Chicago Riot soccer team set for debut in Baltimore
The Chicago Riot will make its Major Indoor Soccer League debut when the team travels to Baltimore to take on the Blast at 6:35 p.m. Friday, at 1st Mariner Arena.
The match, which is the season opener for both teams, includes a live webcast accessible at www.MISL.net. Spanish language web radio will be available at www.lamaquinadeportiva.com.
The new team, which includes many players from the defunct Rockford Rampage, is led by Riot head coach Jeff Kraft, who spent four season with Rockford.
“We're being thrown into the lion's den,” Kraft said. “For us, we're just getting that core group of guys on the same page. It's been tough, but these guys have stepped up to the plate. The guys know each other, and we know that every game is going to be a battle.”
The team will rely heavily on two players who have a combined 16 years of professional indoor experience assistant coach and midfielder Novica “Novi” Marojevic (entering his 10th season) and midfielder Semir Mesanovic (entering his eighth season).
Marojevic enters the season having played in 279 matches, contributing 159 goals, 130 assists and 414 points. His indoor career has spanned the Kansas City Attack, Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition and the Rockford Rampage. Marojevic did not play during the 2009-2010 MISL season.
“Novi's looking good,” Kraft said. “He's smart and he's creative, and that's why I brought him to the team. It's just a matter of getting the legs going.”
Mesanovic has played in 146 games, tallying 73 goals, 48 assists and 175 points, with stops at the Milwaukee Wave, Chicago Storm, California Cougars, Rockford Rampage and Philadelphia KiXX.
This season's Riot captain will be midfielder Fred Degand, who tallied eight goals, five assists and 23 points in 19 matches for Rockford during the 2009-2010 MISL season.
“He's got the experience and he's a fierce competitor,” Kraft said. “Everybody responds to him. Every year I like to pick a new captain, and this year I went with Fred.”
Jeff Richey will man the goal during the Riot's debut. The former Storm and Rampage goalkeeper has logged a shade more than 3,200 minutes in six seasons while posting a 30-25 record, 697 saves and a 0.726 career save percentage.
Late Wednesday, the Riot announced that forward Alex Megson will accompany the Riot in Baltimore. Megson, the son of former Tacoma Stars All-Star Neil Megson, was acquired this offseason from the Milwaukee Wave in exchange for future considerations. Megson played in one match for the Wave during the 2009-2010 season.
Chicago indoor roots
Nine players on the Riot's first-year roster have ties to the Chicago Storm, which played in the MISL for four seasons (2004-05 to 2007-08) and the Xtreme Soccer League for one season (2008-09): defender Chris Brisson, midfielder Fred Degand, defender Will Kletzien, defender Vladimir Knezevic, defender Eric Lukin, midfielder Novica Marojevic, midfielder Semir Mesanovic, goalkeeper Jeff Richey and forward Zlatko Zebic.
Familiar faces, local ties
Riot head coach Jeff Kraft is a Baltimore, Md., native. When the Rockford Rampage joined the National Indoor Soccer League for the 2008-2009 season, Kraft led Rockford to the title match against his hometown Baltimore Blast, only to fall short, 13-10. ... Baltimore midfielder Scott Buete formerly played for Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire in 2004 and 2005, tallying two assists during his rookie season in 2004.