BREMERTON — The Kitsap Pumas signed defensive midfielder Trevor Jensen and defender Matt Eronemo for the 2016 season.
Jenson, of Chula Vista, California, joins the Pumas squad for the third consecutive season. He hopes to use his experience to help lead the club to another Premier Development League title.
Over the past two seasons, the Pumas have gone an impressive 23-4-6 in all competitions and haven’t lost at home.
During that span, Jensen has featured in 30 games, scoring three goals and adding one assist en route to helping the club claim consecutive Ruffneck Cups, consecutive Northwest Division titles, a Western Conference title and an appearance in the PDL national final.
“Playing for Kitsap the last two seasons has been unbelievable,” Jensen said. “I am so excited for the season to finally begin, and I want to thank the club for continuing to believe in me. We have been so close to bringing that PDL title back to Kitsap the past two seasons, and this year, I look forward to doing my part to finally make that happen.”
Eronemo said his role was to defend the goal as well as he could and to communicate to his teammates at all times.
“I also try to raise the standard in practice in terms of sharpness and fitness to help increase the team’s overall production and success.”
His passion for the sport started at a young age.
“I grew up with a ball at my feet,” said Eronemo. “I played just about every sport as a kid and always enjoyed the beautiful game even though my best friends all played basketball.”
After growing up in the Seattle area, Eronemo played two seasons for Bellevue Community College where he helped lead the Bulldogs to a NWACC Championship his second season in 2010. His outstanding play earned the tenacious defender an NWACC All-Star team nomination the same year as well as a scholarship to Concordia University in Portland, Oregon.
Eronemo’s consistent play at center back for the Cavaliers over two seasons helped build the program and culminated in leading his team to an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NAIA National Tournament.
“It was always my plan to play college soccer,” said Eronemo. “I was fortunate enough to have coaches who believed in my abilities and gave me the confidence to succeed. I will never forget the relationships I built throughout my college years and the success that came with all the hard work we put in together.”
He also played for the Puget Sound gunners.
The Kitsap Pumas enter their eighth season in the PDL in 2016 after winning the Northwest Division for the fourth time in 2015. The Pumas won the PDL national championship in 2011 and advanced to the national final again in 2014, establishing themselves as a reputable professional club with a proven record of moving players onto the next level in the process. Kitsap plays its home matches at Gordon Field, an intimate 1,500-capacity stadium on the Kitsap County Fairgrounds.
