ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, May 5, 1996 TAG: 9605070022
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
ROANOKE OPENS its USISL season with a 4-2 victory over Jackson (Miss.).
The Roanoke RiverDawgs had as many practices as they had victories before their United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues opener Saturday night. That is, none.
But no practice made perfect sense for the RiverDawgs on this beautifully balmy night. They downed their Premier League-rival Jackson (Miss.) Chargers 4-2 before 607 young fans and their parents.
``If we don't beat anybody but Premier League teams all season, that'll be great, because we'll be in the playoffs,'' said Ed McMichael, Roanoke's coach.
A few of the RiverDawgs who stood out won't have many more practices or games, because they'll be playing elsewhere. Former Virginia Tech star Eric McClellan next week will take his one goal and one assist to the Washington (D.C.) Warthogs of the Continental Indoor Soccer League. Another one-goal, one-assist guy, James Madison University alumnus Patrick McSorley, is trying out for a spot on the beach soccer tour in June.
But they, along with the other RiverDawg to contribute a goal and an assist, Ian Spooner, said they liked what they saw on the Cave Spring Junior High School field.
``I like the balance of the team from up top to the back,'' McClellan said. ``And the attitude is much better this year.''
Part of the credit for that goes to goalkeeper Aaron Ewert. The former Roanoke College All-American spends as much time spitting out motivational words as he does deflecting shots. Perhaps that's why his teammates added the nickname ``Rah-Rah'' to his former alias, ``the Net Detective.''
``He always wants to be intense,'' McMichael said. ``If he's taken 100 shots, he wants to reorganize practice to get 100 more.''
Ewert took some good ones Saturday night, including a snuff job of Charger Russel Cain's direct free kick when the score was 0-0 in the first half.
``That would have put us down one,'' Ewert said. ``We don't like to be down one at any time.''
Ewert also stuffed Jackson speedster Cecil Hinds on a breakaway with 12:10 to play and the Chargers looking for a third consecutive goal. ``That was the game,'' Ewert said.
Ewert finished with seven saves on 12 shots. His pleasant performance was welcomed by McMichael, who should be in good shape no matter who is in goal this season. The RiverDawgs also welcomed Mike Rodriguez, a player with U.S. under-19 national team experience, to their squad this weekend. Rodriguez is a standout at Old Dominion University who figures to push Ewert for the starting job this summer.
``I'm happy it's not locked up,'' Ewert said. ``It keeps pushing me. It will make me a better keeper in the end.''
Roanoke outshot the Chargers 12-9. Midfielder Jeff Johnson put the RiverDawgs on the scoreboard first when Greg Wheaton crossed the ball to Spooner and Spooner nodded it over to Johnson.
McClellan, McSorley and Spooner's goals all came on breakaways. A man advantage gained when Cain earned a second yellow card with 1:22 left in the first half gave Roanoke room to run. ``That opened up the game a lot,'' McSorley said.
McMichael said he was glad to see all the scoring, but added that he'd like to see ``a little bit more variety in our repertoire.''
Maybe the RiverDawgs can work on that in practice.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY/Staff. 1. Joel Johnson (at right in leftby CNBphoto) of the RiverDawgs gets tangled up with Russel Cain of the
Jackson Chargers. 2. Cain then knees Johnson in the back in bottom
left photo. 3. In bottom right photo, Cain is held back by teammate
Richard Williams. Cain was thrown out of the game, and Roanoke won
4-2.