C.R. Rampage ready for home debut

CEDAR RAPIDS - The playing surface is in place, the glass walls have been erected and the goals have been installed. It is time for the Cedar Rapids Rampage to give the city its first taste of professional soccer.

The expansion arena soccer franchise will make their U.S. Cellular Center debut at 7 p.m. Friday when they host the St. Louis Ambush in a Major Arena Soccer League preseason game.

'We're excited to get here in front of the hometown, the inaugural game,” said Rampage defender Charlie Bales, who prepped at Cedar Rapids Xavier. 'We're expecting a lot of people to come out. I know there is a buzz around the city waiting for this game, so I think it's going to be really fun.”

Bales is one of four league rookies on the Rampage roster with ties to the area. Chris Fitch played collegiately for Coe, as did former Cedar Rapids Washington prep Jacob Johnson. One of the bigger surprises from training camp has been the emergence of Spencer Nash, who played at Iowa City West and was a volunteer assistant with the Iowa women's team last season.

'I think the guys have gelled together,” Rampage Coach Jeff Kraft said. 'We're getting a little system down. The camaraderie is there, and now it is just penciling in my starters and who is going to follow.”

A quintet of MASL veterans are expected to comprise the starting lineup. Former Tulsa midfielder Sam Guernsey will pair on defense with Carlos 'Chile” Farias (8 goals, 17 assists last season with Tulsa and Wichita), who also serves as assistant coach. Forwards Corey Adamson (10 goals last season with St. Louis and Milwaukee), Alex Megson (13 goals, seven assists with Dallas and Rochester) and Hewerton Moreira (14 goals, five assists with Chicago) will be counted on to provide the early scoring punch.

'The franchise, for me, seems to be very, very organized,” Moreira said. 'For me, it is one of the most important things as a player to have good support from a franchise like that. … It's a beautiful arena. We were just saying how cozy the arena is to watch a soccer game.”

Former Wichita goalkeeper Steven Hamersky and Italian rookie Patrizio Paradiso are likely to split time in goal.

Friday is the final tune-up before the roster is trimmed to 20 in advance of the regular-season opener Nov. 6 at Missouri. Five players – Brazilian twins Gustavo Rodrigues and Guilherme Rodrigues, veteran Kyle Nsien, Baldeh, Matthew and former Iowa City West prep Mohamadou Bouare – were released earlier this week.

After four narrow preseason road defeats, the club is ready for the home debut.

'Just to see the home field, the fans, the atmosphere,” Kraft said. 'I'm excited and anxious at the same time.”

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com