Division leaders halt progress for C.R. Rampage

CEDAR RAPIDS - Just when it seemed as if the Cedar Rapids Rampage were poised to take another step forward, it turned out to be two steps back.

The visiting Missouri Comets scored six unanswered goals in the second half and routed the expansion Rampage, 11-4, before a daytime crowd of 3,110 Thursday at the U.S. Cellular Center.

'I'm not happy at all across the board,” Rampage Coach Jeff Kraft said. 'I want to put a winning team on the field. We make improvements, then we take two steps back. We show some heart, character and then we take two steps back. In this league and in this division, these guys (Missouri) just keep on moving forward.”

The Rampage (1-9) are fighting for their place in the rugged Central Division, widely regarded as the strongest in the Major Arena Soccer League. Right at the top is Missouri (10-2), which figured to give Cedar Rapids its best shot after suffering a stunning home defeat to the previously-winless St. Louis Ambush just two days before. After a relatively tight first half, Cedar Rapids was held scoreless for all but the final 49 seconds of the second.

'Man to man marking, bad fouls, the little things like I say,” Kraft said. 'These are the things that are going to either make you win or make you lose as a team. I think some guys just don't understand that this is a professional sport.”

Things appeared on the uptick for the Rampage over the past four games, evidenced by the first victory for the franchise Dec. 19 and three narrow defeats. Former Cedar Rapids Washington and Coe player Jacob Johnson's header less than two minutes into the second quarter tied Thursday's game at 2-2, but two second-half goals apiece from Missouri's Robert Palmer and Lucas Rodriguez turned a 5-3 halftime score into an 11-3 rout.

Cedar Rapids forward Chile Farias scored on a penalty kick in the closing minute to prevent a second-half shutout. Farias also tallied two assists in the first half. Patrick Kelly and Semir Mesanovic also scored goals for Cedar Rapids, which was outshot 42-28 and had zero power plays.

'This is unacceptable to me,” Kraft said. 'And our fans are still behind us, which goes to show you what a great city it is. But changes have to be done.”

Cedar Rapids visits the Chicago Mustangs on Saturday, then returns to the U.S. Cellular for a pair of games Jan. 15 and 16 against Eastern Division squads Harrisburg and Syracuse.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com