2001 USL A-League

USL A-League
Season2001
ChampionsRochester Rhinos
(3rd title)
Regular seasonRichmond Kickers
(1st title)
Top goalscorerPaul Conway
(22 goals)
← 2000
2002 →

The 2001 USL A-League was an American Division II league run by the United Soccer Leagues during the summer of 2001.

Summary

The addition of the Portland Timbers saw the renewal of a Pacific Northwest rivalry between them, the Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps which dated back to the North American Soccer League. Although Vancouver was not new to the league, this was the first season they competed in under the Whitecaps name, replacing the 86ers name used since 1986.

An ownership change in August 2000 brought a revival of the old Whitecaps name for the 2001 season. At the end of the regular season, the Richmond Kickers topped the league with seventy-six points. The playoffs were scheduled to begin on September 12, but those matches were postponed by a week due to the September 11 attacks.[1][2] Midfielder Mickey Trotman, a starter for the Rochester Rhinos, was killed in an automobile accident two days before the team's first semifinal match with the Milwaukee Rampage.[3] The Rhinos defeated the Hershey Wildcats to take its third league title in four seasons.[4]

League standings

Northern Conference

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD BP Pts
1 Hershey Wildcats 26 16 3 7 45 20 +25 8 75
2 Rochester Raging Rhinos 26 16 4 6 43 27 +16 6 74
3 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 26 10 4 12 39 39 0 6 50
4 Montreal Impact 26 10 2 14 29 37 −8 3 45
5 Connecticut Wolves 26 9 6 11 30 37 −7 1 43
6 Long Island Rough Riders 26 6 4 16 31 50 −19 5 33
7 Toronto Lynx 26 7 3 16 20 41 −21 1 32
Source: [citation needed]

Central Conference

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD BP Pts
1 Richmond Kickers 26 16 3 7 47 34 +13 9 76
2 Charleston Battery 26 16 1 9 51 34 +17 8 73
3 Charlotte Eagles 26 14 2 10 50 41 +9 8 66
4 Nashville Metros 26 14 2 10 47 48 −1 5 63
5 Atlanta Silverbacks 26 13 1 12 48 39 +9 6 59
6 Indiana Blast 26 8 0 18 38 55 −17 3 35
7 Cincinnati Riverhawks 26 6 0 20 39 80 −41 3 27
Source: [citation needed]

Western Conference

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD BP Pts
1 Vancouver Whitecaps 26 16 2 8 44 33 +11 8 74
2 San Diego Flash 26 14 1 11 55 42 +13 11 68
3 Milwaukee Rampage 26 14 2 10 45 40 +5 5 63
4 Portland Timbers 26 13 3 10 41 38 +3 7 62
5 Seattle Sounders 26 13 1 12 40 39 +1 4 57
6 Minnesota Thunder 26 9 2 15 29 34 −5 3 41
7 El Paso Patriots 26 8 4 14 39 42 −3 4 40
Source: [citation needed]

Playoffs

Bracket

First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
1 Hershey Wildcats 2 1 3
8 Charlotte Eagles 0 2 2 Portland Timbers 0 0 0
9 Portland Timbers 2 3 5 Hershey Wildcats 4 0 4
Vancouver Whitecaps 0 1 1
4 Vancouver Whitecaps 0 4 4
5 San Diego F.C. 2 2 4 San Diego F.C. 2 1 3
12 Atlanta Silverbacks 0 2 2 Hershey Wildcats 0
Rochester Raging Rhinos 2
2 Rochester Raging Rhinos 1 3 4
7 Charleston Battery 1 1 2 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 0 2
10 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 3 5 Rochester Raging Rhinos 3 1 4
Milwaukee Rampage 2 0 2
3 Richmond Kickers 2 1 3
6 Milwaukee Rampage (p) 3 0 3 (4) Milwaukee Rampage (a.e.t.) 2 2 4
11 Nashville Metros 2 1 3 (2)

First round

Pittsburgh vs Charleston

Pittsburgh Riverhounds (PA)2–1Charleston Battery (SC)
Gary DePalma 45'
Phil Karn 76'		 Report Yellow card 36' Yellow-red card 44' John Ball
38' Paul Conway
Bethel Park Stadium, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,152


Charleston Battery (SC)1–3Pittsburgh Riverhounds (PA)
Mac Cozier 22'
Jukka Rantala Yellow card 45'
Mac Cozier Yellow card 50'
Dan Calichman Yellow card 77'		 Report 3' Gary DePalma
45' Paul Dougherty
54' John Jones
Yellow card 64' Henry Gutierrez
Attendance: 2,606

San Diego vs Atlanta

San Diego Flash (CA)2–0Atlanta Silverbacks (GA)
Brian O'Connor Yellow card 43'
Thiago Martins 63', 72'		 Report Yellow card 5' Shaun McSkimming
Yellow card 36' Ian Checcio
Yellow card 54' Randy Merkel
Yellow card 74' Sean Michael Callahan
Attendance: 370
Referee: Richard Heron (USA)


Atlanta Silverbacks (GA)2–2San Diego Flash (CA)
Danny Care Yellow card 32'
Sean Finn 45', Yellow card 60'
Ryan Walker 90'		 Report 42' Chugger Adair
66', Yellow card 73' Thiago Martins
Attendance: 722

Portland vs Charlotte

Portland Timbers (OR)2–0Charlotte Eagles (NC)
Darin Lewis 10'
Mark Baena 19'
Neil Ryan Yellow card 26'
Darren Sawatzky Yellow card 43'
Michael O'Neill Yellow card 63'		 Report Yellow card 32' Jose Correa
Yellow card 73' Nate Watkins
Attendance: 4,771


Charlotte Eagles (NC)2–3Portland Timbers (OR)
Jacob Coggins 16'
Joey Johnson 19'		 Report 23' Michael O'Neill
82' Scott Benedetti
85' Greg Howes
Attendance: 2,100

Milwaukee vs Nashville

Nashville Metros (TN)2–3Milwaukee Rampage (WI)
Chris Morman Yellow card 20' Yellow-red card 73'
Brandon Wright Yellow card 72'
Jakob Fenger 82'
Jaymi Bailey 90'		 Report Yellow card 13' Judah Cooks
30', 61' Steve Butcher
Yellow card 77' David Hayes
Red card 77' Jason Russell
83' Igor Soso
Yellow card 90' Dennis Fadeski
Attendance: 810
Referee: Ali Saheli (USA)


Milwaukee Rampage (WI)0–1 (OT)Nashville Metros (TN)
Matt Bobo Yellow card 28'
Philippe Godoy Yellow card 72'
Destin Makumbu Yellow card 93'
Josh Provan Yellow card 98'
Judah Cooks Yellow card 99'		 Report Yellow card 27' Jeff Dominguez
Yellow card 84' Jakob Fenger
Yellow card 93' Andreas Maier
90' Jeff Houser
Yellow card 98' Jeff Houser
Penalties
Steve Bernal soccer ball with red X
Igor Soso soccer ball with check mark
David Hayes soccer ball with check mark
Steve Butcher soccer ball with check mark
Mike Slivinski soccer ball with check mark		 4–2 soccer ball with red X Dominic Schell
soccer ball with check mark Jakob Fenger
soccer ball with check mark Andreas Maier
soccer ball with red X Jeff Houser
Milwaukee County Sports Complex, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Attendance: 2,152

Quarterfinals

Milwaukee vs Richmond

Milwaukee Rampage (WI)2–2Richmond Kickers (VA)
Alen Soso Yellow card 10' Yellow-red card 82'
Philippe Godoy Yellow card 18'
Matt Bobo Yellow card 43'
Judah Cooks Yellow card 45'
Dennis Fadeski Yellow card 66'
Digital Takawira 73'		 Report 17', Yellow card 26' Josh Henderson
Yellow card 44' Mike Burke
Yellow card 63', 74' Kevin Knight
Yellow card 90' Chris Brown
Milwaukee County Sports Complex, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Attendance: 1,318
Referee: Michael Kennedy (USA)


Richmond Kickers (VA)1–2 (OT)Milwaukee Rampage (WI)
Peter Luzak Yellow card 68'
Rob Ukrop Yellow card 88'
Josh Henderson 90' (pen.)		 Report 35' Jim Curtin
gold-colored soccer ball 93' Igor Soso
Attendance: 4,107
Referee: Robert Mann (USA)

Hershey vs Portland

Portland Timbers (OR)0–2Hershey Wildcats (PA)
Gavin Wilkinson Yellow card 19'
Mark Baena Yellow card 43'
Michael O'Neill Yellow card 86'		 Report Yellow card 23' Nigel Henry
Yellow card 49' Mike Feniger
Yellow card 59' Chris Marinos
Red card 62' Chad Evans
71' Doug Watson
85' Fred DeGand
Attendance: 4,894


Hershey Wildcats (PA)1–0Portland Timbers (OR)
Mike Feniger 28'
Attendance: 1,048

Vancouver vs San Diego

San Diego Flash (CA)2–0Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)
Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar 67'
Emmanuel Ayim 84'		 Report
Douglas Stadium, San Diego, California
Attendance: 468


Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)4–1San Diego Flash (CA)
Darren Tilley 6'
John Sulentic 17', 90'
Steve Kindel 42'		 Report 35' Chugger Adair
Attendance: 6,782

Rochester vs Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Riverhounds (PA)2–1Rochester Rhinos (NY)
Welton Melo 62'
John Jones 81'		 25' (pen.) Stoian Mladenov
Attendance: 1,073


Rochester Rhinos (NY)3–0Pittsburgh Riverhounds (PA)
Martin Nash 30'
Neathan Gibson 53'
Jimmy Tanner 90'
Attendance: 4,107
Referee: Robert Mann (USA)

Semifinals

Semifinal 1

Milwaukee Rampage (WI)2–3Rochester Rhinos (NY)
Philippe Godoy 24'
Matt Bobo 61'
Jim Curtin Red card 78'		 Report 2' Lenin Steenkamp
15' Nate Daligcon
Yellow card 61' Fuseini Dauda
Yellow card 72' Kirk Wilson
76' Neathan Gibson
Yellow card 78' Scott Vallow
Yellow card 83' Tommy Tanner
Attendance: 271


Rochester Rhinos (NY)1–0Milwaukee Rampage (WI)
Scott Schweitzer Yellow card 16'
Neathan Gibson 41'
Mike Kirmse Yellow card 90'		 Report Yellow card 38' Igor Soso
Yellow card 45' Judah Cooks
Yellow card 45' Philippe Godoy
Yellow card 81' Brian Doherty
Attendance: 6,817

Semifinal 2

Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)0–4Hershey Wildcats (PA)
Report 21', 39' Kyle Swords
85' Zé Roberto
90' Doug Miller
Attendance: 6,685


Hershey Wildcats (PA)0–1Vancouver Whitecaps (BC)
Report 66' Darren Tilley
Attendance: 786

Final

Rochester Raging Rhinos (NY)2–0Hershey Wildcats (PA)
Martin Nash Yellow card 38'
Carlos Zavala Yellow card 38'
Stoian Mladenov 63', 87'		 Report
Attendance: 13,692
Referee: Eric Simmons (USA)

Points leaders

Rank Scorer Club GP Goals Assists Points
1 Paul Conway Charleston Battery 25 22 3 47
2 Dustin Swinehart Charlotte Eagles 23 18 3 39
3 Jakob Fenger Nashville Metros 24 14 6 34
4 Jeff Houser Nashville Metros 24 14 5 33
5 Digital Takawira Milwaukee Rampage 20 13 4 30
6 Kevin Jeffrey Richmond Kickers 24 11 7 29
Leighton O'Brien Seattle Sounders 24 11 7 29
Mark Baena Portland Timbers 24 13 3 29
9 Ignace Moleka Atlanta Silverbacks 19 12 1 25
Luis Macias El Paso Patriots 23 12 1 25
Chugger Adair San Diego Flash 22 10 5 25
Jason Jordan Vancouver Whitecaps 18 9 7 25
Rodrigo Costa Indiana Blast 21 11 3 25
14 Mark Rowland El Paso Patriots 26 7 10 24
15 Josh Henderson Richmond Kickers 21 10 3 23

Honors

Annual awards

References

  1. ^ Dvorchak, Robert (September 12, 2001). "Area sporting events step aside in wake of tragedy". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. B4. Retrieved August 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Huggins, Harold (September 19, 2001). "Metros to open playoffs against Rampage". The Tennessean. p. 3C. Retrieved August 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ DiVeronica, Jeff (October 4, 2001). "Rhinos' Trotman killed in auto accident". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester. p. 1D. Retrieved August 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ DiVeronica, Jeff (October 14, 2001). "A sweet repeat". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester. p. 1D. Retrieved August 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ 2001 A-League Awards Archived 2012-03-05 at the Wayback Machine