THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 7, 1996 TAG: 9606070603
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 45 lines
The magic number is six. As the Hurricanes, the Hampton Roads professional soccer team strung together six straight wins in a season. Last year, the Mariners matched the mark.
Now, just 10 games into the season, the Mariners can again tie that franchise mark. Midfielder Mark Waite has fueled the surge, scoring in each of Hampton Roads five games. Against Charleston last week, Waite blasted a half volley to put the Mariners out of reach at 2-0. He downplayed the early-season streak, concentrating instead on the Mariners continuing climb toward the top of the Select League standings.
``I really don't think about it,'' he said. ``You enjoy winning. We just want to keep on winning. What you think is, `Let's not lose this game.' ''
Both of the Mariners losses were shutouts. So far, if they score, they win.
Waite's role on the team increased this week when he stepped back into the team captain slot. Forward Wayne Pratt captained the Mariners until he suffered a season-ending knee injury Saturday.
``Pratt is a big loss for us,'' Waite said. ``We do have a big squad with lots of players, so hopefully someone can step up for us.''
REPLACING PRATT: At forward, Hampton Roads will probably start Sterling Wescott, Paul Cann and Jesse Marsch this weekend. However, coach Shawn McDonald points out that none of these forwards possess the combined speed and defensive talent of Pratt.
``He could defend against a quicker player,'' McDonald said. ``Every team that had somebody quick on the flank, Pratt could neutralize him. We don't have anybody else that can do that.''
McDonald said Dustin Swinehart and Shane Weems, who dresses for the first time tonight, will now fill the role of shutting down speedy opponents.
WEEMS DEBUT: Weems missed the Mariners opening nine games with a recurring arthritic condition in his hip. his debut comes one week after Hampton Roads faced his former team, the Charleston Battery. He is still recovering and is not expected to see more than 15 minutes of playing time tonight.
EALES FREED: After weeks of fighting to obtain loan paperwork, forward Darren Eales was finally loaned to the Mariners by the A-League New York Fever Thursday.
McDonald said he received the loan paperwork Thursday morning and was filing it by close of business. It should clear the United States Soccer Federation by mid-week and Eales can play as early as June 14. by CNB