The 2017 Premier Development League Western Conference Championship will be held on Friday and Saturday and feature the Portland Timbers U23, FC Golden State Force, Fresno Fuego and FC Tucson at the Kino Sports Complex.
The Force are the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference Championship after winning the 2017 Southwest Division title with a 10-1-3 record. They will face off against the Timbers U23, who finished the regular season as Northwest Division champions and defeated Calgary Foothills FC 3-0 in a play-in match on Tuesday, at 6 p.m. MT on Friday (Watch Live).
The second-seeded Fuego, who ended the regular season second in the Southwest, will play third-seeded FC Tucson at 8 p.m. MT (Watch Live) in the second semifinal. Tucson, which is hosting the conference semifinals and final, claimed its fourth consecutive PDL division title by winning the Mountain Division with a 9-2-3 record.
FC GOLDEN STATE FORCE VS. PORTLAND TIMBERS U23
1. FC Golden State Force
Head Coach: Robert Friedland
Location: Pasadena, California
First PDL Season: 2016
PDL Playoffs Appearances: 2016-17
PDL Titles: 2017 Southwest Division Champions
Notable Alums: Jose Hernandez (Real Salt Lake), Justin Dhillon (LA Galaxy II), Victor Vasquez (Phoenix Rising FC), Michael Amick (Portland Timbers/Portland Timbers 2), Seyi Adekoya (Seattle Sounders FC/Seattle Sounders FC 2)
Notable 2017 Players: Jose Carrera-Garcia (No. 22 PDL Top Prospect), Mark Verso (Team-high 13 goals), Pedro Fonseca (Nine goals, five assists)
4. Portland Timbers U23
Head Coach: Aaron Lewis
Location: Salem, Oregon
First PDL Season: 2009
PDL Playoffs Appearances: 2009-10, 2012-13, 2015, 2017
PDL Titles: PDL Champions (2010), PDL Regular Season Champions (2010), Western Conference Champions (2010), Northwest Division Champions (2010, 2017)
Notable Alums: Fatai Alashe (San Jose Earthquakes), Jake Gleeson (Portland Timbers), Daniel Johnson (Chicago Fire), Colton Storm (Sporting Kansas City/Swope Park Rangers), Jacori Hayes (FC Dallas)
Notable 2017 Players: Christo Michaelson (No. 44 PDL Top Prospect), Francesco Amorosino (Team-high nine goals), Jordan Farr (0.83 goals-against average)
FRESNO FUEGO VS. FC TUCSON
2. Fresno Fuego
Head Coach: Brian Zwaschka
Location: Fresno, California
First PDL Season: 2003
PDL Playoffs Appearances: 2003-05, 2007-08, 2011, 2013, 2016-17
PDL Titles: PDL Regular Season Champions (2011), Western Conference Champions (2004, 2007), Southwest Division Champions (2003, 2007, 2011, 2013), Central Pacific Division Champions (2016)
Notable Alums: Nathan Smith (LA Galaxy), Mike Chabala (formerly Portland Timbers/Houston Dynamo), Orlando Ramirez (formerly San Jose Earthquakes), Milton Blanco (formerly Chivas USA/Columbus Crew), Pablo Campos (formerly San Jose Earthquakes/Real Salt Lake)
Notable 2017 Players: Sergi Nus (No. 8 PDL Top Prospect), Jose Cuevas (Team-high goals 11 goals), Renato Bustamante (Eight goals, team-high seven assists)
3. FC Tucson
Head Coach: Jon Pearlman
Location: Tucson, Arizona
First PDL Season: 2012
PDL Playoffs Appearances: 2012, 2014-17
PDL Titles: Mountain Division Champions (2014-15, 2017), Southwest Division Champions (2016)
Notable Alums: Ricardo Velazco (Real Salt Lake), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Christian Volesky (Saint Louis FC), Justin Bilyeu (New York Red Bulls/New York Red Bulls II), Donny Toia (Orlando City SC)
Notable 2017 Players: Tate Schmitt (No. 7 PDL Top Prospect), Moshe Perez (Team-high 12 goals), Afonso Pinheiro (three goals, team-high five assists)