Wolfe Shines In Professional Debut - Hammerheads win 3-0

The Wilmington Hammerheads notched another win this weekend moving them into 4th place in the American Division.  The Charleston Battery were outmatched for most of the game, but managed to keep the game close until Battery defender and captain John Wilson received a straight red card. Luke Mulholland netted his 2nd goal of the season in the 27th minute and when the Battery were reduced to ten men, he struck again, netting his 2nd goal of the night and 3rd of the season in the 85th minute.

A crowd of over 4,700 came out for the interstate rivalry and they made their presence felt.  In the 90th minute, Hakop Aveyson put the nail in the cofen off an assist from Tanner Wolfe. Wolfe got his first minutes ever as a professional, when he was subbed on right around the 86th minute mark.  It's been a long time coming for Tanner Wolfe and Richard Jata, who both starred as high school seniors on the same varsity team.Both had very successful college careers for their respective squads and it's great to see them playing alongside each other at the professional level.

Current USL PRO Power Rankings - Hammerheads On The Rise!!

Injury & Weekend Update: Jata received some treatment on his leg today so hopefully he can rebound in time for the teams double header next weekend.  The Hammerheads will take on the Rochester Rhinos Friday night and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday night. Both teams will be out for revenge after losing earlier in the year at Legion Stadium in Wilmington,NC.  Hopefully the games will be shown on usllive.com, so have a look as the weekend draws near.

Hammerheads vs. Battery - Official Match Recap (Star News Online)

Post Game Notes & Highlights - Hammerheads Blog

For another recap of Saturday night's game against the Charleston Battery and quotes from the players and coaches, check out the official Hammerheads Blog by Tom Grady of the Star News.

Revamped Divisons Make For A Tough Road Ahead

With the removal of three teams from USL PRO, the International Division has been removed.  Since Antigua Barracuda FC(6-4-0) and the Los Angeles Blues(4-2-2) have been moved to another division, in order to fix the fixture layout, the American Division just got even tougher.  With a 6-4-0 record Antigua jump straight into second place, right behind the still undefeated Richmond Kickers.

The Wilmington Hammerheads currently sit in 5th place of the American Division, but they've only played four games.   Their record is 3-1-0 and they are averaging 2.0 goals per game, while only giving up 1.0 goals per game. The Hammerheads and Harrisburg City Islanders have played the least amount of games so far.  Antigua Barracuda has played ten games and 3 other teams have played eight.

If the Hammerheads are victorious today over the always talented Charleston Battery, they will jump ahead of them into fourth place of the ever so competitive American Division.

Injury Update
Chris Spendlove - Doubtful
Jamie Scope - Doubtful
Richard Jata - Questionable

Jata has been out for the last two weeks with a shin/knee contusion.  The extent of the injury is uncertain at this point, but while practicing a bit here and there, he has struggled to get back to 100 percent. I'm fairly confident Jata will sit out again for today's match and not sure at what point in the season he'll make his return.

Key Additions
With Jata sitting out the last two weeks, Chris Banks has stepped up to give the Hammerheads an extra attacking weapon. He notched two goals in last weeks' win and I'm looking for him to step it up again to help keep their undefeated streak at home alive.

Hammerheads Blog - Quotes, Divisional Format, Upcoming Schedule and the Southern Derby Cup

Watch The Game Again Thanks To usllive.com

Usllive.com gives you the option to watch the Hammerheads vs. Riverhounds game from last Friday free of charge. If you weren't able to catch the game in person or online, or you just want to see the last few minutes again, check out the video below. For goal times and a write-up of the game see my post from April 29th.

Jata Says F50's Work Great On The New Turf (Videos)

Since the brand-new artificial turf was laid down at Legion Stadium in Wilmington, NC, the Hammerheads are undefeated at home. However, some of the players have decided to go with a different boot because the surface presents various challenges when striking the ball.  Soreness in the bones and muscles are also a concern due to the rigidity of the field. It's a comfort thing, so those with more experience playing on fake grass might not be affected as much.


For more on this video, along with quotes from Head Coach David Irving and forward Alex Grendi, check out this article by Tom Grady of the Star News. He write the Hammerheads Blog as well.

The main difference between a normal boot and one that's made for artificial turf is the length of the cleats. Shorter cleats help with both the plant foot and the foot striking the ball.  The plant foot tends to get stuck in the surface with longer cleats so this can be essential for corner kicks and set-piece specialists. The length of the cleat also helps the player get under the ball and control the lift. Another major difference between the F50 Aidzero and other cleats is the lightweight design.  The F50's are only 5.6 ounces, making them one of the lightest boots on the planet.  Imagine what a lighter boots does to help a player on the field. The less weight you have on your foot should make for a quicker and more powerful strike.  Chasing opponents down and off the ball runs should improve as well.

Arguably the best soccer player in the world, Lionel Messi, has chosen to play with the F50 Adizero cleats and it looks like they're working out just great for him. He is the quickest and most controlled dribbler I've ever seen. Honestly, he'd be great playing in any cleat, but I'm sure he chose the F50's for a reason. I've heard that they actually help the ball stick to the cleat, allowing for better overall control when dribbling. Messi keeps the ball so close to his body making defenders look silly when they try to swipe at it. Will the F50's help Richard Jata do the same? We'll see, he sure looked quick last game.