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KING'S WARRIORS OPEN 2013 SEASON SATURDAY AT HOME
SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA TO HOST THE WEST VIRGINIA CHAOS AT 7:00 P.M.

(Beckley, West Virginia - Friday, May 17) The Southern West Virginia King's Warriors will kick off their 2013 campaign Saturday night at home at the Paul Cline Memorial Youth Soccer Complex, hosting the West Virginia Chaos (Charleston) at 7:00 p.m.

The King's Warriors will begin their second season in the United Soccer League's 65-Team Premier Development League.

Head Coach Scott Reitnour returns for his second season at the helm of the King's Warriors. Reitnour guided the King's Warriors to a 4-10-2 record in the team's inaugural 2012 campaign. Southern West Virginia played its best soccer at the end of the season going 2-2-1 in the final five games. Scott also added to his impressive resume last fall with another North Carolina Independent School State Championship, leading Wesleyan Christian Academy of High Point, North Carolina to a second consecutive title while going undefeated in the process at 25-0.

"The 2013 Warriors return a host of veteran players, approximately one third of last year's roster," said Reitnour. "I have been impressed with the servant-leadership of our veteran players, and think that this will turn into quality performances on the pitch. We have added depth, quality, and some attacking flair to our roster and I'm looking forward to a successful 2013 campaign."

Player-Assistant Coach Harry Sherwood, who returns for his second season as a defender for Southern West Virginia, will also begin his first season on the King's Warriors coaching staff.

Sherwood finished the 2012 season tied as the King's Warriors second-leading scorer with three goals and six points. A tenacious defender, Sherwood also displays the knack to go forward and jump into the final third when the opportunity presented itself.

Harry's play last season with Southern West Virginia also earned him a tryout with the King's Warriors affiliate in the United Soccer League's Pro Division, the Charlotte Eagles. "I'm really excited for the season to get underway," said Sherwood. "The league season is a pivotal part of our time together as a team, and I'm looking forward to us taking the organization forward and improving on the strides we made last year in our inaugural season."

Erik Mozzo returns in goal for the King's Warriors, and the presence of newcomer Stephen Moffitt will give Southern West Virginia a solid goaltending tandem.

Mozzo started 14 of the King's Warriors 16 games last season, posting an excellent 1.40 goals against average while earning four, well-deserved shutouts. The former two-season Clemson Tigers goalkeeper transferred to Lubbock Christian University this past fall. Erik played in 11 games for the Golden Eagles going 5-3-1 and sporting a 1.58 goals against average.

IMPACT NEWCOMERS: The King's Warriors have added depth and quality to their 2013 roster. Newcomers include four players from the University of North Carolina - Greensboro Spartans. They include midfielder Austin Miller, forward Noah DeAngelo, defender Jhon Lopez and goalie Stephen Moffitt. Austin Miller should be a starter, with goalie Stephen Moffitt expected to see time in net.  Andres Ruiz Gama is a talented midfielder with international experience as a member of the U23 Colombian National Team. Speedy forward Billy Forbes also joins the King's Warriors after playing for the PDL's Mississippi Brilla last season. Forbes was an NAIA All-American in 2011.  

KING'S WARRIORS FEATURE INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR:  Southern West Virginia will have players from 11 different countries on the 2013 roster. The countries include the United States, Canada, Colombia, Brazil, England, Ireland, Scotland, Barbados, Jamaica, South Africa, and the British territory, the Turks and Caicos Islands.

KING'S WARRIORS TO PLAY ON CARTER FIELD: The Southern West Virginia King's Warriors home to start the season will be Carter Field at the Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex. The main stadium field at the complex is unplayable at the present time due to the cold and rainy weather this spring. Carter Field is directly adjacent to the main stadium at the Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex. The King's Warriors hope to return to the main stadium field when conditions permit.

WEST VIRGINIA CHAOS PREVIEW: The King's Warriors home-opening opponent will be their in-state rival, the West Virginia Chaos. The Chaos from Charleston feature a new Head Coach this season, Predrag Ivanovic.  Ivanovic is also an Assistant Soccer Coach at the University of Charleston and will double as a playing defender for the Chaos this season.

The King's Warriors will play the Chaos three times in the regular season. Last season in the two-game series, Southern West Virginia fell both time to the Chaos in two close matches 1-0 and 3-2.

KING'S WARRIORS TICKET INFO: Tickets for the King's Warriors home opener this Saturday, May 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Carter Field at the YMCA's Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex in Beckley are available by calling the team's office at (304) 466-9080, or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Tickets will also be available at the gate. 

Single-game tickets are priced at $ 8.00 for adults, $ 5.00 for students 16 years of age and under, and $ 5.00 for senior citizens 60 and over. Adult tickets purchased at least one day in advance of the match will be discounted to $ 5.00. Season tickets are also available for seven regular-season home games and one "friendly" with the Charlotte Eagles for $40.00.  

“Would you like some waffle fries with that?” or “come get your hot dogs!” are two things one normally doesn’t hear a PDL soccer player say, but Friday, May 17th was different. The King’s Warriors painted the town in orange and black on Friday night with simultaneous events at Wal-mart and Chick-fil-a in Beckley, West Virginia. Asher Quave-Robinson could be heard over the traffic and city ambiance encouraging folks to support their local team at their local Wal-mart. While behind him, Jonathan Arango in a fun loving fashion spun, twirled, and waved a King’s Warriors sign at passer-byers  seeking for a beep of support. “It was good to see how when we reached out to the community that they reached back out to us.  The events created a connection between the team and the community, Quave-Robinson said, it was good to see the support that we received. It felt like we were doing some good.” Players were able to grill hot dogs and meet the fans to encourage them to come out to the games this summer.

At the bottom of the hill, at Chick-fil-a, many kids were having a great time meeting their favorite King’s Warriors players. The team set up goals and played small-sided games with all the wonderful young fans who came. Local children were allowed to take a shot on goal to win an awesome prize! Watching the kids really had an effect on the players. “One of my favorite moments was watching a little girl who was having trouble shooting the ball. Our guys worked with her and taught her how to shoot and just seeing her face light up when she scored that goal made my night,” Bill Forbes shared. “I’ve played for other teams in the PDL and this is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this.” Just watching the kids interact with the players one would be hard pressed to tell who was having a better time, the kids, or the players. The King’s Warriors also encouraged fans to gear up for the coming season by giving them a chance to get gear before the season even kicked off.The King’s Warriors take to the pitch on Saturday, but young soccer fans may very well remember scoring a goal outside of Chick-fil-a on Friday more than anything else that will happen this summer. “It’s just really about trying to connect with the community because some people don’t know who we are yet. Chick-fil-a is an amazing place so we thought we’d start there, “Ricky Angelicola, chaplain of the King’s Warriors said. So whether you like chicken, hot dogs, or another entrée, everyone can be a King’s Warriors fan.

Come on out and watch your King’s Warriors open up against the West Virginia Chaos on May 18th at 7:00pm! Gates open at 6:00pm at the Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex in Beckley.