Kelly, Rampage ready for first back-to-back

CEDAR RAPIDS - Anyone who has yet to get a first look at Cedar Rapids' first professional soccer team will have two opportunities this weekend.

The Major Arena Soccer League expansion Cedar Rapids Rampage (0-6) will play their first pair of back-to-back games of the regular season beginning Friday at 7:05 p.m. against the Chicago Mustangs at the U.S. Cellular Center.

'This will tell how deep your squad is,” Rampage midfielder Patrick Kelly said. 'You'll have some rotation with players coming in and out. It's definitely an obstacle you have to overcome, but everybody's got to do it in the league.”

Kelly, 25, has been relied upon to provide dogged defense as sort of a combination defender/midfielder. The surprise from the former Marquette University player has been his remarkably opportunistic and efficient offensive production, where he ranks third on the team with six goals despite just 15 shot attempts.

'It's refreshing to me as a coach to see a guy that just gives 110 percent,” Rampage Coach Jeff Kraft said. 'He finds himself in open spots and he makes things happen.”

The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Kelly grew up in Kansas City, Mo., rooting for Central Division foe Missouri (then-Kansas City) Comets. His father, Neil, serves as the Comets' team dentist.

Friday will be the second visit to the U.S. Cellular Center for the Mustangs (5-2), which routed the Rampage, 14-4, on Dec. 4.

'You've just got to get in their face,” Kelly said. 'We gave them a little too much respect last time. If we really want to affect them, you have to be tight and you can't sit off and let them have the ball. More just harassing, not let them have too much time.”

Kraft announced the return of defender Alfee Robbins, who has two goals and an assist in three games. The Englishman missed the last three games as he worked to resolve a visa issue.

'Smart with the ball, doesn't try to do too much,” Kraft said of Robbins. 'I can put him anywhere.”

The second game of the weekend will be Saturday at 7:05 p.m. against the also-winless St. Louis Ambush. It will be the debut for St. Louis Coach Tony Glavin, who replaced fired Coach Daryl Doran and assistant Joe Smugala after the club started the season 0-6. Jamie Swanner also comes aboard as goalkeeper coach.

'I'm sure their players are saying, ‘Look, the icon's (Doran) just been fired. Now we have to step up our game,'” Kraft said. 'It's going to be two great games this weekend.”

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com