Sweet repeat

Rhinos top Hershey for A-League crown

WILL YURMAN Stoian Mladenov celebrates his goal in the 87th minute that not only gives the Rhinos a 2-0 lead, but ensures them of a second straight championship. Past title games Sept. 30, 2000: Rochester takes a 2-0 halftime lead on goals by Dan Stebbins and Yari Allnutt and cruises over Minnesota, 3-1, before 14,276 fans at Frontier Field. Oct. 16, 1999: The visiting Rhinos allow a goal just before halftime and in the first minute of the second half and lose 2-1 at Minnesota. Oct. 17, 1998: The powerful Rhinos get three goals from Darren Tilley in the first 34 minutes and dominate Minnesota in a 3-1 win before 13,772 fans at Frontier. Oct. 6, 1996: The expansion Rhinos lose goalie Billy Andracki to an injury in the 11th minute, and their Cinderella run ends with a 2-0 loss at Seattle.

By Jeff DiVeronica
Democrat and Chronicle

(Sunday, October 14, 2001) -- Hershey thought this was its year, the season it finally dethroned the Rhinos -- Kings of the A-League.

After being bounced the past three seasons from the playoffs by Rochester, Hershey won the Northern Conference crown over the Rhinos this summer. The Wildcats felt this was their time to win it all.

Not yet.

These Rhinos stubbornly protected their palace once again.

Last night, fourth-seeded Rochester crowned itself champion for the second straight season and third time in four years, beating No. 2 Hershey 2-0 before a pulsating crowd of 13,692 fans at Frontier Field.

Midfielder Stoian Mladenov's goal in the 63rd minute was the difference, goalie Scott Vallow came up with a game-changing save and Mladenov added a second strike in the 87th minute -- just to start what is becoming an annual celebration a tad early.

"I know these fans feel the electricity of being here, being a part of it," said coach Pat Ercoli, whose team also won title games in 1998 and last year at home, where it has won 16 straight postseason matches and gone an amazing 32-2-3 over the past two years. "This one has been so much more important because it was for Mickey."

The Rhinos (20-7-4) were motivated to win as a tribute to teammate Mickey Trotman, who was killed in an Oct. 3 car accident. He wore No. 14. A sign hanging over the outfield wall read: "This 1's 4 U," and when Trotman's name was announced during a post-game ceremony, the Rhinos pointed toward the sky.

The teams split four 1-0 matches this season. Rochester hadn't given up a goal at home in the playoffs and Hershey (19-9-3) hadn't allowed one on the road.

Something had to give.

After a scoreless first half, it nearly did.

In the 53rd minute, Hershey midfielder Ze Roberto dribbled through traffic and ripped a shot from 12 yards. The Rhinos

defended with tenacity all night, trying hard to limit shots, but Roberto slipped through. Vallow was there, though, diving left to get a hand on it to deflect it just wide. It was the save of the match, maybe the season.

"I thought we had them where we wanted," Hershey coach Bob Lilley said. "But it's a credit to Rochester. They keep coming. They're resilient."

That's when the pace quickened.

Ex-Rhinos star Doug Miller entered for Hershey in the 56th minute, but it was Rochester that seized the lead seven minutes later.

Forward Kirk Wilson ran free up the left flank and passed to Mladenov in the middle. He swung it wide right to Martin Nash just inside the box, and the Canadian midfielder managed to slide it to Mladenov in the middle, about 15 yards out. He took a touch to his left and struck a low liner back to the right between defenders Mike Henning and Nigel Henry.

Jon Busch had no chance.

Mladenov, the Bulgarian who revved up the Rochester attack after a midseason trade, had done it again. He had 10 goals and 10 assists in 22 games. The Rhinos scored 10 goals in their first 10 games before he arrived.

"You give a player like Stoian enough time, he's going to find a corner," Lilley said.

Said Busch: "I think we got caught ball watching."

Some players rush that shot. Not Mladenov, who played the past three title games (two losses) as a member of the Minnesota Thunder.

"That's Stoian," Ercoli said.

Wilson's run was something the Rhinos talked about. They knew they wanted to get wide and then couldn't waste time against a defense that had a league-best 16 shutouts.

"Cut in and go to goal or cut it across because they close you down quickly," Ercoli told his team at halftime.

Wilson, another first-year Rhino, nearly made it 2-0 a minute later, but Busch dived to punch his shot away.

"I thought he really made things happen," Hershey defender Drew Kopp said of Wilson.

He also set up the insurance goal, cranking a shot off the right post. The rebound went to reserve forward Jimmy Tanner and he found Mladenov alone in front again.

Done deal.

Mladenov scored from 16 yards, just inside the right post, this time with his right foot. Asked afterward if he is left- or right-footed, he said, with a grin. "Tonight, I was both."

Miller sent a shiver into the crowd in the 86th minute with a 28-yard shot, but it was right at Vallow.

"It gets more gratifying each year," said fifth-year Rhinos defender Mali Walton. "I've never won anything back to back, so to repeat is so much sweeter."