FeedsCompuware gets make over, Ignition signs ‘Inaugural 6’
They lifted here. They tugged a little there. They measured, stretched and pulled it into place. And, after about 12 hours and a little fine-tuning it eventually was a perfect fit.
No, it wasn’t the Chicago Bears fitting William ‘The Refrigerator’ Perry back into his 1985 jersey.
It was Compuware Sports Arena—home of the Plymouth Whalers—that was fitted for its new look.
Friday afternoon, a platoon of men from Sportexe unraveled massive rolls of green artificial turf across the once icy surface of the arena. It was all in preparation for the Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS) Detroit Ignitions’ inaugural season, set to kick off in November.
It wasn’t the only sign of life in the Ignition organization recently. Earlier in the week the club signed six of its expansion draft picks—players that will go down in history as the Ignitions’ ‘Inaugural 6.’
Ignition president Greg Bibb said the indoor soccer club agreed to terms with forwards Carlos “Chile” Farias, Hewerton Moreira, and Novi Marojevic. The team also signed midfielder Kyt Selaidopoulos, defender Jonathon Greenfield, and netminder Sanaldo.
“One of our goals coming into the first season was to create a solid nucleus to build around,” Ignition head coach Mark Pulisic said. “The players that have agreed to terms with the club are committed to the team and are going to work extremely hard for our first-year club.
“We have a group of guys I feel comfortable with and I am extremely excited for them to come here in October and start this journey with me.”
Per club policy, financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed.
Farias led the league with 34 assists last season and was voted to the 2005-06 All-MISL Second Team. As a member of the 2006 league championship series participant St. Louis Steamers, Farias recorded three goals and four assists in five postseason games, following a team high 49 points during the regular season.
As a member of the Milwaukee Wave in 2005-06, Hewerton posted 13 points in 29 games, including eight goals. Hewerton, 26, split time in his first professional indoor soccer season—2004-05—with the San Diego Sockers and the eventual league champion Wave.
Marojevic is a nine-year veteran of indoor soccer. He began playing with the Kansas City Attack during the 1996-97 season. As captain of the Chicago Storm last year, Marojevic scored 16 goals and had 12 assists. He finished tied for 14th in league scoring.
After playing several seasons of professional soccer in Canada, Selaidopoulos came back to the United States in 2004-05 and had a strong showing as a member of the Cleveland Force.
Selaidopoulos put up 16 points in 28 games last season with the Milwaukee Wave. Selaidopoulos is also a member of the futsal Canada team.
Greenfield made his U.S. professional debut during the 2004-05 campaign. Greenfield scored seven goals for the Milwaukee Wave over the course of last season and has been a part of the African National Team Program since the Under-14 level.
Sanaldo, the Ignition’s first overall selection in the 2006 expansion draft, spent last season with the Baltimore Blast where he minded the net for their successful championship run. As a rookie during the 2003-04 campaign, Sanaldo won his first six games and was named to the MISL’s 2004 All-Rookie Team. Sanaldo has a career goals against average of 5.49.
“This group of signings signals a successful start to the construction of our inaugural roster,” Bibb said. “There will be plenty of talent in our locker room, the key will be how these individuals mesh to form the first edition of the Detroit Ignition.”
