By Sebastian Moraga
Yakima Reds Head coach Alex Silva called the 2010 Yakima Reds schedule released Monday Feb. 1, very favorable to his team.
“It’s what I wanted, to start at home and finish at home,” Silva said.
The Reds open the Northwest Division for the PDL this year with a 7 p.m. home game May 1 against the defending Northwest Division champs Kitsap Pumas.
This is followed by two more home games on May 15 and 22 against the Victoria Highlanders and the Portland Timbers U-23.
“We will have our feet on the ground, we will be working hard and every game will be a final,” Silva said. “We will be thinking of that game before we think of any other game.”
Two road games follow the first homestand; on May 28 and 30 at Tacoma and at the Washington Crossfire, the team formerly known as the Seattle Wolves.
One of the season’s highlights will be a weeklong trip to Canada in early June. It’s the team’s only trip to Canada, as opposed to last season when there were three.
On the first day of the month, Yakima plays the Mariners, two days later they visit Vancouver and two days later the Victoria Highlanders.
The weeklong trip up north will test how committed the players are to the team, Silva said, showing which players stick it out.
Last year, so few players showed up for a game in Canada that then-sole owner Perry Piercy had to suit up and play.
The Reds follow their trip to Canada with another one to Portland a week later.
The lowlight of the schedule is that June has only one home game against Tacoma on June 26.
In July, Yakima opens with a home game versus Spokane on July 3, followed by a game at Spokane July 8.
The Reds have their last road trip of the season, a one-game sojourn into Western Washington for a match versus Kitsap.
Yakima not only starts the season with three home games, but closes the season with three home games, giving credence to Silva’s optimistic opinion.
On July 15, Yakima hosts Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, followed by games on July 17 and 24 against the Abbotsford Mariners and the Washington Crossfire.
A difference from last year is the absence of back-to-back games. This year, all the games will have at least one day of rest in between. Last season, the schedule included five sets of two back-to-back games.
Another difference is the absence of the Cascade Surge, which folded in the offseason, leaving Yakima as the oldest team in the division.
Silva is hoping that is not the only difference. The Reds only won three games, tied two and lost 11 last year and now co-owner Perry Piercy –Silva is the other co-owner—has said anything short of the playoffs will be considered a failure.
Kickoff for the season opener, and for all other Yakima home games is 7 p.m.
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