Wisconsin Soccer Central

The Madison 56ers head into their seventh National Premier Soccer League season with a big roster, a berth in a big tournament and, as usual, big expectations.

Coach Jim Launder's team is a perennial contender for the Midwest Region title – the 56ers have won three championships (2006, '07 and '10), tied for the best record in the division in 2009 and finished one point back in 2008 – and is expected to be in the race once again.

The 56ers already have 36 players on their roster, with Launder bringing in a mix of young and old, veterans and newcomers.

"It's a lot of the same guys and a lot of new guys," said Launder, whose team lost both of its matches at the NPSL Final Four last year and finished fourth. "We're going to keep a big squad." 

The amateur team opens the season with a friendly against the Croatian Eagles' Under-23 team on Saturday night at Breese Stevens Field, a week before facing the expansion Quad City Eagles in the NPSL Midwest opener.

With the addition of the Eagles, based in Moline, Ill., the 56ers' NPSL Midwest schedule has grown to 12 matches – it's the first time the division has had more than six teams. Madison also has five friendlies scheduled, including its first meeting against St. Louis club Scott Gallagher.

But perhaps the most exciting game on the 56ers' schedule is June 14, when the team will play in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the first time since 1991.

The 56ers – then known as the Princeton-56ers – tried to qualify for the tournament through U.S. Adult Soccer Association Region II competition in 2007 and '08, but fell short each time.

However, this year the U.S. Soccer Federation granted the NPSL four berths, and the league split them evenly between its four regions. Madison was awarded the Midwest berth thanks to winning the division in 2010.

Launder was expecting the 56ers to have to go through regional qualifying once again and had put together a roster of former pro players and older current 56ers players for that tournament. That's because the berths usually are determimed before current college players are allowed to play due to NCAA rules.

"It’s pretty cool that we’re going right in,” Launder said, "but I wish I hadn’t done all the work to put this whole team together and now have to tell the guys, 'Just kidding.'

"But this is better, and in the long run it’s a good thing to have (the automatic berths)."

The 98th U.S. Open Cup is open to teams on all levels of soccer in the U.S., from amateur teams to Major League Soccer clubs.

Thirty-two teams will play in the first round, with 21 of them amateur sides: 11 from USL PRO, nine from the USL Premier Development League, eight from the U.S. Adult Soccer Association and four from the NPSL. Eight MLS teams join the field in the third round.

The 56ers have made four previous appearances in the Open Cup, all before MLS existed. They lost in the Region II semifinals from 1988 to '90, and were ousted by Illinois' RWB Adria 7-6 on penalty kicks following a 4-4 tie in the 1991 quarterfinals.

A look at the roster

Launder's roster includes several players with extensive NPSL experience.

Three of them earned All-Midwest Region honors last summer: midfielders Trevor Banks (Madison Memorial) and Keenan Newallo and defender Sean Ronnekleiv-Kelly. It was the third such honor for Banks and second for Newallo.

The 56ers also welcome back midfielder-defender Tenzin Rampa (Madison West), an All-Midwest pick in 2007 who has played professionally indoors for the Milwaukee Wave; midfielder Keith Dangarembwa, a 2009 honoree who didn't play with the team last year because he needed to return home to Zimbabwe; and forward Jed Hohlbein (Middleton/UW), the leading scorer in Madison's NPSL history and the only four-time All-Midwest honoree. Hohlbein missed almost all of last season because of a foot injury.

It appears there should be plenty of punch in the 56ers' attack.

Forward Adam Lysak (Milton), coming off a redshirt last fall, had a huge spring season for Marquette and the same is true for midfielder-forward Cody Banks (Madison Memorial), who had eight goals for UW-Milwaukee during the exhibition season.

One intriguing newcomer is Carlos McCrary, who had a goal and two assists in 15 appearances (four starts) for NCAA semifinalist North Carolina last fall. McCrary, who is from Roswell, Ga., was an ESPN RISE high school All-American last spring

"We just lucked out," Launder said of how McCrary joined the 56ers. "His dad moved here to Madison and he contacted us. ... I called the coach down there and they said, 'He's a good player, you should look at him,' so we invited him."

Launder is excited about having the versatility of former UW player Aaron Nichols at his disposal.

"With him it's almost like, 'Where do we need a guy? You're going there,' " Launder said. "In our games, he's really good because he plays full games and he plays them at full tilt. For our league, a guy like him is a premium."

Also in the midfield, the 56ers have two Division I college players headed to new surroundings: Luke Goodnetter (Brookfield Central) is transferring from UW to UW-Green Bay, while Ryan Buda (Stevens Point) is now at UW after a year at Evansville. Both players saw significant action as freshmen last fall.

Another new face is midfielder Alfredo Ramirez, a 22-year-old from Paraguay. He has been playing in the local Latino Leagues. "He's a pretty hard working guy, has good technique," Launder said. "I think he's still trying to fit into the squad."

On the backline, incoming UW freshman Carl Schneider (Madison La Follette) has looked good.

"He's looked pretty good," Launder said. "I think he's going to be a very good player. He's very two-footed – you can't tell what foot he is. I'm playing him out wide, and he's great going forward."

And with the addition of UW-Green Bay's Andrew Stone (Green Bay Preble), there's a chance the 56ers could return to the 3-5-2 formation they used a few years ago.

"If I want to play with three in the back, he's the kind of guy I'd like to have," Launder said. "I'd like to, and I think I might be able to get it done this year. This kid is athletic and he's left-sided."

The goalkeeper spot appears to be open as Jon Szafranski, an All-Midwest choice the past two years, moved to Minnesota. Kyle Dillman, last year's backup, returns, while UW's Max Jentsch (Hartland Arrowhead) and UW-Parkside's Ryan Onwukwe have joined the team along with Julian Holtzman.

The 56ers won't have their full roster available for Saturday's match, as many college players are still wrapping up academic and other obligations.

MADISON 56ERS ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Kyle Dillman; Max Jentsch, UW; Julian Holtzman; Ryan Onwukwe, UW-Parkside.
Defenders: Demba Camara; Hunter Martin; Paul Monsen, Marquette; Derek Pitts, UW; Sean Ronnekleiv-Kelly; Carl Schneider, Madison La Follette/UW; Aymar Sinaise; Andrew Stone, UW-Green Bay; Arnel Zahirovic, UW.
Midfielders: William Bagayoko; Cody Banks, UW-Milwaukee; Trevor Banks; Ryan Buda, UW (transfer from Evansville); Keith Dangarembwa, Kenyon (Ohio); Robin Forslund, Macalester (Minn.); Luke Goodnetter, UW-Green Bay (transfer from UW); Luke Klees, UW-Parkside; Sam Krenzien, UW-Green Bay; David Kommavang; Devin Maier; Colin Mani, UW; Carlos McCrary, North Carolina; Keenan Newallo; Aaron Nichols; Alfredo Ramirez; Tenzin Rampa; Josh Thiermann, UW.
Forwards: Henry Aiyenero; Edison Crespo, UW-Milwaukee; Jed Hohlbein; Adam Lysak, Marquette; Royston Ngwayah; Anthony Santaga, UW-Green Bay; Andrew Wiedabach, UW-Milwaukee.
Schools listed only for current college players

MADISON 56ERS SCHEDULE

Saturday, May 7: Croatian Eagles Under-23, 7 p.m. (friendly)
Saturday, May 14: Quad City Eagles, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 21: at Minnesota Kings FC, 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 22: at St. Paul Twin Stars, 1 p.m.
Saturday, May 28: Chicago Fire NPSL, 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 4: at Eau Claire Aris FC, 5 p.m.
Friday, June 10: Madison Latino League All-Stars, 7:30 p.m. (friendly)
Sunday, June 12: at Quad City Eagles, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, June 14: Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – First round, opponent, time, location TBA
Saturday, June 18: at Milwaukee Bavarians, 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 25: St. Paul Twin Stars, 7 p.m.
Sunday, June 26: Minnesota Kings, 3 p.m.
Saturday, July 2: Eau Claire Aris FC, 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 3: at Chicago Fire NPSL, 4 p.m.
Friday, July 8: Madison Soccer Association All-Stars, 7:30 p.m. (friendly)
Saturday, July 9: St. Louis Scott Gallagher, 7 p.m. (friendly)
Saturday, July 16: Milwaukee Bavarians, 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 23: Croatian Eagles Under-23, 7 p.m. (friendly)
Subject to change
Home matches at Breese Stevens Field