Charleston, SC. After the first two-game road sweep of the season for the Charleston Battery, the US Pro 40 "Road Warriors" present themselves as the next opponent this Saturday at Blackbaud Stadium. The Battery is 8-1-1 at home this season, but face an opponent very familiar with the hardship of travel. The US Project 40 team plays all 28 of its regular season slate of games on the road. Their roster is compiled of a gathering of the top young players in the US, signed with the sole purpose of developing for Major League Soccer. Each player is assigned to a MLS team, where they train full time and play on the weekend in the A-League. The problem for head coach Alfonso Mondelo though is the availability of a regular group of players, as some make it into their respective Major League club's game day roster. The program now in its third year in the A-league has yielded some impressive dividends already, two of the graduates have strong South Carolina ties and both feature heavily in the MLS now. Former USC forward Josh Wolff signed Project 40 forms in 1998 and led the team in scoring with 16 goals. He now is a fixture in the Chicago Fire team and will lead the US Olympic team attack in Sydney next month. Ex-Clemson Tiger midfielder Eric Quill also started with the Pro 40's in 1998. He now plays regular first team soccer with the Tampa Bay Mutiny alongside the likes of world superstar Carlos Valdarama. On Saturday night (August 5) Battery fans will get a close up look at some of the top rated young talent that Major League has to offer, with a good guest player thrown in for a little spice. Coach Mondelo announced a roster for the Charleston game that includes the 1994 South Carolina High School Player of the Year and 1999 Battery Defender of the Year John Wilson. A former Clemson tiger, Wilson spent his rookie season with the Battery in 1999 after being waived by the Kansas City Wizards of MLS and earned a starting role with Charleston in defense. He was the first A-League player taken in the inaugural MLS Super Draft in February when the Kansas City Wizards claimed him, an ironic twist of fate for a player that had firmly endeared himself on the Battery faithful at Blackbaud Stadium. Wilson has failed to earn himself a starting position with the MLS leading Wizards in 2000, but as fate will have it, with the playoffs approaching and a spot basically in hand, an opportunity may present itself for him for some playing time down the stretch and only games will prepare him. Blackbaud Stadium will be one of the venues that will see Wilson again take that step, this time versus former teammates that have adapted to life without him. The Pro 40 started their road trip with a wild 3-2 overtime come from behind victory over the Boston Bulldogs last night. The Bulldogs looked assured of a win when Paul Keegan knocked in a 70th minute goal for a 2-0 lead, bolstered by the second yellow card dismissal of defender Esmundo Rodriguez. But the young road warriors stormed back with two unanswered goals by Mario Longo (DC United) and Fabio Zuniga (New England Revolution) and got the reward with a 98th minute sudden death winner from the spot when Boston defender Zack Samol was penalized for a foul in the penalty area. Forward Marvin Quijano (Miami Fusion) converted the PK for the win and five points.
The Battery have a lot at stake on Saturday as they start the month of August eyeing a gun fight for the Atlantic Division regular season championship. Over the next four weeks the competitive Atlantic Division will crown a champion and send up to four teams to the A-League playoffs. Three qualify automatically for the Eastern Conference playoffs, along with three teams from the Northeast Division, but both wild card teams seem likely from the Atlantic. All seven Atlantic Division teams are still firmly in contention, but face a dogfight to the bitter end for playoff spots. The Atlantic features the three hottest teams in the conference over the last ten games. Division leading Richmond Kickers are a perfect 10-0-0 and on a roll, while the resurgent Hershey Wildcats have stormed into third place 8-1-1 over the mid-season period. The Battery is also playing well, 7-3-0 over the last ten games including two crucial inter-conference road wins last weekend. Charleston has kept the streaking Kickers in their sights courtesy of a conference high eight bonus points for scoring three or more goals in a game. With 37 goals in 20 games, the Battery is the highest scoring team in the east and has benefited from the return from injury of former Bulgarian International striker Velko Iotov, nicknamed "maestro" by his teammates for his big time ability. The pressure is on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Raleigh Express at the foot of the Atlantic Division standings to mount a charge at the playoffs. Pittsburgh is nearly perfect at home this season with only one loss coming to the Battery on July 14, but is yet to win a game on the road. The Riverhounds have two huge home dates with the Richmond Kickers coming up, and a home and home series with Hershey thrown in. The feisty Express also get a shot at Richmond, but a two game series with playoff contender Hampton Roads will likely determine their fate. As for the Atlanta Silverbacks and Hampton Roads Mariners, poor mid-season results have hampered their realistic chances of a division title, but playoff spots can be had by both teams. Along with the Raleigh games, the Mariners will square off twice with the dangerous Atlanta Silverbacks in a make or break series. The Charleston arch-rival Atlanta Silverbacks also face a "Southern Derby" home and home showdown with the Battery in August.
Battery Team News: Former San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Braeden Cloutier is cleared to play for the Battery this weekend after recovering from a strained LCL in his right knee. Cloutier played three years in the MLS, including two years with San Jose as a fixture in the starting 11. Battery rookie midfielders Brian Alvero and Daniel Alvarez are both questionable for Saturday with niggling injuries suffered last weekend. Alvarez took a straight-legged late tackle from Tennessee defender Steve Mariner last Friday that has hobbled him and Alvero is struggling with an ankle strain.
What: Charleston Battery V US Pro 40
When: Saturday August 5, 7:30pm.
Where: Blackbaud Stadium
Game Promotions. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the phone at 971-GOAL, at Lloyds Sports in Mt. Pleasant or online at www.etix.com. Tickets are also available at the gate. Gates open at 6:30pm with Kickoffs scheduled for 7:30pm. Fans can enjoy the care Alliance Health Services halftime show that will feature the Palmetto Stars dance team on August 5, with the first 500 adults receiving a free Budweiser tee-shirt compliments of Pearlstine distributors. One fan will have a chance to win $10,000 in the T-Bonz Kick for Cash contest. Register for a free 7-Night cruise from Charleston to Bermuda to be given away at the August 12 game.
Next Game: The Battery play the defending US Open Cup Champion Rochester Raging Rhinos on Wednesday August 9 at Blackbaud Stadium. One of the marquee match ups in the A-League calendar, the showdown at Blackbaud Stadium will be the A-League TV Game of the Week. It will be the debut of Blackbaud Stadium on national TV.
