THUNDER BAY – There was no way Pedro Adan was walking away from the Thunder Bay Chill with the bitter taste of last season’s Premier Development League championship loss to the Charlotte Eagles still fresh in his mouth.
The 29-year-old midfielder says he desperately wants to deliver a second PDL title to the Thunder Bay before he hangs up his cleats.
On Saturday the San Diego State graduate and 2015 Chill most valuable player was front and centre as the team kicked off training camp, four weeks prior to the start of their 19th campaign.
The Chill are looking to improve on last year's 9-3-2 regular season record that captured top spot in the Heartland Division.
“We’ve gone to the final in 2013 – I was there – and lost it. Last year we lost it, so I think with the team coming in, hopefully we go to the final again and this time we win it. The big decision was that, losing the final,” said Adan, who had three assists in 11 games for the Chill in 2017.
It’s a similar motivation for Thunder Bay’s Evan Sawula, one of a growing contingent of local players the Chill will rely on this summer – and one of just a handful of returnees from last year’s squad, a group that includes former PDL most valuable player Sullivan Silva and defenders Luca Mastrantonio and captain Mitchell Osmond.
“Obviously we were happy with the season last year, but we didn’t get the job done in the final, so we have high expectations for this year,” said Sawula, a sophomore at Michigan’s Oakland University this past season.
“(Coach) Gio (Petraglia) always gets a good group of guys out here. We’re just waiting for some of them to get into town to start to get to work.”
Among the late arrivals expected is Spanish striker Sergio Campano Franco, who played for the Chill in 2013 and 2015 and most recently suited up for SD Tenisca in Spain’s Tercera Division.
Campano Franco, better known as Sota, is a huge addition up front, Adan said.
“I played with him in 2013 and he was an unbelievable player. I loved playing with him. He’s very technical, a very smart player. It’s going to be big for the team, especially after losing a few other guys from last year,” Adan said.
“Hearing he was coming back was good to hear.”
Petraglia, back for a fourth season coaching the Chill, said the team was trying to re-sign veteran Abraham Villon, but couldn’t get a firm commitment. When Campano Franco expressed an interest in coming back, he leapt at the chance.
“We needed a player with his creativity, who can decide a game in the last 30 yards,” Petraglia said. “Last year we had Abraham Villon, but we couldn’t confirm him, so we needed these kind of players who can be a little bit more unpredictable and we know what we can get from him. And he’s part of our group, part of our family and we’re looking forward to seeing him coming back.”
The Chill open their exhibition season at home on May 26 and May 27 with a pair of friendlies against the Winnipeg Lions.
Their PDL season opener is June 2 on the road against WSA Winnipeg, and their home opener is June 8 at Fort William Stadium against Heartland Division rival Des Moines.
