008

The Thunder Bay Chill clinched a playoff birth Saturday as they downed the Kansas City Brass, completing a two-game sweep of the club. Jeremy Gold continued to spark the Chill attack, recording an assist and a goal. His goal would come in the 56^th minute as he drove home the goal that gave the Chill their first lead. Gold continued to provide his teammates with scoring opportunities up until the final whistle of the second half, but the Chill found themselves knotted in a 2-2 tie. Despite being one man down, the Chill rallied during extra time, as Brandon Swartzendruber converted a “near-perfect” Jeremy Gold cross. The Chill were able to stave off the Brass for the remainder of extra time, becoming the second PDL team to clinch a playoff berth.

Jeremy Gold – Player of the Week June 26, 2008

Wednesday, June 25

TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today the Premier Development League Team of the Week following the tenth week of USL competition. Highlighting the list as Player of the Week was forward Jeremy Gold of the Thunder Bay Chill. Gold found the back of the net four times for the Chill as they became the only team to defeat the St. Louis Lions this season, twice.

Gold’s first goal of the weekend came in the 56th minute of Friday’s match with the Lions. The goal was unassisted, as was Gold’s teammates Alvaro Zendejas, who put the Chill up 2-0 in the 61st minute. Gold struck again, putting the game on ice in the 80th minute, via an assist from Brandon Swartzendruber.

That loss was the first of the year for the formidable Lions, who certainly did not expect Gold to put up similar numbers in the next day’s rematch. He did.

After the Lions Mike Utley put St. Louis on top for the first time in Week 10 by way of a 12th minute goal, Gold went to work and netted a game-tying goal in the 13th minute on another assist from Swartzendruber. Another Gold, Casey, finished the game-winner off in the 33rd minute with an assist by Zendejas. Jeremy Gold knocked in his fourth of the week in the 54th minute.

“Both [of Jeremy’s] goals were class,” according to the team of the week nomination form. “The second goal was a swerving free kick from 25 yards out. He also worked very hard defensively.”

Besides Gold, numerous combination scenarios highlight the tenth edition of PDL Team of the Week.

El Paso midfielder Jair Olivares was in direct contention with his teammate, midfielder Adam Hooi, following the Patriots two-win weekend against the defending PDL Champion Laredo Heat. Olivares was the hero of game one, scoring two goals in a 2-1 victory. Hooi was the go-to-guy in match number two, scoring a goal and adding an assist in another 2-1 win. The pair of upsets further complicates an overdeveloping Mid South Division logjam behind the first place Austin Aztex.

Sticking with combinations and development – last season’s USL Super-20 League MVP, Mike Konicoff connected with teammate Sam Bailey for a goal and an assist each, as Westchester handed Ocean City back-to-back losses for the first time since 2005.

Another unusual occurrence, Ventura completed a 2008 sweep of the Fresno Fuego following their 4-1 win in Fresno on Saturday. The Fusion has now outscored the division leading Fuego, 7-1 this season. The eye of this storm on Saturday was Anton Peterlin, who scored goals in the 12th and 61st minute to hand Ventura a 2-0 lead that Fresno never recovered from.

In goal for PDL Team of the Week is John Bilinkski of the Fort Wayne Fever. Bilinkski denied the Toronto Lynx a rare opportunity to gain ground against the Great Lakes Division leading Michigan Bucks by making 12 saves in a 4-1 upset, Saturday. The loss spoiled what would have been a six point week for the Lynx, after they, and goalkeeper Nils Binstock, stole a 1-0 decision from Michigan on Thursday.

In that match, Binstock, also a Super-20 League graduate, earned a clean-sheet and a hearty nomination for Team of the Week by making several “highlight reel” saves to keep it a 1-0 game in the first half against the previously undefeated Bucks.

Week 10
PDL Team of the Week
Pos	Name	Team	Highlights
GK	John Bilinkski	Fort Wayne	16 save week: 1-1 draw (West Mich.) & 4-1 win (Toronto)
D	Mark Blades	Chicago Fire	Defensive MVP in pair of draws on road 1-1
D	Marc Benson	Reading	Defensive MVP in 1-0 win over Hampton Roads
D	Matt Tracey	San Fernando	2 goals in 2-2 draw with Orange County Blue Star
M	Anton Peterlin	Ventura	2 goals in 4-1 win over Southwest Division leading Fresno
M	Caleb Louvier	Cascade	1G, 1A week: 2-0 win (Yakima), 2-1 win (Tacoma)
M	Jair Olivares	El Paso	2 goals in 2-1 win over Laredo
M	Sam Bailey	Westchester	1G, 1A game in 2-1 win over Ocean City
F	Randy Edwini-Bonser	Vancouver	GWG in 1-0 win over Ogden, 1G in 4-1 win over Abbotsford
F	Jeremy Gold	Thunder Bay	4G’s in 2 wins over previously undefeated St. Louis
F	Phillip Buffington	Mississippi	2G, 1A week: 2-0 over DFW & 2-1 over New Orleans