Rochester vs. Charleston

Date: Saturday, Sept. 12 in Rochester, N.Y. at 7:35 p.m. ET ROCHESTER RAGING RHINOS (No. 1 seed). ’98 Record: 24-4, 70 points. Division (Finish): Northeast (first). Coach (Record): Pat Ercoli (52-31, third year). Key Players (Stats): F-Darren Tilley (21, 7, 48), M-Yari Allnutt (14, 5, 33), F-Jimmy Glenn (10, 7, 27), D-Craig Demmin, GK-Pat Onstad (0.50 GAA, A-League record 16 shutouts). Season Summary: The Rhinos added the likes of Tilley, Allnutt, Onstad, and defenders Demmin and Mali Walton to an already potent lineup featuring defender Scott Schweitzer, midfielders Tommy Tanner and Lenin Steenkamp and strikers Glenn and Doug Miller (the ’97 A-League MVP). The Rhinos roared through their first 13 games unbeaten on the way to A-League records for consecutive wins and final regular-season record. Longest Winning Streak: 13 games (A-League record). Longest Losing Streak: 1 game. ’97 Record: 14-14, 42 points. ’97 Playoff History: Swept by Long Island in the first round of the Northeast playoffs. CHARLESTON BATTERY (No. 8) ’98 Record: 12-16, 34 points. Division (Finish): Atlantic (fourth). Coach (Record): Alan Dicks (7-8, first year; replaced Nuno Piteira) Key Players: F-Mike Burke (16, 2, 34), F-Toni Siikala (8, 1, 17), M/F-Brian Taylor (0, 7, 7), D-David Banks. Season Summary: The only playoff team with a losing record, the Battery clinched the eighth and final spot in the East with just one week left in the regular season. After losing all-time leading scorer Paul Young to Tampa Bay (MLS) and sending Darren Sawatzky to Hershey, an aging Charleston team is counting heavily on the addition of Taylor from MLS’s Miami Fusion and rookie sensation Burke (two goals and one assist in three games). Longest Winning Streak: 2 games (three times). Longest Losing Streak: 3 games. ’97 Record: 12-16, 32 points. ’97 Playoff History: Defeated Hershey in the first round of the Atlantic playoffs before succumbing to Carolina in the second round.

Richmond vs. Long Island

Date: Sunday Sept. 13 in Richmond, Va. at 7:00 p.m. ET RICHMOND KICKERS (No. 2) ’98 Record: 21-7, 57 points. Division (Finish): Atlantic (first). Coach (Record): Colin Clarke (21-7, first year). Key Players (Stats): F-Ihor Dotsenko (11, 2, 24), M-Paul Lekics (6, 1, 13), M-Waughn Hughes, GK’s Mike McGinty (0.74 GAA, 6 shutouts) and Alex Deegan (0.83 GAA, 5 shutouts). Season Summary: Clarke, brought in at the end of the ’97 season, has led the Kickers to the second best record in the A-League, making them one of the most improved teams from 1997. After a shaky 3-3 start, the Kickers went on to post successive winning streaks of four, five and seven games, which closed their season. Without a true star player, Richmond has relied on the consistency of Dotsenko up front, Lekics in the middle, the versatile Hughes just about everywhere and platooning keepers McGinty and Deegan. Longest Winning Streak: 6 games. Longest Losing Streak: 2 games. ’97 Record: 15-13, 45 points. ’97 Playoff History: Lost 2-1 in series with Carolina in the first round of the Atlantic playoffs. LONG ISLAND ROUGH RIDERS (No. 7) ’98 Record: 17-11, 45 points. Division (Finish): Northeast (fourth). Coach (Record): Paul Riley (17-10, first year). Key Players (Stats): F-Saul Martinez (10, 3, 23), F-Joe Navarino (9, 0, 18 in 13 games), M-Rogerio Lima (6, 3, 15), D-Travis Rinker. Season Summary: The Rough Riders caught fire in the month of August, posting seven consecutive wins before dropping their last two to Northeast rivals Staten Island and Montreal. Newcomer Navarino quickly became the team’s most dangerous scorer by notching nine goals in just 13 games. Longest Winning Streak: 7 games. Longest Losing Streak: 2 games (twice). ’97 Record: 16-12, 42 points. ’97 Playoff History: Defeated Rochester and Montreal in the Northeast playoffs before falling to Carolina 2-0 in the Eastern Conference final.

Hershey vs. Hampton Roads

Date: Saturday, Sept. 12 in Hershey, Pa., at 7:35 p.m. ET. HERSHEY WILDCATS (No. 3) ’98 Record: 19-9, 53 points. Division (Finish): Atlantic (second). Coach (Record): Bob Lilley (36-18, second year). Key Players (Stats): F-Jamel Mitchell (10, 3, 23), M-Lee Tschantret (10, 2, 22), F-Don D’Ambra (8, 2, 18), M-Danny Kelly (5, 7, 17), GK-Khalil Azmi (1.02 GAA, 16-7, 7 shutouts). Season Summary: The Wildcats are a potent offensive team (51 goals — second in the Eastern Conference behind Rochester), with Mitchell and D’Ambra up front and wily scorer Tschantret in the midfield along with Kelly, the team’s “quarterback.” After finishing the first half of the season with a four-game losing streak that left them at 7-6, the Wildcats fought back to win their next five and down the A-League All-Stars 3-0 at Hersheypark Stadium in the 1998 A-League All-Star Game. Hershey finished their season with a six-game winning streak to lock up second place in the Atlantic Division. Longest Winning Streak: 6 games. Longest Losing Streak: 4 games. ’97 Record: 19-9, 55 points. ’97 Playoff History: Lost 2-1 to Charleston in the first round of the Atlantic playoffs. HAMPTON ROADS MARINERS (No. 6) ’98 Record: 16-12, 46 points. Division (Finish): Atlantic (third). Coach (Record): Shawn McDonald (38-21, third year). Key Players (Stats): M-Seamus Donnelly (11, 1, 23), F-Anthony McCreath (6, 3, 15), M-Jacob Fenger (6, 2, 14), D-Aaron Lujan (5, 3, 13), M-Dian Angelov (5, 2, 12). Season Summary: The Mariners, who say out the 1997 season, returned finished third in the Atlantic Division. With forward McCreath, midfielders Donnelly, Fenger and Angelov, and defender Lujan all in double digits in scoring, the Mariners have one of the most balanced attacks in the A-League. Playing at the new Virginia Beach Sportsplex for the second half of the season, Hampton Roads posted an overall home record of 9-5. Hampton Roads finished by losing their last four games. Longest Winning Streak: 5 games. Longest Losing Streak: 4 games. ’97 Record: n/a (on hiatus).

Montreal vs. Staten Island

Date: Saturday, Sept. 12 in Montreal at 7:00 p.m. ET. MONTREAL IMPACT (No. 4) ’98 Record: 21-7, 47 points. Division (Finish): Northeast (second). Coach (Record): Paul Kitson (21-7, first year). Key Players (Stats): M-Mauro Biello (11, 13, 35), M-Giuliano Oliviero (8, 11, 27), F-Kevin Wilson (9, 4, 22), M-Nick DeSantis (4, 4, 12), D-John Limniatis. Season Summary: The Montreal Impact established itself as the undisputed king of the shootout this season, with eight of its 21 wins coming in the post-overtime decider. The Impact also proved to be a team of streaks, starting off the season 7-0 and putting together another seven-game streak mid-season. Montreal is loaded in the midfield with Biello, Oliviero and DeSantis. Wilson, considered one of Jamaica’s top young prospects, has been a key performer up top, while goalkeeper Paul Shephard, who replaced the injured Paolo Ceccarelli after 11 games, has cracked the top 10 in goalkeeping with a 1.11 goals against average. Longest Winning Streak: 7 games (twice). Longest Losing Streak: 2 games. ’97 Record: 21-7, 61 points. ’97 Playoff History: Swept Toronto 2-0 and advanced to the second round of the Northeast playoffs before being losing 2-1 to Long Island. STATEN ISLAND VIPERS (No. 5) ’98 Record: 16-12, 46 points. Division (Finish): Northeast (third). Coach (Record): Adrian Gaitan (16-12, first year). Key Players (Stats): F-Kevin Sloan (11, 3, 25), M-John Ball (4, 15, 23), F-Marvin Oliver (6, 4, 16), D-Omid Namazi (3, 3, 9), GK-Peter Pappas (1.00 GAA, 6 shutouts). Season Summary: The first-year Vipers put together a solid 1998 campaign under rookie coach Adrian Gaitan. Sloan and Ball are the team’s top scoring threats, while defender Namazi has been a bright spot in defense. Canadian native Pappas has been strong in the nets, posting a 12-6 mark and allowing just over one goal per game. The Vipers won six of their last nine games. Longest Winning Streak: 5 games. Longest Losing Streak: 3 games. ’97 Record: n/a (first-year team).