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Match Preview: Toronto Azzurri Blizzard v Sanjaxx Lions

By League1 Ontario staff, 05/06/17, 6:45PM EDT

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The League1 Ontario 2017 Matchweek Two kicks off this weekend - featuring the five first matches in our women's division - and anticipation is at an all-time high for what the season ahead will hold.

It's the fourth season in the lifetime of this standards-based, pro-am, Ontario senior league, and every year brings a new level of quality of talent to the league.

The off-season has brought a number of changes, with two new clubs coming into the league from Ottawa, a venerable name added to the women's division in the Toronto Blizzard, and an exciting young women's team out of Unionville that looks stacked with junior national team players. These are only a few of the storylines in the league, and there are so many more...

The weekend of May 5-7 is all about these 2017 debut matches in the women's division, with a special women's kickoff event planned for the following weekend at the home of the 2016 Champions, FC London, on May 13 in London, ON. 

Stick with us as we sequentially preview these match-ups and the teams that will do battle over our opening three weekends!

The addition of Toronto Azzurri Blizzard to League1 Ontario brings back a familiar name to the senior Canadian soccer landscape and their opponents for L1O Kickoff 2017 will be Sanjaxx Lions.

Due to ground conditions at the Azzurri's home pitch at Azzurri Village Main, both teams will hit the road for this one on Sunday May 7 and kick off on the turf at the Ontario Soccer Centre at 4 p.m. 

Although they are a brand new entity in the league, the Blizzard arrive with a cast of familiar faces in the team and in the technical staff.

Joe Parolini was head coach of the Woodbridge Strikers women's team for 2015 and 2016 seasons, and Ron Clarke was the head coach of the Durham United FA women's side in 2016 - both coaches have now teamed up to lead the Blizzard.

A number of the players that made appearances for the Strikers have also come over with Parolini - more on that later - and so this team should hit the ground running.

Sanjaxx Lions head into their third season in the league and will be looking to improve on their one win, fifteen losses and zero draw record that resulted in a ninth place finish in 2016. The team had issues at both ends of the pitch in that season, on average scoring less than a goal a game and conceding almost three. But the Lions' results and statistics don't tell a full story. Sanjaxx has had a young team over their time in the league and built the group steadily over time. The players now have significant experience in the league, and many returnees have had strong years at the post-secondary level. 

Could the Lions spring a surprise on the Blizzard and get 2017 started with a bang?

As previously mentioned, the Blizzard arrives in League1 with a storied history as a club, and a super team on the technical side with the erstwhile coaches of two of the league's top teams banding together. 

Parolini and Clarke were selected as two of the three 2016 League1 Women's All-Star coaches and clearly enjoyed working together so much they have decided to do it full-time. The partnership is formidable to say the least.

Parolini is a former member of the Canadian National Team technical staff, and has built a reputation for creating an established pipeline for top players to make their way into division I NCAA programs or professional environments.

Clarke will also assist the Toronto Blizzard scholarship program and brings a extensive experience and connections in the U.S. after year of coaching with the Michigan Nationals (formerly Gators) club. Clarke is also the Director of Soccer Development at the Oshawa Kicks club, Men's Assistant Coach at Seneca College and is a former professional player with MISL side, Detroit Rockets.

"The combination of us on the bench will further enhance the Toronto Blizzard as the Premier scholarship program in the country and give our League1 team instant credibility and leadership at the top level," said Parolini. 

"We are excited and proud to have a person and coach of Ron’s experience in our program."

At the Sanjaxx Lions, continuity and stability is again prioritized as the academy looks to steadily improve their group of internally developed players, and a big part of the equation is the return of coach Ramon McIntosh, who will work in tandem with technical director Laza Lowe. 

Lowe has a Canada Soccer National A license and has over 30 years of coaching experience at every level of the game. McIntosh is a National B licensed coach, the Head Coach at Durham College, and is a former Provincial team goalkeeper coach.

With many years accumulated with this particular player group, Lowe and McIntosh will have the benefit of team chemistry from the opening day, as well as a tactical versatility and understanding of systems that can only come with a longstanding team building project.

As the front end of an established and very successful scholarship program, the list of talented players in the Toronto Blizzard League1 team is a mile long.

Coach Parolini explained how the team had been preparing for the season ahead, and highlighted a number of players to look out for.  

"The Toronto Blizzard will have played about 26 games in the USA, with about 13 games versus D1 schools of which four schools were in the NCAA Tournament (Kent State, Memphis, Illinois and Dayton), three D2 games and 10 ECNL games against highly ranked clubs and teams," he explained.

"Mikayla Dayes is a direct product of the program," he said. "Along with her sister Malikae they will be two cornerstones of the team, along with captain Sofia Borea (University of New Hampshire)."

"Sofia is a workhorse in the midfield and another player to watch in the future."

The Dayes sisters both play for University of Maryland and Mikayla has represented Canada at U17 and U20 levels. 

"One of the bright stars just being identified by the Canada Games team is wide forward Sarah Owusu, who has the heart of a lion and determination like no other," said Parolini. 

"Sarah, like Sofia will not accept anything less than 100 per cent effort in each game, drill or training."

"Gabi Paupst (Radford University), along with team mate Jada Ellis (Radford University) who anchors the back line, along with team mate Khiara Brown (University of Memphis), are new names to watch out for," Parolini continued. 

"Khiara has blazing speed and is difficult to get by. Her teammate at Memphis, Taylor Johnston, is also with us and plays at left-back or wing-back. Finally, a third Memphis player in the team is Samantha Murphy, a versatile forward or attacking mid player that never gives up. Sam’s quickness and tenacity are traits that make her a key player going forward."

"Alyssa Julien (Eastern Kentucky University) is with us and has already represented Jamaica at the U17 CONCACAF qualifying tournament," he added, "and to go along with this years crop of '99s, and younger, the Blizzard will have a set of senior players that will be mentoring the young players as they get ready to embark on their university career and challenge for the League1 title."

"This list of seniors includes goalkeeper Hope Sabadash (2016 Second Team All-American, 2016 League1 Ontario All-Star Goalkeeper); defender Diamond Simpson (Canada Women's National Team, All-American at University of Memphis); defender Emily Pietrangelo (Canada U15, U17, graduate of University of Pittsburgh); midfielder Natalie Bukovec (Ryerson Assistant Coach, Croatian Women's National Team); midfielder Oni Bernard (Jamaica Women's National Team, University North Carolina Charlotte alumni) and midfielder Jalana Ellis (Jackson State alumni)."

"Finally, we've added sisters Jenna and Karly Hellstrom," he concluded. 

"Jenna is graduate of Kent State University and was named an NCAA Second Team All-American. She led the MAC conference in scoring with 38 points (14 goals, ten assists) and she broke four of Kent States records (most career points, goals, assists and game winners)."

"Her sister Karly has just started at Kent State and we think that both players are outstanding talents. We're currently looking for professional opportunities for Jenna."


2017 Toronto Blizzard (on tour at Pace University)

On the Sanjaxx side, coach Lowe also singled out several players in his group to highlight.

"Sona Makulova is a League1 Ontario 2016 All Star," he began. "She's a talented and hard working midfielder, who shows good promise to have another strong year."

"Cooper Lee is the University of Ottawa Female Rookie of the Year 2017," he added. "She's a strong and physical central defender, possesses speed and skill, and plays well from the back."

"Midfielders Elizabeth Wong and Maggie Sarmiento; forward Abby Davis and defender Natashia Start - these four young players with provincial and OPDL experience are joining us to make for an exciting young team," he said. 

"We look forward to furthering their development through League1."

"Finally, Emma Hoerner - another returnee and she's a dynamic and creative forward, who will be playing varsity soccer in 2017."


Sanjaxx Lions 2016 (Photo: Martin Bazyl)

If you can't make it out to the match, follow the minute-by-minute account on League1 Ontario's Live Match twitter account, and tune into the League1 YouTube channel or head to League1Ontario.com afterwards for full match video, match recap, and post-match interviews with the coaches!