Cedar Rapids Rampage kick-starting Year 2 with ‘Wave’ of veterans

CEDAR RAPIDS – Veteran players are a vital component to any successful team.

As the Cedar Rapids Rampage set out to assemble a roster in advance of their second year in the Major Arena Soccer League, the club placed a premium on veterans with a unique quality – winners.

Decorated defender Pablo Da Silva headlines a trio of Rampage newcomers with ties to the venerable Milwaukee Wave franchise. Cedar Rapids opens the season Saturday at the Kansas City Comets.

'With this roster that we have right now, I think we're going to be one of the top teams,” said Da Silva, who collected seven goals and 13 assists in 19 games last season with the Wave. 'That's what I'm looking for. That's why I put my bat here to this team. That's the reason that I signed here, because I believe that with these players that we have right now, we can win the championship.”

Da Silva, 36, was a member of league championship teams in both Baltimore (2009) and with the 2011 Wave. New Rampage midfielder Jonathan Greenfield, 34, owns three championships – two with Milwaukee, one with Baltimore – while 26-year-old forward/defender Tony Walls tallied 24 goals and 15 assists in two seasons with Milwaukee.

The club was also quite active in the offseason trade market as they obtained defender Jonatan Santos and midfielder Angel Ruiz in separate deals with the San Diego Sockers. The 27-year-old Ruiz was a member of the Monterrey club that won the league championship two years ago.

Defender Joshio Sandoval, 27, was acquired in a trade with Chicago. Sandoval scored 15 goals and distributed 24 assists in three seasons with the Mustangs.

Throughout training camp and a pair of preseason games, the additions proved to be a welcome sight to returners like forward Gordy Gurson (17 goals, two assists in nine games), who is anxious to build on a strong finish to the expansion season (four wins in nine games after a 1-11 start).

'It feels like we've been together for a while,” Gurson said. 'These guys are jelling really well. The new guys fit in perfectly. They're perfect pieces for us. We're real excited for Saturday. We're going to take it to KC.”

That is not to suggest there won't be plenty of familiar faces to fans of the team. Former Cedar Rapids Xavier prep Charlie Bales returns after a standout rookie season, as do fellow defenders Pat Kelly, Sam Guernsey, Antonello Paradiso and Alex Tozer. Midfielders Robert Acosta and Bobby Hurwitz are back, while Jon Pachar has hopped aboard after a breakthrough summer with the Rampage United outdoor team.

Midfielder Jacob Johnson, who prepped at Washington and played collegiately at Coe, tore his Achilles tendon last week and will undergo a lengthy rehabilitation.

Then there is Hewerton Moreira, who will undertake the task of playing forward while simultaneously serving as head coach of the club. Moreira, who turns 37 on Halloween, led the league with 29 assists last season and added 13 goals.

'It's tiring,” Moreira said with a laugh. 'I was always the player that talked, but not while I'm playing. I would always talk when I'm on the bench, trying to help with the players and I give my point of view. But normally it was when the ball is stopped or something like that. Now, constantly in the middle of the game I'm trying to talk with players. I'm adapting quicker than what I thought I would, but in the beginning it was so exhausting. Now it's good.”

When twins Joey and Jayme Kapinos were dealt to Ontario, it opened up the goalkeeper position. The battle appears to be ongoing between returning reserve Patrizio Paradiso, Rampage United outdoor keeper Rainer Hauss and rookie Brett Petricek. Former Milwaukee goalkeeper coach Mark Litton has been brought on board in the same capacity.

The home opener at the U.S. Cellular Center is Sunday, Nov. 13 at 3:05 p.m. against Chicago.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com