The 2007 Season
Fresno opened the 2007 season with a 3-0 loss to the Bakersfield Brigade, but won their following three matches, including a 5-2 offensive explosion, to improve to 3-1-0 heading into Week 5. The month of July was an up-and-down period for the Fuego, who were in the midst of solidifying their backline, but the time spent gelling was worth the wait and Fresno put together a 6-0 run through the month July to claim a spot in the PDL Semifinals.

Despite outshooting their opponents 8-6 in the match, Fresno fell to the eventual champion, Laredo Heat 1-0 to end their 2007 season.

The 2008 Season
The defending Southwest Division Champions return three of their most important attacking players in Amaury Nunes (8 goals/5 assists), Orlando Ramirez (2 goals/4 assists), and PDL MVP Pablo Campos (18 goals/3 assists). Those three combined to score 28 of the Fuego’s 41 goals last season, which ranked third among all PDL clubs.

As if scoring goals were a problem, Fresno also gets another year out of their top playmaker in midfield – Fabricio Codeceira (3 goals/9 assists). In addition, Raul Rivera (2 goals/1 assist) returns having played in 14 matches last season.

The teams two biggest losses during the offseason were converted center back Eddie Gutierrez (15 games played/1 goal), who signed with USL First Division Miami FC and holding midfielder Milton Blanco (12 games played/2 goals/3 assists), who signed with the defending USL Second Division Champion Harrisburg City Islanders.

FUEGO NEWS RELEASE [+]

“Last season we moved Eddie [Gutierrez] to center back about a quarter of the way through the season,” said Fresno Fuego Assistant Coach J.J. Wozniak. “Almost instantly we were more consistent on defense. He was a great leader and a guy with a lot of speed.”

“Blanco is a very good technical player who had a lot of chemistry with another one of our players, Orlando Ramirez,” added Wozniak. “The loss of those two guys creates some holes for us. They were not only great for us on the field. They were veteran guys who could help out our younger players.”

The Fuego reload with five new players: Adrian Alvarado (Fresno Pacific), Demetrius Harvey, Cameron Hill (Fresno Pacific), Ryan Kenny (Sacramento State) and Robert Rodriguez.

“Adrian is one of our top first-year players,” said Wozniak. “We will be looking for him to fill in the [vacated] midfield spot for Milton [Blanco]. He and Marcus Cabello (played in 11 games last season for the Fuego) had a very successful season this past fall at Fresno Pacific, getting to the round of 16 in the NAIA Championships. Marcus is a center back with good size that can fill in for Eddie [Gutierrez]. He is a very talented player who is strong in the air.”