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Barons in the pros archives Stories about former Barons prior to 2008 season | |
Former Baron makes history
Jeremiah White becomes second American to score three in Europe
Jeremiah White made his mark overseas with a hat trick for his French Second Division club Gueugnon in their 3-0 win over Montpellier. White becomes only the second American to score three goals for a professional European club. In that one game, he equaled his goal scoring total in 2005 (his first year with the club) when he scored three in 11 matches.
Before White moved to France last year, he played in Pennsylvania for the FC Delco youth club prior to playing his college ball at Wake Forest. In 2003, he spent the summer with the Barons (then known as the South Jersey Barons) where he scored two goals.
Tim O’Neill, Mariners fall short in Open Cup
Former Ocean City Baron scores equalizer
The Virginia Beach Mariners of the USL First Division had a difficult task on Tuesday night facing Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Despite giving up a first half penalty kick, former Ocean City Barons player and Virginia Beach midfielder Tim O’Neill made an impressive individual effort and scored the equalizer in the 37th minute on a rainy night in Salt Lake City.
The Mariners played well and were able to force overtime, but eventually lost on a shot by Andy Williams three minutes into the first extra period.
Tim, who played for the Barons during the 2003 season, has played in 13 of the 15 games so far this season for the First Division club. Tuesday’s equalizer was his first goal of the year.
Donatelli takes PDL path to pros
Former Baron helps Vancouver win their first championship in his rookie season
Former Temple University and Ocean City Barons standout Tony Donatelli is making the most of his first season as a professional soccer player. He didn’t waste any time, scoring an amazing equalizer in his first start with the Vancouver Whitecaps of the United Soccer Leagues First Division.
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| Photo: Josh Devins/Whitecaps |
After playing in 24 games in the regular season, he added three postseason goals to help lead the club to their first league championship. (Check out Tony’s first professional goal courtesy of Allison Andrews of SoccerCityUSA.com)
Donatelli, a Glenside, PA native, is one of the many college players who have taken advantage of the Premier Development League (PDL) as a way to develop his skills to prepare him for the next level.
"Playing in the PDL for two years significantly influenced my development as a player," said Donatelli. "Being able to play with so many talented players and for a club as professionally run as the Barons, it clearly impacted my improvement."
In his second season with the Barons in the summer of 2005, he was an All-Conference selection contributing 10 goals and six assists in 16 matches. He carried that momentum into his senior season at Temple where he earned a spot on the Atlantic-10 All-Conference team for the second year in a row and was named the Philadelphia Soccer Seven Player of the Year.
After the college season was over, he was drafted by the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer (MLS) with the eighth pick of the third round of the Supplemental Draft. After failing to make the roster on one of the league’s top clubs, Donatelli was contacted by the Rochester Rhinos and the Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL First Division. Wanting to stay closer to home, he spent two weeks with the Rhinos during the preseason, but was unable to find a place in an already crowded midfield.
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| Photo: Josh Devins/Whitecaps |
Vancouver, still interested in his services, flew him out to the West Coast to take part in preseason training and eventually signed him. Once he was in a Whitecaps uniform, it didn’t take long for him to make an impact with his new club.
"My first professional start with the Whitecaps is something that I will never forget," said Donatelli. "I was disappointed that we came away from the game with the tie but to be able to score the tying goal on the road is something I will always cherish. With the goal being one of the best that I have scored in my playing career, it also adds greatly to the memory."
Tony would appear in 24 games during the 2006 season, scoring two goals (both coming against the Portland Timbers) and adding two assists. The Caps would eventually qualify for the playoffs by finishing fourth in the league with a 12-6-10 record.
"Being my first professional season, I was unsure what role I would end up playing for the team. I was given some opportunities to start games and performed well, but with such a talented and veteran team, I knew my role would change from game to game. But the coach and guys on the team made sure I knew that I was needed and that I always remained focused."
He made his biggest mark in the postseason where he topped his offensive production in just five appearances. He came off the bench in both games of their first round series with Miami FC, scoring a goal in their 4-1 first leg victory and assisted on a Martin Nash goal in a 2-0 second leg win.
His performance against Miami earned him a start against the Montreal Impact in the first leg which finished scoreless, and came off the bench in game two and scored a goal in extra time to help put the Whitecaps in the final for the first time.
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| Donatelli converts from the spot in a penalty kick shootout with Cardiff City on July 23, 2006. The two clubs finished scoreless and the Whitecaps won the shootout 3-1 to capture the first Whitecaps Nations Cup. Photo: Josh Devins/Whitecaps |
Finding his form at just the right time, he was awarded with a start in the USL First Division championship game against the Rochester Rhinos at their brand new soccer specific stadium, PAETEC Park. Already holding a 1-0 lead after a Rochester own goal before halftime, Donatelli padded the lead with his third goal of the postseason on an assist from Joey Gjertsen. Sita-Taty Matondo would add a late goal to give the Whitecaps a 3-0 win and their first league title.
After an amazing rookie season, Tony is moving on to his next challenge: indoor soccer. He has returned home to play in the MISL (Major Indoor Soccer League) for the Philadelphia Kixx where he will reunite with former college and Ocean City Barons teammates Patrick Hannigan and Steven Wacker.
Donatelli’s path to the pros is becoming more and more popular among college players trying to make the transition into a professional environment. 34 former PDL players were selected in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, and 29 more were taken in the MLS Supplemental Draft. He recommends the PDL to players trying to take the next step in their development as a player.
"The PDL is the closest you can get to playing at the professional level while retaining your college eligibility. Plus, with the opportunity to possibly play in the Open Cup against all the professional teams is truly exciting."
BONUS FOOTAGE: Thanks to the recent online video revolution, millions of people have seen Tony Donatelli play soccer, but not necessarily for his playing ability. Playing for FC Coppa when he was 17 years old, Tony fired a shot toward goal, but it wasn’t exactly on target. Watch the video HERE.
Donatelli leads Whitecaps to USL First Division title
Former Baron scores to lead Vancouver to their first championship
Former Ocean City Barons midfielder Tony Donatelli scored a goal in the USL First Division championship game to help lead the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 3-0 win over the Rochester Rhinos. Donatelli contributed three goals and an assist in the postseason, including a goal and an assist in the opening round against Miami FC, and a goal in extra time against the Montreal Impact in the semi-finals. The win was even more impressive considering the Whitecaps had to travel to the other side of the country to play the game at Rochester’s new PAETEC Park. It was the first championship for the Whitecaps, and also the first time that a team has won the USL First Division title on the road.
Miami FC drafts Matt Maher
Former Baron Michael Todd also selected
T wo more Ocean City Barons made the jump to the pro ranks when three-year player Matt Maher and Michael Todd, a member of the Barons’ 2005 squad, were taken in the USL First Division College Player Draft.
Maher, a Cape May, NJ native who was a product of the Barons’ youth system, and has been a key player for the Barons since the 2004 season. Matt was taken in the first round (9th overall) by Miami FC of the USL First Division, who made a splash in their inaugural season last year when they signed Brazilian legends Romario and Zinho. The club finished fifth in the league last year, ending their season with an opening round loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps, who were led by another Baron, Tony Donatelli. Maher recently finished his senior season at Temple University where he started every game he played in and led the team in scoring.
Michael Todd was taken in the second round (18th overall) by the Virginia Beach Mariners. Todd will have a decision to make before this upcoming season starts, as he was also selected by the Kansas City Wizards of MLS in the second round of the MLS Supplemental Draft. This past college season, he became the first All-American in Hofstra University history after an amazing senior year. In the PDL, Todd spent the 2004 season with the Brooklyn Knights, moving to the Barons in 2005, only to return to Brooklyn for the 2006 campaign. He finished his college career as one of two players in Hofstra history to score 100 points.
Jeremiah White joins AGF Promotion Fight
Philadelphia Kixx win 2nd MISL title
Three former Barons win their first championship
Who says there’s a curse on Philadelphia sports? The Philadelphia Kixx captured their second MISL championship on Saturday with a 13-8 win over the expansion Detroit Ignition. Playing in Detroit, Kixx player/manager Don D’Ambra scored two goals, including a three-pointer in the 4th quarter to put the game out of reach. D’Ambra was also awarded MVP.
The Kixx feature three former Ocean City Barons, Tony Donatelli (Glenside, PA - Temple University), Steven Wacker (Philadelphia, PA - Temple University) and Patrick Hannigan (Philadelphia, PA - Temple University). Donatelli and Hannigan have made the best of their first season in the MISL. Donatelli finished tied for fourth on the team in scoring with 17 goals (two of them 3-pointers) and nine assists. Hannigan spent the season backing up Peter Pappas, who won his third Goalkeeper of the Year award this season. Tony and Pat were both named to the MISL All-Rookie Team. Wacker, in his third season with the Kixx, scored four goals in 19 games.
Chris Williams signs with Miami FC
Former Baron defender joins Zinho and company
Another member of the Ocean City Barons has found their way to the pro ranks. Chris Williams, a graduate of Philadelphia University, and a three-year veteran of the Barons’ PDL squad, signed a one-year deal with Miami FC of the USL First Division.
Miami FC, which features Brazilian World Cup star Zinho, will enter their second season of play in the First Division.
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| Chris Williams shields the ball in a game against the Westchester Flames last season. |
"When I signed here in Miami I was excited to learn that Zinho was coming back to the team as both a player and coach," said Williams. "I was so excited because I know there is a lot that can be learned from a player with his experience."
Last year, Miami FC made the playoffs in their inaugural campaign and have high standards for 2007. The club is off to a tough start, winning one of their first four games. Williams made his professional debut on April 15 against Rochester, anchoring Miami’s backline for the full 90 minutes. Since then, he started the next four games and looks like he is on his way to keeping that starting job throughout the season.
"Big Chris" began his quest at the USL Combine in Tampa, but suffered an injury that kept him from getting the attention he needed to make an impression.
After a frustrating combine and recovering from his achillies injury, Chris used some of the contacts he made at the combine and decided to tryout for Miami FC where he performed well enough to catch the attention of the Blues’ organization.
"From day one he made a very good impression on our coaching staff, said Miami general manager Luiz Muzzi. "Chris is a very physical defender, with excellent speed and ball control. We believe he has a lot of upside and he’s working very hard to develop his game."
"It feels great to finally find the right fit for me," said Williams. "I think that being a part of Miami FC is the best thing that could have happened to me in terms of my professional career."
Williams attributes his growth as a player to his experience in the PDL. "I became the player I am today because of my experience with the Ocean City Barons. I met a lot of great people while I was there which have been instrumental in my development as a player. I would most definitly recommend this league, and more importantly, this team, to the serious college soccer players in the area."
Another Baron dressed in blue
Former Temple GK Patrick Hannigan signs with Miami
The Ocean City Barons have another player making a living playing soccer in Miami. Philadelphia’s Patrick Hannigan, the club’s goalkeeper during the undefeated 2004 season, has found a new home with the USL First Division’s Miami FC.
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Patrick Hannigan is now the starting GK for Miami FC.
PHOTO by Victor Palkaninec |
Last year, he was the backup to the Rochester Rhinos’ starting keeper Scott Vallow, and is now getting the chance to prove himself.
"We were actively looking for a goalkeeper when Pat Hannigan’s name came to our attention," said Miami FC general manager Luiz Muzzi. "His personality meshed very well with our group of players and his qualities as a goalkeeper were pretty evident during his stay with us."
After battling Chris Doyle and Gabard Fenelon for the starting job, it was the veteran Doyle who won the job. However, Doyle is out indefinitely after re-injuring his knee, opening the door for Hannigan to play.
"With Doyle’s injury, [Pat] has established himself as our starting keeper," said Muzzi. "He’s been excellent for us so far and with the sequence of games, he’ll probably get even better."
Hannigan, a former standout at Temple University, is 1-2 in his first three starts. He made four saves in a 3-2 win over Seattle in his debut, then made seven saves in a narrow 1-0 loss to the Montreal Impact. Most recently, he saved one shot in a 2-0 loss at Charleston. Hannigan just finished his first season in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) where he won a championship with the Philadelphia Kixx and was named to the MISL All-Rookie Team. He spent the season backing up the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year, Peter Pappas.
Barons vs. Barons / White battles for promotion
Barons in the pros report (5/13)
Week ending 5/13/2007
Jeremiah White’s (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) AGF Aarhus (Danish First Division) is currently sitting in second place with their eye on getting promoted to the Danish Superliga. The top two teams move up and this weekend’s 1-0 win over Akademisk BK helped that cause. White played all 90 minutes at right midfield for the club.
Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) and Patrick Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) were in the starting lineup for Miami FC squaring off against Michael Todd and the Charleston Battery. Williams has started every game for Miami since signing in the off season, and Hannigan has started the last three matches since starting goalkeeper Chris Doyle suffered a season-ending injury. However, it was the Battery who came out on top with Michael Todd playing the entire first half before being subbed out for tactical reasons. Williams played 80 minutes, and Hannigan made one save while facing seven shots.
Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) and the defending USL First Division champion Vancouver Whipecaps picked up a 3-1 win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday. Donatelli came off the bench in the second half and scored his first goal of the year in the 87th minute to put the game out of reach. So far this season, Vancouver is unbeaten with a 3-0-2 record, and Donatelli has played in four games (one start) since joining the team after winning the MISL championship with the Philadelphia Kixx.
While the Ocean City Barons are battling to qualify for the U.S. Open Cup, some former Barons have already clinched. All U.S.-based USL-1 teams qualify automatically, so the Charleston Battery and Miami FC are already in. On Friday, with a scoreless draw against the New Hampshire Phantoms, the Harrisburg City Islanders clinched a place in the Open Cup. Matthew Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) made one save to earn the shutout and Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) came in as a second half sub and played 23 minutes. On Saturday, the City Islanders lost to the Western Mass Pioneers 2-0. Nelson made five saves and Devlin came off the bench in the final minutes.
Big weekend for GKs / Trouble in Denmark
Barons in the pros report (5/20)
Week ending 5/20/2007
On Friday night, Patrick Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) earned his first career shutout in a game televised on Fox Soccer Channel. Hannigan made three saves in the match as his Miami FC club defeated the Minnesota Thunder 1-0 in a game played at the Orange Bowl. On Sunday, Miami FC returned to the historic stadium to win their second straight game by defeating the Atlanta Silverbacks 2-1. Hannigan made four saves to earn his third win of the season.
Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) did not play in the game against Minnesota, and was a second half substitute in the Atlanta game.
Another goalkeeper making headlines is Matthew Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL). Nelson faced four shots and only had to save one of them in the Harrisburg City Islanders’ scoreless draw with the Western Mass Pioneers on Saturday. That was his fourth shutout of the season, which ties him for the league lead with Ronnie Pascale of the Richmond Kickers. Nelson is also second in the league with 22 saves.
Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) played the full 90 minutes for the City Islanders that night and when named to the USL Second Division Team of the Week for his efforts. The draw kept Harrisburg tied with Cleveland City for second place in the USL Second Division.
Tony Donatelli’s (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) Vancouver Whitecaps won two games this past weekend, and are sitting pretty at the top of the USL First Division standings with an unbeaten 5-0-2 record (17 points). On Saturday, Donatelli started and played 74 minutes in the Whitecaps’ 3-1 win over the California Victory. The following day, the Whitecaps hosted the Rochester Raging Rhinos and the ’Caps picked up another 3-1 win. Donatelli came off the bench and played 34 minutes in that contest.
Jeremiah White’s (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) AGF Aarhus (Danish First Division) fell to third place after a 1-1 draw with Frem. White played all 90 minutes at right midfield and picked up a yellow card in the match. The draw drops the club two points behind second place Frederica. The top two teams in the Danish First Division are promoted to the Danish Superliga.
Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) came off the bench and played 16 minutes on Saturday in the Charleston Battery’s 1-0 loss to the Carolina Railhawks.
Former Barons on collision course with current Barons
Barons in the pros report (6/4)
The Barons in the pros feature on OCBarons.com took a week off last week, so here is a recap of how our boys have been doing over the last two weeks.
The battle for promotion in the Danish First Division continued and is now entering the home stretch. Jeremiah White (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) helped his club AGF Aarhus pick up a critical 1-0 win over relagation-fearing Thisted on Memorial Day. White came off the bench in the second half to play at his regular right wing position.
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Danish 1st Division
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GP
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W
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L
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T
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PTS
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Lyngby
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27
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17
|
3
|
7
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58
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AGF Aarhus
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26
|
15
|
6
|
5
|
50
|
|
Fredericia
|
27
|
15
|
7
|
5
|
50
|
|
SonderjyskE
|
27
|
14
|
9
|
4
|
46
|
|
Kolding FC
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27
|
13
|
7
|
7
|
46
|
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Top two are promoted to the Superliga
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AGF Aarhus are currently tied for second place in the First Division (see the standings on the right) with the top two teams moving up to the Danish Superliga. White’s club have a game in hand after the weekend, and have four games left to play.
AGF Aarhus’ remaining schedule
June 10 vs. Nestved (6th place)
June 13 vs. Olstykke (10th place)
June 17 vs. Kolding (5th place)
June 24 vs. HIK (last place)
The last two weeks has been busy for Miami FC, playing two games in each of the last two weekends, and unfortunately only one win and two goals scored to show for it.
Last weekend, Miami FC made another appearance on Fox Soccer Channel, but fell 1-0 to the Montreal Impact. Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) and Patrick Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) played all 90 minutes, with Hannigan making eight saves. Two days later, Hannigan was matched up with his old club, the Rochester Rhinos. The Rhinos came out on top with a 2-0 win. Hannigan made three saves, and Williams also played a full game.
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USL 1st Division
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GP
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W
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L
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T
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PTS
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| 1 |
Vancouver Whitecaps
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9
|
5
|
1
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3
|
18
|
|
2
|
Rochester Rhinos
|
11
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
16
|
|
3
|
Montreal Impact
|
7
|
4
|
0
|
3
|
15
|
|
4
|
Carolina Railhawks
|
9
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
13
|
|
5
|
Miami FC
|
10
|
4
|
6
|
0
|
12
|
|
6
|
Charleston Battery
|
8
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
12
|
|
Top eight teams make the playoffs
Standings as of 6/4/07
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Last Friday, Rochester defeated Miami FC again, this time by a 1-0 scoreline. Hannigan made three saves, but Chris Williams spent the game as a reserve. After three games without a goal, and without a win, the Blues finally broke through last Saturday with a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Silverbacks. Williams was back in the starting lineup and played all 90 minutes and Hannigan made two saves to earn his fourth win of the season.
The Vancouver Whitecaps hadn’t lost a step, entering last weekend unbeaten (5-0-2). However, their unbeaten run came to an end with a 1-0 loss to the expansion Carolina Railhawks. Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) started and played 68 minutes.
Last weekend, the Whitecaps faced off with the Montreal Impact in a rematch of last year’s league semifinal on Fox Soccer Channel. The match ended in a scoreless draw, in front of 12,103 fans at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex. Donatelli started once again and played for 86 minutes.
Out of their first five games of the season, the Charleston Battery only won a single game. After the rough start, they had a solid two week span, finishing unbeaten in their last three, and moving up to sixth place in the league. Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) came off the bench late in the second half in the Battery’s 2-0 win over previous unbeaten Atlanta back on May 26. Todd did not play in the team’s 1-1 draw with the expansion California Victory last Wednesday, but played the majority of the second half in the club’s 2-1 road win over the Minnesota Thunder on Saturday.
Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) and Matthew Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) and their Harrisburg City Islanders continue to play well in the USL Second Division. The City Islanders have lost only once (2-0 to Western Mass on May 12) in their first eight matches. Devlin started and played 39 minutes in Harrisburg’s 2-2 draw with the unbeaten expansion side Cleveland City Stars last Saturday. Nelson had played every game for the City Islanders this season, but suffered a minor ankle injury during training the day before and was unable to play.
Devlin and Nelson are on a collision course with the Ocean City Barons in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. If the Barons win their first round match with Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2), and Harrisburg wins their match against the Aegean Hawks (USASA Region I), then Harrisburg and the Barons would meet in the second round for the right to play an MLS team in round three.
Donatelli puts Vancouver back on top with GW goal
Barons in the pros report (6/11)
Jeremiah White’s (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) AGF Aarhus have put themselves in an ideal position heading into the final two weeks of the Danish First Division season. With a 2-1 win over Nestved, combined with a loss by third place Fredericia, AGF are now in the driver’s seat to secure promotion to the Danish Superliga. White started and played 69 minutes on the wing in the important victory. Aarhus have a game in hand over Fredericia, and a win on Wednesday over 10th place Olstykke would put them six points clear with two matches to play.
AGF Aarhus’ remaining schedule
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Danish 1st Division
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GP
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
PTS
|
|
Lyngby
|
28
|
18
|
3
|
7
|
61
|
|
AGF Aarhus
|
27
|
16
|
6
|
5
|
53
|
|
Fredericia
|
28
|
15
|
8
|
5
|
50
|
|
SonderjyskE
|
28
|
15
|
9
|
4
|
49
|
|
Kolding FC
|
28
|
13
|
8
|
7
|
46
|
|
Top two are promoted to the Superliga
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June 13 vs. Olstykke (10th place)
June 17 vs. Kolding (5th place)
June 24 vs. HIK (last place)
Back in North America, Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) celebrated his 23rd birthday by starting and playing the whole game in Thursday’s trip to California to take on the expansion Victory. Unfortunately, the defending champion Vancouver Whitecaps suffered an upset, as the Victory claimed their club’s first win, 1-0. Prior to Thursday, they had gone winless (0-4-2) in their first six games.
However, on Sunday, the Whitecaps redeemed themselves with a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Thunder thanks to an impressive performance by Donatelli. Tony was the main offensive threat for all 90 minutes for the Whitecaps, and scored the lone goal in the 74th minute. The goal snapped a 351 minute scoreless streak, and a 3-game winless streak for Vancouver. The win also puts the Whitecaps back in first place in the USL First Division standings. Donatelli now has two goals and one assist in ten games this season.
It was a rough week for the boys at Miami FC, only earning a point in two straight home games against the Puerto Rico Islanders. Patrick Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) made four saves in a 2-2 draw on Thursday, and made four more on Saturday, but allowed a season-high four goals, in a 4-1 loss. Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) did not play in either game due to a minor injury.
Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) came off the bench in the second half and played 23 minutes in the Battery’s 2-1 loss at home to the Seattle Sounders.
In Harrisburg, not much to report on an individual basis, but it was another win for the City Islanders. Matthew Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) is still nursing an injury and did not play for the second straight game, but the City Islanders still won 4-2 over the Bermuda Hogges. Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) played briefly in the second half to help the team secure the win. With the win, the team is holding on to sole possession of fourth place in the USL Second Division.
This coming week is a big one for the former Barons, as it’s U.S. Open Cup week and AGF Aarhus has two huge games that could help them secure promotion into the Danish Superliga.
Barons in the Pros in the Open Cup
Aegean Hawks FC (USASA Region I) at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2)
Central Florida Kraze (PDL) at Charleston Battery (USL-1)
Miami FC (USL-1) at El Paso Patriots (PDL)
Jeremiah White, AGF Aarhus promoted to Superliga
Barons in the pros report (6/18)
Jeremiah White and AGF Aarhus clinched second place in the Danish First Division this past week and have assured themselves a spot in the Superliga next season. Last Wednesday, White started as a forward and picked up an assist on the opening goal in a 3-1 win over Olstykke. On Sunday, AGF secured the second spot in the table with a 2-0 win over Kolding FC. White returned to his regular right back position and played the full 90 minutes in the win.
|
Danish 1st Division
|
GP
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
PTS
|
|
Lyngby
|
29
|
19
|
3
|
7
|
64
|
|
AGF Aarhus
|
29
|
18
|
6
|
5
|
59
|
|
Fredericia
|
29
|
16
|
8
|
5
|
53
|
|
SonderjyskE
|
29
|
15
|
9
|
5
|
50
|
|
Top two are promoted to the Superliga
|
White becomes the first player from the Ocean City Barons to play in a top division Europe. The Superliga features teams like FC Copenhagen and Brondby IF. Copenhagen made headlines this past year when they upset Scottish powerhouse Celtic FC and Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League.
For the rest of the Barons, it was a slow week. The Vancouver Whitecaps and the Harrisburg City islanders had the week off.
Michael Todd started in last Friday’s 1-0 win at Montreal, where Byron Alvarez scored a dramatic 90th minute game-winning goal. On Sunday, the Battery were brought down to earth with a 5-2 drubbing at Rochester. Todd came off the bench late in the second half in the losing effort.
Down south, Miami FC held the Minnesota Thunder to a 1-1 draw. Patrick Hannigan made three saves in the game, and Chris Williams is still out of the lineup due to injury.
Barons in the pros in the Open Cup
First Round
Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) 4:0 Aegean Hawks FC (USASA)
Devlin and Nelson got the night off as the City Islanders took care of business.
Charleston Battery (USL-1) 3:0 Central Florida Kraze (PDL)
Michael Todd started and played 83 minutes.
Miami FC (USL-1) 2:2 El Paso Patriots (PDL) -- Patriots advance on PKs 4-3
Hannigan and Williams are knocked out of the tournament thanks to a late equalizer and penalty kicks.
Devlin and Nelson return to face Barons in Open Cup
Barons in the pros report (6/25)
It’s a special week for the Ocean City Barons as they are set to face off with the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night. To make it even more interesting is that two former Barons will return to play against their former club. Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) and Matthew Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) will lead the City Islanders into Ocean City to take on the Barons in a game where the winner will move on to take on DC United of Major League Soccer in the third round.
This past weekend, the City Islanders kept their momentum heading into Tuesday’s game by increasing their unbeaten streak to four games with a 2-0 win over the New Hampshire Phantoms. Nelson was between the sticks and didn’t have to make a single save for his fifth shutout of the season (2nd best in the league). Devlin started and played 69 minutes for Harrisburg, who have only lost one of their first ten games this season, the best start since the club began play in 2003.
Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) helped keep the Vancouver Whitecaps on top of the USL First Division table with four points in two road games this past weekend. However, three of the points came at the expense of Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA), Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) and Miami FC. Hannigan and Donatelli were teammates, not only with the Barons, but also at Temple University.
Donatelli played all 90 minutes and assisted on Eduardo Sabrango’s game-winning goal in the 87th minute to lead the Whitecaps over Miami 1-0 on Friday. Hannigan made four saves, and Chris Williams played the full 90 minutes in the losing effort.
On Sunday, Vancouver capped off a busy weekend with a match at Puerto Rico, but the Islanders held them to a scoreless draw. Donatelli came off the bench in the second half and picked up a yellow card.
Charleston also played two games this past weekend, hosting Atlanta on Friday, and traveling to Carolina on Saturday. Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) started and played the first half in a dramatic 2-1 win over the Silverbacks. They trailed 1-0, but the Battery scored the equalizer in the 87th minute, and converted a penalty kick in the 90th to seal the victory. The next day, Todd came off the bench late in the second half in Charleston’s 2-0 loss at Carolina.
Stay tuned next week as we announce some big news from one of our former Barons.
Barons in the pros in the Open Cup
First Round
Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) 4:0 Aegean Hawks FC (USASA)
Devlin and Nelson got the night off as the City Islanders took care of business.
Charleston Battery (USL-1) 3:0 Central Florida Kraze (PDL)
Michael Todd started and played 83 minutes.
Miami FC (USL-1) 2:2 El Paso Patriots (PDL) -- Patriots advance on PKs 4-3
Hannigan and Williams are knocked out of the tournament thanks to a late equalizer and penalty kicks.
Second Round
Harrisburg City islanders (USL-2) at Ocean City Barons (PDL)
Carey Stadium; Ocean City, NJ - 7:30 p.m.
LIVE AUDIO ON TEAMLINE
El Paso Patriots (PDL) at Charleston Battery (USL-1)
Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, SC - 7:30pm
Former Barons eliminate current Barons in Open Cup
Barons in the pros report (7/2)
One of the true success stories of the Barons youth development system, Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ), has officially signed his first professional contract. Maher recently joined his brother Anthony as a member of the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division. Check back with www.ocbarons.com in the near future for a full report of Matt’s new home.
Outside of Maher finding a home in Cary, North Carolina, the rest of the former Barons didn’t have much success in league play. However, in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, three Barons are still alive in the tournament.
The best performance of the week came from Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) and the Harrisburg City Islanders defense. Nelson made seven saves, and the defense cleared three balls off the line in a 2-1 win over the Ocean City Barons in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup. Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) came off the bench in the second half to help secure the victory in one of the most exciting games in Barons history. Harrisburg moves on to the third round to play DC United of Major League Soccer.
The following Saturday, the City Islanders lost 1-0 at the Richmond Kickers, snapped Harrisburg’s four-game unbeaten streak. Nelson made four stops in the game, and Devlin started and played 79 minutes. Harrisburg remains in fourth place in the league table with a 5-2-4 record, 10 points behind first place Richmond.
The Charleston Battery are still alive in the U.S. Open Cup after Anthony Catalano’s game-winning goal in the 75th minute to escape with a 1-0 win over the El Paso Patriots of the PDL. Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England), who was nursing an injury, did not play in the match.
In league play Michael Todd’s Battery and Tony Donatelli’s (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) Vancouver Whitecaps squared off with the teams finishing in a 1-1 draw. Donatelli started and played the whole game, while Todd was still injured and did not play. The Whitecaps remain in first place, while the Battery are holding on in sixth place, seven points behind the defending champions.
Miami FC, who have already been eliminated from the Open Cup, dropped two close 1-0 road games last week. On Thursday in Seattle, the Sounders got the best of the Blues, with both Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) and Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) playing the full 90 minutes. Hannigan made three saves in the losing effort.
On Sunday they traveled to Portland where Lawrence Olum scored the game-winner for the Timbers in second half stoppage time. Hannigan was given the night off, but Williams played the full 90 for the third straight game.
Miami has struggled lately, winless (0-4-2) in their last six games, and are third from the bottom of the First Division table. Luckily for them, the league is very tight this year, and they’re only five points away from the sixth and final playoff spot.
Nelson and Devlin win back-to-back on road
Barons in the pros report (7/9)
Tony Donatelli’s (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) and the first place Vancouver Whitecaps have struggled lately, winless (0-1-3) in their last three matches. Last week, Donatelli started and played the full 90 minutes in both games of a two-game road trip. First a scoreless draw at the Carolina RailHawks last Tuesday, and a 2-0 loss at the Atlanta Silverbacks. Despite their winless streak, the club remains at the top of the table, tied with the Rochester Rhinos. The Whitecaps have played two less games than the Rhinos.
Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) has yet to see the field in the first week of being on the roster of the RailHawks. Carolina are also winless (0-1-2) in their last three matches, with all three of those matches being played last week. The Hawks are in 8th place, only three points behind the sixth and final playoff spot.
Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) remains out of the Charleston Battery lineup due to an injury. Last week Charleston suffered a 3-2 loss to the red-hot Silverbacks on the 4th of July, followed by a scoreless draw at the Puerto Rico Islanders.
Miami FC snapped a six-game winless streak on the 4th of July with a 3-1 win over the expansion California Victory 3-1. Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) played all 90 minutes, and Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) had the night off. Miami are in 9th place, but are only five points behind the last playoff spot.
The Harrisburg City Islanders picked up two wins in as many nights last week. Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) earned back-to-back shutouts in a 2-0 win over the Wilmington Hammerheads on Friday and a 1-0 win over the Charlotte Eagles on Saturday. What’s equally impressive is the fact that both games were on the road. Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) played 90 minutes in the Wilmington game, and came on as a second half sub in the Charlotte match. Six points in two nights improves their record to 7-2-4 (25 points), which is good for fourth place in the league table. They trail the first place Richmond Kickers, who suffered their first loss of the season on Friday, by four points.
Barons in the Open Cup
July 9 - DC United (MLS) at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2)
July 10 - Houston Dynamo (MLS) at Charleston Battery (USL-1)
July 15 - Chicago Fire (MLS) at Carolina RailHawks (USL-1)
Former Barons pull off huge upsets in Open Cup
Barons in the pros report (7/16)
Of the four USL clubs to upset teams from Major League Soccer in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, three of them featured former members of the Ocean City Barons.
The Charleston Battery’s Stephen Armstrong converted a penalty kick in the 108th minute of overtime to knock off the defending MLS champion Houston Dynamo 1-0 last Tuesday. Michael Todd started and played the first half before coming out for tactical reasons. The Battery will host FC Dallas of MLS in the quarterfinals at Blackbaud Stadium.
On Wednesday, the team that eliminated the Barons from the Open Cup, the Harrisburg City Islanders, moved on to defeat DC United 1-0. Steve Fisher scored the game-winner in the 44th minute. Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) and the City Islanders defense held United without a goal and Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) played all 90 minutes. Harrisburg, playing in the Open Cup for the first time, have earned a date in quarterfinals at Gillette Stadium against MLS’ New England Revolution.
On Sunday night, the Carolina RailHawks eliminated the defending Open Cup champion Chicago Fire 1-0. It was McColm Cephas, who scored a hat trick against the Barons in the 2005 Open Cup when he played for the Richmond Kickers, who scored the game-winner for the ’Hawks. Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) did not play in the game, but his brother Anthony helped contribute to Cephas’ 56th minute goal. In the quarterfinals, Cephas and the RailHawks will host his old club, the Richmond Kickers, who knocked off the Los Angeles Galaxy to advance.
In league play....
Miami FC bounced back from their 6-game winless streak (0-4-2) with their second straight road win. They defeated the California Victory 3-1 last week and this week, they knocked off the Vancouver Whitecaps (2-1). Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) played all 90 minutes for the fifth match in a row, while Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) made three saves to earn his fifth win of the year. With the six points, the Blues improve to 6-10-2, and are currently five points back from the sixth and final playoff spot.
Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) played all 90 minutes in Vancouver’s loss to Miami, as well as the 1-0 loss at Seattle a few days prior. The Whitecaps, who have spent the majority of the season at the top of the table, have slipped to third (three points behind the first place Portland Timbers) after their six-game winless streak (0-3-3). Donatelli is currently tied for third on the team in scoring with six points (two goals and two assists).
Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) and the Charleston Battery returned from Puerto Rico with a pair of losses, bringing them down into a tie with Miami FC with 20 points, five points behind the playoff zone. Michael Todd started in the first game, a 2-1 loss, and came on as a second half sub in game number two, a 4-3 barnburner.
Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) has yet to make his debut for the RailHawks, who lost on a late goal at home against the Montreal Impact. Carolina is six points behind the last playoff spot with a 4-5-7 record.
The City Islanders battled to a scoreless draw with Crystal Palace Baltimore. Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) earned his league-leading eighth shutout, as Harrisburg held onto fourth place in the USL Second Division table. Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) came off the bench and played the majority of the second half.
Maher finds family in new home
Barons youth product, Temple grad, signs with Carolina
Cape May’s Matt Maher, arguably one of the greatest success stories to emerge from the Ocean City Barons youth system, has signed his first professional contract. He joins his brother Anthony as a member of the Carolina RailHawks, an expansion team in the USL First Division.
Maher began playing for the Barons at the Under-14 level and remained with the club through his days at Middle Township High School, where he was coached by his father, John Maher. He tied his brother’s single season scoring record (32 goals) at Middle Township and earned himself a scholarship from Temple University. He was a four-year starter for the Owls and earned a handful of individual awards. Throughout his college career, he played three seasons for the Barons’ PDL squad (2004 - 2006) where he ranks seventh all-time in minutes played (2,567).
"The PDL was one of the main reasons I was able to compete at the Division I level," said Maher. "Even after a great Division I soccer season, you could look forward to the same level of competition in the PDL during the summer."
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| Matt Maher (#13) with his older brother Anthony (#12), are now teammates with the Carolina RailHawks |
He helped the Barons to an undefeated regular season in 2004 (14-0-4), in a season where he scored 4 goals in 11 games. Another highlight from that magical season was during the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. When the Barons took the field against the Syracuse Salty Dogs of the A-League (now the USL First Division), there was a familiar face on the other side of the field -- Matt’s brother Anthony Maher. The Maher brothers joined the Dombrowski family from Milwaukee as the only family members to play against each other in the Open Cup in the professional era.
After the Fall soccer season during his senior year on North Broad Street, Maher traveled to Tampa, FL to participate in the United Soccer League’s Player Combine. After an impressive performance there, he drew attention from Miami FC (USL First Division), who later drafted him in the USL College Draft in the first round with the ninth overall selection.
"The USL Combine was a great experience," explained Maher. "I never could have imagined being drafted in the top 10. However, I did know that I impressed the Miami FC coaching staff the last day of the combine, because their GM pulled me off the shuttle to give me his business card. That was a great feeling."
It looked as though Maher was on his way from the beaches of Ocean City to the sands in Miami, but Matt did something few players in his position would do -- he put his education first. He delayed the beginning of his professional soccer career so that he could finish school at Temple.
The problem was, by taking the time to finish his degree, he wasn’t able to join Miami FC or any other club for pre-season training in the Spring. With that decision, he found himself in soccer limbo, a player without a team.
After graduating from the Fox School of Business in May, Maher moved to Cary, NC to live with his brother and began to train with the RailHawks. It looked like the ideal fit, living and playing alongside his brother on a brand new team in a top notch soccer park like SAS Stadium. Unfortunately, he would suffer an injury that would delay him signing with the club. After taking a few weeks to recover, he officially joined his brother on the Carolina roster halfway through the season by putting pen to paper on a contract through the 2008 season.
 Maher attributes much of his success to his new housemate.
"Anthony has been the biggest influence on my soccer career. If it wasn’t for him, I would not be where I am today. To get the opportunity to play on a professional soccer team with my older brother is priceless."
Matt Maher may have found an ideal fit for himself in Carolina. He’s expected to play a central defender role for the club, a bit different from his place in the midfield that he enjoyed for the majority of his time with the Barons.
According to Anthony, "Matty" will fit in really well with the ’Hawks.
"We have something very special, a true family on and off the field. A philosophy that [Carolina head coach] Scott [Schweitzer] has created. Compliment that with actually having your brother suit up next to you on the field, is something truly special and memorable. Definitely one of my top highlights in my career. I am a very proud brother."
MISL adds 4 former Barons in supplemental draft
Barons in the pros report (7/23)
Four players who played for the Barons have been drafted by teams in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Supplemental Draft. The MISL already features players like Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA), Steven Wacker (Temple Univ. / Philadelphia, PA), Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) of the defending league champion Philadelphia Kixx. The league could feature two others with Ryan Heins (Temple Univ. / Medford, NJ) being drafted by the Kixx, and Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ), being taken by the New Jersey Ironmen in the college draft earlier this year.
Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA), who has been playing well with Miami FC in the USL First Division, was taken with the seventh overall selection by the Kixx. Philadelphia also selected Adam Williamson (Lehigh Univ. / Ocean City, NJ) in the 14th round.
The Detroit Ignition, last year’s expansion team who lost to the Kixx in the championship game, selected goalkeeper Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) in the 3rd round. His teammate with the Harrisburg City Islanders, Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA), was drafted by the Baltimore Blast in the 11th round.
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In the USL Second Division, the Harrisburg City Islanders are unbeaten (3-0-1) in their last four games and are ready to make a run up the table. Last week they defeated the Cincinnati Kings 2-1 at home to move themselves within three points of second place, with two games in hand over third place Charlotte and second place Cleveland City. Brian Devlin started and played the full 90 minutes and assisted on what proved to be the game-winning goal by Brian Ombiji in the 36th minute. Matt Nelson made 10 saves to earn his eighth win of the season.
Adam Williamson started and played 65 minutes for the Wilmington Hammerheads in their 1-0 loss at the Charlotte Eagles. The Hammerheads are winless in their last four games, including a loss to Harrisburg last week.
In the First Division, Miami FC continued their good form with four points in two home games last weekend. They defeated Matt Maher’s Carolina Railhawks (Maher did not play) 2-1 on Friday and then earned a 1-1 draw against the California Victory on Sunday. Chris Williams started both games, his sixth and seventh straight start for the Blues. Pat Hannigan made two saves in the win over Carolina, but was given the day off against the Victory. Miami FC are now unbeaten (3-0-1) in their last four matches and are within two points of the final playoff spot.
Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) did not play in the Charleston Battery’s 2-0 win at home against the Portland Timbers. It snapped the Battery’s six-game winless streak, and also ended the Timbers’ seven-game win streak.
The Vancouver Whitecaps are winless in their last seven matches after a 2-1 loss at Portland on Thursday. Tony Donatelli started and finished the game, but it was the the fourth straight loss for the defending league champions. Despite the poor run of form, Vancouver is still near the top of the table. They’ve slipped into a tie for fourth place with the Rochester Raging Rhinos.
Chris Williams scores first pro goal
Barons in the pros report (7/30)
Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) has been a pleasant surprise for the USL First Division’s Miami FC. Williams was undrafted in the college draft, but impressed during a preseason tryout. Last Saturday, Williams connected for his first professional goal in a 4-1 win over the Carolina RailHawks. It was Williams’ eighth straight start for Miami FC who are unbeaten (4-0-1) in their last five matches and are one point behind Montreal for the final playoff spot. Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) made eight saves in the match to his seventh win of the season. The Temple grad is now tied for 2nd in the league in wins.
Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) did not play in the game, however, he earned his first start on Wednesday, June 25 in Carolina’s exhibition match against Cruz Azul of the Mexican League. The club lost 2-0 in front of a sold-out crowd, but the match report indicates the game was closer than the scoreline would indicate. After the club’s loss to Miami, it was their fourth loss in a row, and finish the month of July winless (0-5-2) in seven games. Carolina is now nine points behind the last playoff spot.
Last Friday, the Vancouver Whitecaps were minutes away from snapping their seven-game winless streak and picking up their first win in the month of July. Unfortunately, Seattle’s Greg Howes scored a 90th minute equalizer to bring the game to a 2-2 draw. Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) started, played the whole game and converted a first half penalty kick (his third goal of the season). Despite the winless streak, the Whitecaps are still in the playoff hunt, tied for 5th place with the Montreal Impact.
On the flip side, the Harrisburg City Islanders in the USL Second Division enter August after a perfect July (5-0-1). They finished the month with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace Baltimore last Wednesday. Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) played the full 90 minutes and Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) made five saves to earn his league-leading ninth shutout. He’s also 2nd in the league in goals against average with a 0.60.
On Saturday, Harrisburg defeated Western Mass 2-1 on the road. Nelson stopped four shots to earn the win. Devlin started and assisted on Brian Ombiji’s game-tying goal in the 65th minute. Ombiji would score the game-winner in the 87th minute to keep the club’s unbeaten streak alive. The City Islanders are now closing in on first place, two points behind the table-topping Richmond Kickers. The Kickers have two games remaining, and the City Islanders have three.
Wilmington’s playoff hopes may have been dashed already, but had a solid week of play. Adam Williamson (Lehigh Univ. / Ocean City, NJ) started last Wednesday and assisted on the second goal in the 29th minute in a 2-2 draw at home against first place Richmond. Two days later, Williamson was given the day off in a 2-0 win at Western Mass, and the following day he came off the bench late in the second half in a 3-2 loss at New Hampshire. In the game against the Phantoms, the Hammerheads had to play with 10 men for the last 30 minutes of the match.
Michael Todd and the Charleston Battery had the week off.
Maher helps Carolina advance to semifinals
Barons in the pros: Open Cup edition
It’s been a busy week for the Barons in the Pros. Three teams featuring former Barons competed in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. Out of those clubs, one of them moved on the semifinals. In league play, the Harrisburg City Islanders are fighting for home field advantage in the USL Second Division playoffs. Meanwhile, in the First Division, the Vancouver Whitecaps continue to fall down the table with Miami FC, the Charleston Battery and the Carolina RailHawks trying to fight their way into the postseason.
Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) is this week’s headliner, having one of the best weeks that a young player can have. Last Friday, he made his first professional start in a game featured live on Fox Soccer Channel. To make things even more special, he played well and helped the RailHawks earn a 2-0 shutout over the California Victory. The pressure was on for that match, not only because it was on national TV, but because the club had made a guarantee to their fans that they would win. The victory snapped an eight-game winless streak for Carolina, who moved within range of the last playoff spot.
What would he do for an encore? Head coach Scott Schweitzer put him in the starting eleven in Tuesday’s Open Cup match against the defending Second Division champion Richmond Kickers. Once again, Maher’s solid play helped the Carolina defense earn another shutout, with a 1-0 win over the Kickers. The RailHawks, in their first season as a franchise, will play the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer in the semifinals of the nation’s oldest cup competition on September 4.
Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) played another full game last Thursday, but his Vancouver Whitecaps weren’t able to break their winless streak after a 1-1 draw against the Puerto Rico Islanders. They will look to break their nine-game winless streak this Saturday at Portland. After that, they close out the season with six straight games at home.
Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) is in Thailand representing Great Britain (along with current Baron and Hofstra University player Rob Youhill) in the World University Games, so he hasn’t been with the Charleston Battery. Since he’s been gone, the Battery lost 2-1 to the Atlanta Silverbacks in league play, and were knocked out of the quarterfinals of the Open Cup by the same scoreline at the hands of MLS’ FC Dallas.
Miami FC with Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) and Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) had the week off. With only six games remaining, they play two crucial games this weekend. Friday they travel to Montreal to take on the Impact, and on Sunday they will host the Atlanta Silverbacks at Tropical Park Stadium.
The Harrisburg City Islanders, who are preparing for the USL Second Division playoffs, were also eliminated from the Open Cup quarterfinals by an MLS team. The New England Revolution dominated the majority of the match, with two first half goals, but Matt Tanzini scored a brilliant free kick late in the game to cut the lead in half, but the push for an equalizer fell short. Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) and Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) both started and played the full 90.
In league play, the City Islanders lost 1-0 at Cleveland last Friday. Devlin played the whole game and received a yellow card, while Nelson made two saves. They will wrap up their regular season schedule with a crucial home game against Crystal Palace Baltimore on Saturday. They need a win in order to have a chance at home field advantage in the playoffs.
Adam Williamson (Lehigh Univ. / Ocean City, NJ) and the Wilmington Hammerheads won’t be joining the City Islanders in the postseason. They suffered a 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace last Sunday. Williamson came off the bench late in the game, as the Hammerheads fell to 7th place. They wrap up their season on Sunday when they will host the Bermuda Hogges.
Youhill and Todd represent Great Britain
Barons in the pros report (8/13)
Former Baron Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England), and current Baron Rob Youhill (Hofstra / Harrogate, England) are representing Great Britain at the World University Games in Thailand. They drew Mexico, Morocco and Kazakhstan in Group D and managed to escape unbeaten. They began with a 1-1 draw against Mexico, followed by a 4-1 victory over Morocco and a 1-0 win over Kazakhstan. However, after escaping the group stage, they fell 1-0 to Canada in the quarterfinals. Look for a more complete report on OCBarons.com once the boys return from Thailand.
The USL Second Division regular season came to a close last weekend. Only one of the two teams featuring former Barons qualified for the postseason.
The Harrisburg City Islanders closed out their regular season campaign with a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace Baltimore. Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) made four saves and Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) started and played the full 90 minutes. It was Devlin’s fifth start in the last six games.
Devlin finished the season with two assists in 18 matches (12 starts).
Nelson was among the best netminders in the league this year and will be a leading candidate for the Second Division’s goalkeeper of the year award. In 18 starts, Nelson was 10-4-4 for the City Islanders who finished in third place. His 10 wins was tied for second in the league, while his 10 shutouts were a league-high. He was also second in the league in goals allowed (11), and goals against average (0.611).
Harrisburg’s loss on the final day left them one point behind the second place Cleveland City Stars and three points behind the first place Richmond Kickers. They will take on Cleveland City in a road match on Saturday, in the USL Second Division semifinals. The winner moves on to the league championship game, which will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel.
The Wilmington Hammerheads closed out their season on a positive note with a 3-0 win over the Bermuda Hogges. Adam Williamson (Lehigh Univ. / Ocean City, NJ) did not play in the season finale, but he finished the season with one goal, two assists in 14 games played. The Hammerheads finished in seventh place in the league table with a 4-9-7 record.
The USL First Division is in the home stretch, and it seems like the teams with former Barons on the roster are going to be fighting for the eight playoff spots.
Vancouver’s fall down the table is now at a dangerous level. Last weekend, they earned two draws, which extended their winless streak to 11 games and sole possession of sixth place. On Saturday, Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) started for the Whitecaps in their scoreless draw at the Portland Timbers. The next day, a Vancouver own goal before halftime, tied their home game against Minnesota at 1-1, which is how the game would end. Donatelli came off the bench in the second half to help the Whitecaps earn their fourth straight draw.
The last time the Whitecaps won a game was June 22, when they won at Miami FC. There’s good news and bad news with the ’Caps last five games of the season. The good news is, all five games are at home. The bad news is, they are 3-2-4 at home this year, and haven’t won a home match since June 10 (vs. Minnesota).
One of the teams chasing the Whitecaps is Miami FC. Last weekend, they managed a scoreless draw on the road at the Montreal Impact on Friday. Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) and Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) both played the full 90 minutes with Hannigan making eight saves. Two days later, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Atlanta Silverbacks. Hannigan was in net once again, making three saves, while Williams was a second half sub, breaking his streak of nine straight starts for the Blues.
Miami is three points behind Vancouver, but they only have four games remaining. They have back-to-back games at Puerto Rico next weekend, before they return home for two straight games to close the season.
The Carolina RailHawks have a much bigger hill to climb in the final weeks after a 2-0 loss at Rochester last Friday. Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) started his second straight league game (fourth straight, if you count exhibitions and Open Cup games), and played the entire game.
The Charleston Battery, without the services of Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England), defeated the California Victory 1-0 on Saturday.
Meanwhile, overseas, Jeremiah White’s (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) first season in the Danish Superliga is already well underway. White and his club AGF Aarhus are winless (0-1-4) in their first five matches in the top flight of Denmark. White started and played all 90 minutes in the first two matches, and has been an effective second half sub in the last three.
Devlin, Nelson send Harrisburg to USL-2 title game
Barons in the pros report (8/20)
Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) assisted on the game-winning goal in the 106th minute of overtime to lead the Harrisburg City Islanders to a 1-0 win over the Cleveland City Stars in the USL Second Division semifinals. Matt Nelson’s (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) 10-save shutout helped hand the Stars only their second loss of the season. Next Saturday, August 25, the City Islanders will travel to Richmond, VA to take on the Kickers in the USL-2 championship game, which will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel at 8:00 p.m.
In Europe, Jeremiah White (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) helped AGF Aarhus (1-1-4) to a 1-0 win over Brondby -- their first win as a member of the Danish Superliga. (WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE!). White drew high praise as he came off the bench in the 55th minute, and Aarhus scored an amazing game-winning goal in the 90th minute.
Meanwhile, in Thailand, Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) and Rob Youhill (Hofstra / Harrogate, England) led Great Britain to an 8th place finish at the World University Games. After winning their group, they were knocked out of the championship running by Canada 1-0, and then fell to Japan 5-1 to finish the tournament in 8th place.
With two former Barons battling for a championship, the rest of the First Division Barons are fighting just to get into the playoffs.
Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) played the full 90 minutes on the backline for the Carolina RailHawks in their 3-0 midweek win at the Charleston Battery. However, on Friday, Maher came off the bench late as the RailHawks only managed a scoreless draw at the Atlanta Silverbacks.
Charleston’s only game was the midweek loss to Carolina, which after a weekend off, it will be a difficult road for the Battery with four out of their five games being on the road.
The Vancouver Whitecaps freefall continued last weekend, as they fell 2-0 at home against the Montreal Impact. Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) played the whole game for the ’Caps whose winless streak reached 12 games. The loss dropped them into 7th place with four game remaining. Luckily for the Whitecaps, all four of them are at home.
And finally, Miami FC suffered back-to-back losses at the Puerto Rico Islanders. The first game, broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, was lost on a sloppy game-winning goal in the dying seconds of the game. Two days later, the Islanders topped the Blues again, 3-2, thanks to a hat trick by Willie Sims. Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) did not play in either game, and Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) played the full 90 minutes in Sunday’s game.
Harrisburg wins USL-2 title in 9 rounds of PKs
Barons in the pros report (8/27)
The Harrisburg City Islanders, led by strong performances by goalkeeper Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) and Brian Devlin (Penn State Univ. / Philadelphia, PA), won the USL Second Division championship on Saturday. After finishing regulation 1-1, and without an overtime goal, the City Islanders defeated the defending league champion Richmond Kickers 8-7 in a nine-round penalty kick shootout, that was seen on Fox Soccer Channel.
Nelson made three saves, including one save in the shootout. Devlin started and played 72 minutes. It’s the first championship for the City Islanders, who are only in their fourth year of existance.
Nelson’s impressive performance this year hasn’t gone unnoticed. After the win, assuming he survived being at the bottom of the celebration pile, he will join the Vancouver Whitecaps on loan for the remainder of the season.
| USL-1 STANDINGS |
PTS
|
GAMES REMAINING
|
| 6 |
Puerto Rico |
39
|
at ATL, at CHA
|
| 7 |
Vancouver |
34
|
vs MIN, vs ATL, vs POR
|
| 8 |
Carolina |
29
|
vs POR, at MIN, at CAL
|
| 8 |
Charleston |
29
|
at MIA, vs PRI
|
| 10 |
Miami FC |
28
|
vs CHA
|
| 11 |
Minnesota |
20
|
at VAN, at SEA, vs CAR, vs SEA
|
|
Top 8 teams make the USL-1 playoffs
|
He will join Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) and the ’Caps at a good time, as the club snapped their 12-game winless streak with a 1-0 win over the Charleston Battery. Donatelli started the game and played 82 minutes.
The Whitecaps’ winless streak didn’t ruin their playoff hopes. They are currently in 7th place and all three of their remaining games are at home.
The rest of the USL-1 teams featuring former Barons will be battling for a playoff spot down the stretch.
In addition to their 1-0 loss to Vancouver, the Charleston Battery also lost 1-0 at Portland last Thursday. The loss leaves them in a tie for the 8th and final playoff spot with the Carolina RailHawks. Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England), returning from representing Great Britain in the World University Games in Thailand, came in as a second half sub in the loss to the Whitecaps.
The Carolina RailHawks earned one of their biggest league wins of the season. They defeated the Montreal Impact 1-0 at home on Sunday, Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) did not play in the win over the Impact, but will likely contribute in the final three games, hoping to break the tie with the Battery. Carolina also has their semifinal match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at the New England Revolution (MLS) to look forward to on September 4.
Miami FC are only one point behind the 8th and final playoff spot despite their 2-1 loss at home to the Portland Timbers on Saturday. Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) made a pair of saves, and Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) did not play. The Blues next game is their season finale, at home against Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) and the Charleston Battery. With only one game remaining, they are going to need a win and some help in order to make the postseason.
Jeremiah White (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) and AGF Aarhus (1-4-2), fresh off their first win as a member of the Danish Superliga last week, played some "Monday Night Football" against Lyngby and finished in a scoreless draw. White made his first start of the season after performed well coming off the bench in the club’s first six games. His positive, and optimistic attitude about his role has been a subject in the Danish press.
Whitecaps welcome Matt
Vancouver Sun (LINK)
Maher in the Open Cup, Nelson helps Caps make playoffs
Barons in the pros report (9/5)
The Vancouver Whitecaps, after going 12 games without a win, snapped that streak with a win last week and then clinched a playoff spot with a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Thunder last Thursday. Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) started the game, but the biggest story was the debut of goalkeeper Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL), who is on loan from the USL Second Division champion Harrisburg City Islanders. Nelson made three saves and earned a clean sheet in his first match with his new club. The Whitecaps will conclude the regular season with two home games this season against Atlanta (Friday) and Portland (on Sunday).
| USL-1 STANDINGS |
PTS
|
GAMES REMAINING
|
| 6 |
x-Puerto Rico |
39
|
at CHA
|
| 7 |
x-Vancouver |
37
|
vs ATL, vs POR
|
| 8 |
Miami FC |
31
|
None
|
| 9 |
Carolina |
29
|
at MIN, at CAL
|
| 10 |
Charleston |
29
|
vs PRI
|
|
Top 8 teams make the USL-1 playoffs (x - clinched spot)
|
Miami FC finished their regular season on a positive note with a dramatic 3-2 win over the Charleston Battery. The Battery jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening 13 minutes, but Miami managed to score two goals of their own less than 15 minutes later. The match would remain tied until the 90th minute when Nico Mosquera scored the game-winner in the 90th minute.
Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) was outstanding in goal, making 11 saves to earn his eighth win of the season. Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) started and played the full 90 minutes. Hannigan finishes the regular season with a 8-11-3 record with two shutouts and a 1.52 goals-against-average. After this week, Hannigan is ranked second in the league in saves with 93. Williams had an outstanding rookie season, starting 19 of his 21 games, and scoring his first professional goal against the Carolina RailHawks back on July 28.
The win puts Miami in sole possession of the eighth and final playoff spot, but they will have to do some scoreboard watching as Charleston and Carolina only trail Miami by two points, and Carolina has two games remaining, and the Battery have one.
The Charleston Battery have been in a free fall, losing five straight games. Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) did not play in the club’s loss to Miami FC, which sets up a must-win season finale (on Fox Soccer Channel) against the Puerto Rico Islanders on Friday night. Anything less than a win and the Battery’s season is over.
The Carolina RailHawks had a chance to leapfrog Miami FC for that final playoff spot, but they fell 1-0 to the first place Portland Timbers in their home finale on Saturday. Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) did not play in the match, but he will most certainly see action in the week ahead, as the RailHawks begin a VERY difficult stretch.
After their game on Saturday, they faced the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday in New Britain, Connecticut. The RailHawks would take the Revolution to overtime, but their cup run would come to an end after Pat Noonan scored a goal four minutes into extra time to give the Revs a 2-1 win. Matt Maher did not play in the match, but his brother Anthony scored the opening goal in the sixth minute.
After that, the team flies out to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Thunder on Thursday night. Then they hop on a plane to California where they will take on the Victory in their season finale on Saturday night.
All that Carolina needs is four points from their final two league games to qualify for the playoffs. Anything less than that and they will need help to get in.
In Denmark, Jeremiah White (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) and AGF Aarhus continue to struggle in their first season in the SuperLiga. Last weekend they lost 2-0 to Viborg FF. Jeremiah White started the match at forward, and later moved to right wing in the second half.
Carolina and the Mahers qualify for playoffs
Barons in the pros report (9/10)
The final entry into the USL First Division playoffs came down to the final weekend of the regular season. Three teams featuring former Barons battled for the last spot and Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) and the Carolina RailHawks came out on top in the end.
After their 2-1 extra time loss to the New England Revolution in the Open Cup semifinals on Tuesday, the ’Hawks hopped on a plane to Minnesota to take on the Thunder just two days later. The travel could have played a role as Carolina lost 5-0 to Minnesota. In order to clinch a playoff spot, the RailHawks needed four points in their final two road games, and the loss meant they need to win their season finale at California and get some help from the Puerto Rico Islanders. The Islanders came through, holding the Charleston Battery to a scoreless draw on Friday night. That meant that Carolina’s 2-0 win over the California Victory on Saturday night was enough to punch their ticket to the postseason.
| USL First Division Playoffs |
Leg 1: Seattle at Carolina
(Friday - 7:30 p.m.)
Leg 2: Carolina at Seattle
(Sunday - 9:00 p.m.) |
Leg 1: Portland at Vancouver
(Friday - 10:00 p.m.)
Leg 2: Vancouver at Portland
(Sunday - 8:00 p.m. on FSC) |
Maher played the full 90 minutes in the loss to Minnesota, but was rested for Saturday’s game against Carolina. Maher played five league games for the RailHawks since signing late in the year and hopes to play a role in the team’s playoff run.
Carolina’s reward for making the playoffs is a date with the regular season champions, the Seattle Sounders. The RailHawks lost both games (one home, one away) to the Sounders this year, both 1-0 decisions.
Pat Hannigan (Temple U / Philadelphia, PA) and Chris Williams (Phila Univ. / Philadelphia, PA) of Miami FC, who completed their league season last weekend, were scoreboard watching and needed the Victory to either win or tie that final game for the Blues to make the playoffs. However, since Carolina won, they leapfrogged Miami, and left the Blues a heartbreaking one point short of the postseason.
Michael Todd (Hofstra / Cleveland, England) did not play in Charleston’s season finale against Puerto Rico, which left them two points short of the final playoff spot. Todd played in 15 games this year, mostly in a reserve role.
Vancouver, who clinched 7th place last week, concluded their season with back-to-back draws at home. On Friday, the Atlanta Silverbacks were in town and the game finished 1-1. Two days later, the ’Caps held Portland to a scoreless draw.
In the Atlanta game, Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) scored in the 81st minute to put Vancouver up 1-0, but Atlanta equalized in the 88th. Donatelli played the full 90 minutes in both matches. Donatelli finishes the season with four goals and two assists (10 points), which makes him the third leading scorer on the team. His four goals were second best behind Eduardo Sebrango’s seven tallies. Donatelli also played in 27 of the club’s 28 games.
Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) started both games, making three saves against Atlanta, and only needing to make one stop against Portland. Nelson played in three games since joining the club on loan from Harrisburg, and was unbeaten (1-0-2) in those games with two shutouts.
The Whitecaps will play against Portland in the first round of the playoffs which begin on Friday at Vancouver. The second leg of the aggregate series will be played on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time and can be seen live on Fox Soccer Channel.
Jeremiah White (Wake Forest / Lansdowne, PA) and AGF Aarhus had the week off in the Danish Superliga.
USL-1 Barons fall, Maher has surgery
Barons in the pros report (9/17)
The two teams remaining with former Barons on their rosters were eliminated in the opening round of the USL First Division playoffs this past weekend. The defending champion Vancouver Whitecaps were knocked out by the Portland Timbers and the Carolina RailHawks’ impressive debut season came to a close at the hands of the Seattle Sounders.
Vancouver was in the driver’s seat on Friday after Jason Jordan’s game-winning goal gave the Whitecaps a 1-0 win over the Timbers heading into the second leg at Portland. Matt Nelson (Lynn Univ. / Tampa, FL) made three saves to earn the shutout, and Tony Donatelli (Temple Univ. / Glenside, PA) started and played 76 minutes.
However, the tide shifted in front of a huge home crowd in Portland (8,522) on Sunday night. In a game featured on Fox Soccer Channel, the Whitecaps were defeated 3-0, eliminating the defending champs 3-1 on aggregate. Donatelli played the full 90, and Nelson’s four saves wasn’t enough to save the ’Caps.
The RailHawks’ home field advantage that they enjoyed all season long was washed away in a heavy rainstorm on Friday night. With barely 1,000 fans able to brave the elements, Carolina lost 2-0 to the Sounders. In the second leg in Seattle, Carolina had two players sent off late in the second half, and Seattle scored on a penalty kick in the 90th minute to finish off the RailHawks 3-0 on aggregate.
Matt Maher (Temple Univ. / Cape May, NJ) was injured and was unable to play in either playoff game. On the following Monday morning, Maher had hernia surgery and is expected to stay off the playing field for about a month, and will be evaluated at that point to see how well things are going. Luckily for him, he’s in good hands as he will be rehabbing in | |
