C.R. Rampage announce six more signings

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids Rampage, a Major Arena Soccer League franchise set to begin play this fall, announced the addition of six players on Friday.

The latest signings include former league MVP Carlos Farias, fellow MASL veterans Kyle Nsien and Alfee Robbins, twins Patrizio and Antonello Paradiso from Rome, Italy, and former Cedar Rapids Washington and Coe College player Jacob Johnson.

This brings the Cedar Rapids roster number to 14, two below the MASL limit. Barring any additional signings, 11 more players will be invited to training camp, which begins later this month.

The 20-game regular season begins in early November. A schedule announcement from the MASL should come soon.

Johnson joins fellow Coe College alumnus Chris Fitch, who signed Sept. 4 along with former Iowa City West player Mohamadou Bouare, and MASL veterans Steven Hamersky and Samuel Guernsey.

Former Cedar Rapids Xavier midfielder Charlie Bales was among the first four players signed on Aug. 27 - along with Jean Paul Mboyo and two players with MASL experience - Armando Tello and Kevin Jackson.

The Paradiso twins, Tello, Fitch, Johnson, Mboyo and Bales all participated in last month's open player tryouts at the U.S. Cellular Center. The club has another set of tryouts scheduled for Sept. 19-20 at the U.S. Cellular Center.

Here is the press release from the club:

VETERAN FORWARD SIGNS WITH RAMPAGE

Cedar Rapids, IA: In one of the most exciting signings of the Rampage's off-season, the Rampage announced the signing of MASL veteran forward Carlos 'Chile” Farias.

Farias started his professional soccer career when he was selected by the San Jose Clash as a 15th round pick in the 1996 Major League Soccer (MLS) inaugural player draft.  The Clash waived Farias during training camp prior to the season, but then signed with the San Diego Sockers of the Continental Indoor Soccer League where he was named Rookie of the Year. The Santiago, Chile native has won 5 Professional Indoor Championships and was the MISL MVP, A First Team All-Star and is considered one of the top professional indoor soccer players in the world.

Along with Farias, the Rampage also came to terms with twins Paritzio & Antonello Paradiso from Rome, Italy as well as Coe College & Washington High School alum Jacob Johnson. Johnson ranks third all time in career goals for the Kohawks. The team also signed MASL veterans Kyle Nsien and Alfee Robbins. Nsien (6'1” 185lbs - defender) will enter his third season in the MASL after spending the past two seasons with the Tulsa Revolution. Robbins (6'0” 150lbs - defender) a native of London, England spent the 2014-15 season with Oxford City FC.

The Rampage will hold a second open tryout September 19th & 20th at the US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. Details and registration information can be found at cedarrapidsrampage.com.

Season tickets are now on sale and start as low as $80 each, which includes 11 home games. The 2015-16 season will kick off October 30th with the team's home opener.

The MASL was formed in 2014 by teams from the Professional Arena Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. The league represents the highest level of professional indoor soccer in the world, and features 24 teams across North America with teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico. Cedar Rapids, the MASL's newest member, will join teams in markets such as; Milwaukee, WI, Chicago, IL, Kansas City, MO, Detroit, MI, San Diego, CA and Dallas, TX.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com