Mississippi Brilla

Mississippi Brilla

File:Mississippibrilla.jpg
Full name	Mississippi Brilla Futbol Club
Nickname(s)	Brilla
Founded	2006
Stadium	Arrow Field at Clinton High School Clinton, Mississippi
Ground Capacity	3,000
Owner	Rusty Bryant
Head Coach	Mark McKeever
League	Premier Development League
2015	1st, Mid South Playoffs: Conference Semifinals
Website	Club home page
Home colors Away colors

Mississippi Brilla is an amateur American soccer club based in Clinton, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid South Division of the Southern Conference. The team's colors are sky blue, navy and white.

Brilla is associated with Brilla Soccer Ministries, an organization which undertakes sports ministry to share Christianity through the sport. The club’s name is derived from the Spanish word for "shine", and references the biblical passage Matthew 5:16 which says "Therefore, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Although the club initially finished in the middle of the standings their first couple of years, Brilla has become one of the strongest PDL franchises in the Southeast on the pitch, winning their division regular season title in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015. In 2011, the club had their best showing in the playoffs, reaching the Southern Conference finals.

History

Mississippi Brilla entered the PDL in 2007 to a great deal of fanfare, as the first soccer franchise in Mississippi since the demise of the Jackson Chargers in 1999. Under head coach Dave Dixon, Brilla tied their first game 1-1 at home to New Orleans Shell Shockers in front of over 1,000 fans (with the honor of the first goal in franchise history going to James Gledhill), and although the average attendance remained high throughout the season, the on-field results were not quite as impressive. Brilla won their first game next time out, 1-0 over DFW Tornados, but then failed to register a victory in their next four games. In the end, too many ties caused Brilla's downfall - 5 on the season - and despite some impressive results, including a 5-1 hammering of Baton Rouge Capitals in June and 5-0 demolition of Nashville Metros in July, it was not quite enough to make the playoffs, and they eventually finished their freshman year fourth behind divisional (and eventual national) champions Laredo Heat. James Gledhill was the team's top scorer, with six goals, while Chris Rash and Tripp Harkins leds the assists stats with three apiece.

Brilla's second season in the PDL was pretty much on an equal footing with their first. With new head coach Steve DeCou at the helm, attendances remained high, often topping 900 fans per game, and the team enjoyed a number of exciting victories, including a hard-fought 2-0 win over the eventual divisional champions Austin Aztex U23, a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over New Orleans Shell Shockers in mid-June, and a spectacular 6-2 final day victory at home against Houston Leones in which Tripp Harkins scored a brace. As was the case in 2007, however, Brilla's downfall was a lack of consistency, and their inability to string a series of results together to gain momentum: their longest streak was a 5-game run in late June and early which included three wins and two ties, including the aforementioned victory over New Orleans. Mississippi ended the season in 4th place in the Mid South Division, just four points out of the playoffs, and with plenty to build on in 2009. Phillip Buffington was the team's most prolific goalscorer, with 8 for the season.

2009 saw Brilla's most successful start in team history. Brilla qualified for the U.S. Open Cup for the first time in franchise history by going undefeated in their first four games, winning three and drawing one. Debola Ogunseye is currently the team's leading scorer with 4 goals.

Players & Staff

Current roster

As of July, 2015.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 0 GK Josh Christensen 0 GK Josh Poissant 1 GK Jordan Bell 2 DF Macauley King 3 FW Stephen Roberson 4 MF Tom Gavin 5 DF Michael Gonzalo 5 MF Zahir Hassan 6 DF Dustin Ashley 7 DF John Calderwood 8 MF James Gulley 9 FW Kellen Gulley 10 MF Sergio Royo 11 FW Logan Mendez

No. Position Player 12 MF Carlos Garces 12 FW Peter Okechukwu 14 MF Ignacio Flores 15 DF Paul Weldon 16 MF Lucas Almeida 16 MF Perica Obradocic 17 MF Eduardo Cruz 18 DF Michael Durr 19 FW Manuel Saez 19 FW Noel Mais 20 DF Joshua Barrera 21 MF Louis Tambini 21 FW Phillip Buffington 23 MF Brian Vasquez

Head Coach

• Mark McKeever (2015-)

Notable Players

This list of notable players comprises players who have gone on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.

• Michael Azira
• Kyle Clinton
• Willie Hunt
• David Lilly
• Debola Ogunseye
• Lucas Paulini
• Kyle Segebart
• Bryce Taylor
• Billy Forbes (Turks and Caicos Islands footballer)
• Kharlton Belmar
• Kellen Gulley
• Alec Kann
• Devon Fisher

Former Head Coaches

• Drew Courtney (2013-2014)
• Dave Dixon (2007, 2009–2012)
• Steve DeCou (2008)

Year-by-year

Year	Division	League	Regular Season	Playoffs	US Open Cup	Avg. Attendance
2007	4	USL PDL	4th, Mid South	Did not qualify	Did not qualify	1,109 (6th in PDL)
2008	4	USL PDL	4th, Mid South	Did not qualify	Did not qualify	935
2009	4	USL PDL	1st, Southeast	Divisional Finals	1st Round	852
2010	4	USL PDL	1st, Southeast	Conference Semifinals	Did not qualify	671
2011	4	USL PDL	1st, Southeast	Conference Finals	Did not qualify	732
2012	4	USL PDL	4th, Southeast	Did not qualify	1st Round	502
2013	4	USL PDL	5th, Southeast	Did not qualify	Did not qualify	564
2014	4	USL PDL	4th, Mid South	Did not qualify	Did not qualify	597
2015	4	USL PDL	1st, Mid South	Conference Semifinals	Did not qualify	709

Honors

• USL PDL Southeast Division Champions 2009
• USL PDL Southeast Division Champions 2010
• USL PDL Southeast Division Champions 2011
• USL PDL Mid South Division Champions 2015

Stadium

• Robert P. Longabaugh Field; Mississippi College; Clinton, Mississippi (2007-2009)
• Harper Davis Stadium; Millsaps College; Jackson, Mississippi (2007, 2010–2012)
• M&F Bank Stadium (Freedom Ridge Park); Ridgeland, Mississippi (2 games in 2008-2009)
• Arrow Field at Clinton High School; Clinton, Mississippi (3 games in 2008-2010, 2013–present)
• Traceway Park, Clinton, Mississippi (4 games in 2015)

Supporters

The Mississippi Brilla official supporter club is The Blue Battalion, founded in 2015. The Battalion tailgate before each home game and bring passion and noise to match days. Each home game the group selects their player of the game, who receives a gift card and signs and dates the large Blue Battalion flag.

Broadcasts

Each Mississippi Brilla home game is broadcast live on their YouTube channel and also kept there for on demand viewing.

External links

• Official Site
• Official PDL site