Rampage Sprint to the Finish Line with Four Games in Eight Days
Published on February 15, 2018 under Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Cedar Rapids Rampage News Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - The Cedar Rapids Rampage have dealt with adversity all year so a little more won't get them down. The Rampage host the two-time defending Newman Cup champion Baltimore Blast on Friday, the first of four games in eight days to close out their regular season.
The Rampage have had to constantly adapt to coaching and personnel changes, but the remaining players have come together to win three of their last four games to return to .500.
Cedar Rapids can clinch the first playoff berth in team history with one more win or one more Kansas City Comets loss, and a win against the Blast would be about as sweet as any win could get, but the Blast have already doused the Rampage twice this year, 8-7 on November 10 in Baltimore and then 3-2 on New Year's Eve in Cedar Rapids.
In the last meeting, the Rampage had the advantage of facing the Blast on the back-end of their back-to-back road games, with both of their top scorers Tony Donatelli and Vini Dantas, out with injuries. This time, both teams will be fresh and Donatelli and Dantas are back on the field, but the Blast have since lost Lucas Roque (2 goals on 12/31) for the season and star goalkeeper William Vanzela is out for an extended period with a groin injury. Despite their injuries, the Blast have won nine in a row, and can clinch the Eastern Division title with a win.
Joey Kapinos was signed the day after Vanzela went down and has gone 4-0 in his four starts. He went 4-13 with the Rampage as their starting goalkeeper during the 2015/16 season and spent last season with Ontario, going 12-7. The Blast also signed former Rampage player/coach Jonathan Greenfield, who made his Blast debut on February 10.
After Friday's game, the Rampage will travel to face the Monterrey Flash (17-1) on Sunday, and will visit the Rio Grande Valley Barracudas (3-16) on Monday. Cedar Rapids will wrap up its regular season by hosting Monterrey next Friday, February 23, at 7:35pm.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from February 15, 2018
- Let's play two: Tropics tangle with San Diego Sockers for home weekend doubleheader - Florida Tropics SC
- San Diego Visits Sunshine State - San Diego Sockers
- Wave Looking for Payback against Arch-Rival Baltimore Blast Saturday Night - Milwaukee Wave
- Rampage Sprint to the Finish Line with Four Games in Eight Days - Cedar Rapids Rampage
- Ambush Face Syracuse Twice this Weekend - St. Louis Ambush
- Blast Game Preview and Game Notes - Baltimore Blast
- Syracuse Hosts Two Matches this Weekend vs. St. Louis - Syracuse Silver Knights
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