Storm sign forwards Armstrong, Bennett, Cerroni and Tovar, defender Alavanja
October 23, 2008 - Xtreme Soccer League (XSL)
Chicago Storm News Release
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. - The Chicago Storm professional indoor soccer team announces a strong wave of signings with forwards Stephen Armstrong, Ian Bennett, Chris Cerroni and Enrique Tovar, and defender Lazo Alavanja for the team's 2008-2009 Xtreme Soccer League season. Per team policy, terms of the players' agreements are not disclosed.
Armstrong and Bennett played for the Storm in 2007-2008, with Bennett making his rookie debut. Alavanja is an original Storm player from the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons. He did not play indoor in 2006-2007 and played last season with the New Jersey Ironmen. Cerroni played for the Orlando Sharks last season, and Tovar played for the California Cougars (now Stockton Cougars in the PASL-Pro) last season.
Armstrong and Alavanja made headlines during the off-season when they and the United Soccer Leagues First Division's Charleston Battery were runners-up in the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Alavanja, Armstrong and Bennett all have ties to the USL-1's Battery. Bennett played for Charleston in 2007.
"We're very close to the completion of our roster heading into the open tryouts and preseason, and I believe we have the type of players who can gel together and form the right chemistry," Storm head coach Steve Morris said. "We have selfless players who are willing to pull in one direction for the good of the team."
Lazo Alavanja (pronounced Al-la-VON-ya) is a Crown Point, Indiana, native and enters his third season with the Storm organization. Alavanja ranks second all-time in Storm history by scoring a point in nine consecutive games (Jan. 23, 2005, to March 2, 2005). He also ranks fifth all-time in Storm blocks (57) and fifth in single-season blocks with 33 in 2004-2005. Alavanja took a year off from indoor, and in 2007-2008, he led New Jersey with 24 blocks, ranked second in points (53) and assists (16), and added 16 goals in 28 regular-season games. Alavanja played in four seasons for three teams (Dallas Burn, Miami Fusion, D.C. United) in Major League Soccer. Alavanja played collegiately at Indiana University, winning a national championship in 1998. He was the 1995 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, selected to the All-America team in 1996, 1997 and 1998, and was named Big Ten Player of the Year in 1997 and 1998. Alavanja worked as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Illinois-Chicago's men's soccer team under John Trask, his former coach at Indiana.
"We're happy to have Laz back," Morris said. "When I came here, it was apparent that he needed some time away from the game. He chose to take a year off, and he rediscovered his passion for playing. And in my opinion, he had an All-Star type season with New Jersey last season, and was Charleston's best player this summer - easily the Man of the Match during Charleston's championship match against D.C. United in the U.S. Open Cup. Laz has proven that he can play at the highest level. He's creative. He's a thinker. He will bring a nice balance for power plays and restarts. I think if you combine Armstrong's left foot with Alavanja's right, that's a lethal right-left combination."
Stephen Armstrong, a native of Birkenhead, England, enters his third season with the Storm in 2008-2009. Last season, Armstrong played in 23 out of 30 games during an injury-plagued campaign, but still tallied 47 points, 18 goals and three assists. He scored a career-high eight points on Feb. 1, 2008, against Baltimore. In 2007-2008, Armstrong was the Major Indoor Soccer League Rookie of the Year, compiling 32 goals and 76 points in 29 games. In only two seasons, Armstrong holds numerous Storm records: most consecutive games with a point (10), most career power play goals (19) and single-season power play goals (14 in 2006-2007), most goals in a season (32), most points in a season (76) and most career hat tricks (3). Before joining the Storm, Armstrong played for parts of four seasons with three teams (D.C. United, Kansas City Wizards, Columbus Crew) in Major League Soccer. Armstrong played at Butler University, where he scored 43 goals and 102 points, was named an All-American in 1999 and named to the All-Horizon League Team three times. Armstrong wore the Storm captain's arm band during the team's playoff series against Monterrey at the end of the 2007-2008 season.
"I think having Stephen back is a very important signing for us, because we feel that Stephen represents everything we want in a player," Morris said. "He's intelligent, athletic, has a great deal of passion, and when healthy, he's easily one of the top five players in the league. He probably played in less than five games (in 2007-2008) when he was fully healthy, but he was willing to go out there. With a fully recovered Armstrong, he is a player that can create and mesh our team together."
Ian Bennett, a native of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, did not join the Storm until several weeks into the 2007-2008 season, but the rookie contributed immediately. Bennett led all Storm rookies with 31 points, scoring 12 goals and assisting five others during the regular season. Before the Storm, Bennett spent four seasons as a member of the now-defunct Hamilton Thunder of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. He also played for the USL Premier Development League's Palm Beach Pumas in 2006 and the USL-1's Charleston Battery in 2007. This off-season, he played for the Richmond Kickers of the USL's Second Division. Bennett played collegiately for Marian College (Indianapolis, Ind.), breaking school records with 49 goals and 19 assists in 45 games.
"We are excited to see Ian from the start," Morris said. "We were prepared to have him for the start of the 2007-2008 season, but he had to finish up with schooling and arrived in December. He missed some important time, but he quickly proved that he has the ability to play this game. He's quick, skillful, and he's got strength and power. He has a knack for being at the right place at the right time. He's a very dangerous player."
Chris Cerroni, a native of Bexleyheath, England, completed his rookie season of indoor with Orlando in 2007-2008. He ranked second on the Sharks in points with 33, while scoring 13 goals and assisting five others in 27 games. Before Orlando, Cerroni's first professional experience came in 2007 with KI Klaksvik FC in the Faroe Islands. Cerroni played collegiately at Rollins College (Winter Park, Fla.), where he was an All-American and the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year in 2006.
"You look at some new guys and every once in a while there is that player that gives you a twinkle in the eye. And that's what we've got in Chris," Morris said. "He's a young, 25-year-old kid, an English player who is a great athlete with a strong left foot. He still has a ton to learn and a lot to catch up on, but he's going to be a player to watch."
Enrique Tovar, a native of San Jose, Calif., provides the Storm with an aggressive offensive attack. Tovar led the California Cougars in scoring for the past two seasons. In 2007-2008, Tovar scored 29 goals and assisted 13 others for 74 points, and in 2006-2007, he had 26 goals and 10 assists for a team-leading 63 points. In three seasons with the Cougars, Tovar tallied 157 points, 67 goals and 31 assists in 81 games.
"Enrique is a great signing. He is a sniper. He's a goal scorer. He knows how to score in the indoor game," Morris said. "He's great at finding the right position for rebounds, and he knows how to play 1-v-1 and create for himself. In the past two seasons, he's proven to be a goal scorer and put up consistent numbers, and we're thrilled to have him here."
The Storm have announced 14 signings for 2008-2009. In addition to Alavanja, Armstrong, Bennett, Cerroni and Tovar, the Storm have signed the following: Fabinho (defender), Chris Brisson (D), Gabriel Cigliano (D), Will Kletzien (D), Vladimir Knezevic (D), Branko Savic (D), Jeff Richey (goalkeeper), Andy Rosenband (midfielder) and Awadalla Morad (forward).
The Chicago Storm organization enters its fifth season of professional indoor soccer. Chicago is a member of the newly created Xtreme Soccer League, which features the Storm, Detroit Ignition, Milwaukee Wave and New Jersey Ironmen. The Storm's 2008-2009 XSL season kicks off with a road game at New Jersey on Sunday, Dec. 14. Chicago's home opener takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, against Milwaukee, at the Sears Centre Arena. Storm offices are located at 5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy., in Hoffman Estates. For more information on all aspects of Storm soccer, including season tickets, group outings, birthday parties and more, call 1-866-STORM-81 (1-866-786-7681), or visit www.ChicagoStorm.net.
Xtreme Soccer League Stories from October 23, 2008
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