Rhinos get new life, but they're still looking for first points

Rochester coach says Timbers game could be "very tight"

By Steve Brandon

The Portland Tribune, May 7, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

DENISE FARWELL / THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE

Luke Kreamalmeyer, left, shown in a Portland Timbers game last season against Puerto Rico, got traded to Charleston before landing in Rochester. He'll be a key player for the Rhinos when they play at PGE Park Thursday night.

The Rochester Rhinos haven’t earned a point or scored a goal in two matches as they head to Portland today for Thursday night's soccer game against the Timbers.

But the club has won a victory of sorts.

The Rhinos were an endangered species not long ago. Their future in the United Soccer Leagues was up in the air due to major financial problems.

New owners emerged, but the former owners were sued for $10.8 million and lost a summary judgment in Chenango County on Monday. NBT Bank brought the suit, saying the owners were in default on paying back $10.6 million in loans that helped build PAETEC Park, Rochester’s $32 million downtown stadium.

Into the chaos and the club’s rebuilding program jumped former Rhino star Darrell Tilley. On March 26, he became the third coach in the club’s 13-year history.

Tilley, who lives in Cambridge, Ontario, a Canadian city about 62 miles from Rochester, had been teaching director a large youth soccer club (7,500 kids) in Canada.

But, “when opportunities come up to coach at the professional level, especially at a place where you had success, you just can’t turn it down,” he says. “Rochester is a fantastic place to play for.”

Tilley, 41, played there from 1998 through 2002, helping the Rhinos lead the league title in ‘98 and the U.S. Open Cup crown in ‘99. In 51 regular-season games, the native of Bristol, England, had 26 goals and 12 assists. His USL career ended after the ‘01 campaign.

Along the way, Rochester became known as one of the models for up-and-coming pro soccer in America.

The Rhinos have had to scramble a bit to get organized for this season, which at least in part explains their 0-2-0 start, with losses of 2-0 at Charleston and 1-0 at Minnesota. Only 11 players returned from the ‘07 squad.

“I got what I thought were quality players and what I felt the true fans in Rochester would like in terms of performance and attitude,” Tilley says. “It was hard to do, because it all happened at the last minute.”

Portland will be the Rhinos’ third of five road games to start the season. Rochester plays Saturday at Vancouver and next Wednesday at Seattle.

Tilley says he knows of no particular reason why Rochester isn’t playing at home until May 17 (against Charleston).

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