2016 Orange County Blues FC season

Orange County Blues FC

2016 season
Owner	Mansouri Family
Head Coach	Oliver Wyss
Stadium	Anteater Stadium
USL	Conference: 8th Overall: 15th
USL Playoffs	Quarterfinals
U.S. Open Cup	Second
Top goalscorer	League: Trevin Caesar (10) All: Trevin Caesar (10)
Average home league attendance	1,010
Home colors Away colors Third colors
←  2015 2017  →

The 2016 Orange County Blues FC season was the club's seventh season of existence, and their seventh season playing in the third tier of American soccer, USL.

Unlike the previous season, the Blues weren't as dominant in their conference, losing five more games, and only qualifying for the USL Playoffs as the eighth seed over the Portland Timbers 2 via goal difference. ^[1] In the first round, the Blues had an upset over the first seeded Sacramento Republic FC, winning off of penalties, ^[2] but ultimately fell to eventual finalists Swope Park Rangers in added extra time 2–1. ^[3]

This season would be a season of lasts for the Blues. At the end of the season, the Mansouri Family sold the team to James Keston, ^{[4] [5]} who would rebrand the team to their current name, Orange County Soccer Club. ^{[6] [7]} Additionally, he would move the team from Anteater Stadium on the campus of UC Irvine to their own stadium, Championship Soccer Stadium. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

Roster

As of July 3, 2024 ^[11]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   USA Josh Cohen 2 DF   USA Jackson McCracken 3 DF   USA Kwame Watson-Siriboe 4 MF   USA Jonathan Howe 5 MF   USA Nikola Ilich 6 DF   GER Maurice Pluntke 7 FW   USA Christopher Santana 9 FW   TRI Trevin Caesar 10 MF   ENG Richard Chaplow 11 FW   SRB Tyler Feeley 12 DF   JAM Andrae Campbell 13 DF   USA Matthew Sheldon 14 FW   USA Akwafei Ajeakwa 15 DF   USA Ryan Felix

No. Pos. Nation Player 16 MF   USA Mats Bjurman 17 MF   FIN Verneri Valimaa 18 MF   SRB Dusan Stevanovic 19 MF   SRB Ivan Mirkovic 20 DF   ESP Oriol Cortes 21 MF   SUI Didier Crettenand 22 MF   ARM Gevorg Karapetyan 23 DF   JAM Brenton Griffiths 24 MF   CAN Andrew Gray 25 DF   USA Steven Purdy 27 FW   ISR Orr Barouch 33 GK   USA Brandon Miller 37 DF   BEL Roy Meeus 90 FW   URU Max Rauhofer

Competitions

United Soccer League

Main article: 2016 USL season

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
6	Vancouver Whitecaps 2	30	12	9	9	44	44	0	45	Conference Playoffs
7	Oklahoma City Energy	30	10	13	7	32	30	+2	43
8	Orange County Blues	30	12	4	14	39	41	−2	40
9	Portland Timbers 2	30	12	4	14	38	42	−4	40
10	San Antonio FC	30	10	8	12	36	36	0	38

Source: 2016 USL Standings
Rules for classification: 1) total wins; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 5) disciplinary points; 6) coin toss or drawing of lots

U.S. Open Cup

Main article: 2016 U.S. Open Cup

As a member of the USL, the Blues entered the U.S. Open Cup in the second round, matched up away against amateur club L.A. Wolves FC of the USASA. ^[12] After losing 2–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in open play, the Blues' loss marked the third time in a row the Blues lost to an amateur club in the U.S. Open Cup. ^[13]

L.A. Wolves FC (USASA) v Orange County Blues FC (USL)

May 18Second Round	L.A. Wolves FC (USASA)	1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p)	Orange County Blues FC (USL)	Wilmington, California
8:00 PM PDT	Sánchez 72'	Report	Howe 77'	Stadium: Phineas Banning High School Referee: Vincent Apple-Chiarella

References

1. "Summary - USL Championship - USA - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
2. "Orange County Blues FC at Sacramento Republic FC - 2016 Playoffs". www.uslchampionship.com. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
3. "Orange County Blues FC at Swope Park Rangers - 2016 Playoffs". www.uslchampionship.com. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
4. Register, Orange County Register | Orange County (September 8, 2016). "Irvine-based soccer team changes ownership". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
5. "Blues Purchased by Southern California Businessman Keston". Orange County SC. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
6. USLSoccer com Staff (January 20, 2017). "Orange County Soccer Club Reveals New Name, Logo". USL Championship. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
7. Calhoun, Damian (January 20, 2017). "Orange County Blues FC gets new name and logo". 100 Percent Soccer. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
8. Mueller, Mark (July 25, 2017). "OC Soccer's Reboot". Orange County Business Journal. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
9. Bruning, Jon (August 15, 2017). "Orange County SC is on the Rise". Soccer Stadium Digest. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
10. [e-mail], CHRIS HOCKMAN- (August 17, 2017). "New Stadium puts Orange County on Map". USL Championship. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
11. "Roster". USL. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
12. "2016 US Open Cup: Round 1 draw, Round 2 scenarios unveiled for 103rd tournament". thecup.us. April 7, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
13. "2016 US Open Cup Round 2: LA Wolves hand Orange County Blues 3rd straight loss to amateur team". thecup.us. May 22, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2024.