The Howler

As the professional team moves to virtual workouts, Anthony Velarde has had a special guest join the group during the sessions.

While the players are in the midst of body-weight exercises, his 4-year-old daughter has occasionally joined fray.

“She’s a fighter,” Velarde said. “She likes going in. She actually joined us in the video. She loves video, joining in and all that stuff.”

Originally, Velarde’s daughter did not show much interest in soccer but now the sport is starting to grow on her – a sport that has run in the family.

When the attacking midfielder grew up in the Los Angeles area, he played for a local soccer club and competed against and alongside his two brothers, one elder and one younger.

“Since we were young, my father engraved the game in us,” Velarde said.

While Anthony played at Fresno Pacific University, he teamed up with his older brother Eric for his freshman season with the Sunbirds. Meanwhile, his younger brother Christian has just begun his collegiate playing career. Of the group, Anthony is the most offensively minded player while the other two are more defensive-minded.

Although their days playing together as children are in the past, the trio will still get together to train in the offseason and at other times as possible – all of which Anthony cherishes.

“Those are the moments you don’t forget, even when you become a professional,” Velarde said. “Those memories will never be taken away. Those are probably the best memories you’ll have as a kid.”

Now Velarde is looking forward to playing games in front of the Highmark Stadium environment once again. As his second season with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is temporarily put on hold, the memories from his rookie 2019 campaign are still fresh. And are moments he will look to build off of in year two.

“That first game is unbelievable,” Velarde said. “I started the first home game last year, and it was an unbelievable environment. I miss being around teammates and being able to come together. Playing in front of your home crowd, the people who support you and want you to succeed, you can never take that for granted.”

After arriving with the team midway through the 2019 campaign, Mark Forrest was ready to kick off his first-full year with the club.

But instead of currently playing games on the pitch at Highmark Stadium and at venues around the USL Championship, he finds himself spending time at his parents’ house just outside of Tampa, Florida during the season suspension, which currently runs through May 10.

“It’s been weird, being so close to the start of the season and now being on hold for a while,” Forrest said. “It’s definitely a situation that nobody could’ve really prepared for. I think everyone has been pretty good about it.

“I’ve been trying to heed the advice of everyone and trying to stay home as much as possible.”

While staying at the home in the Sunshine State, the striker has been working on training exercises provided to him by the coaching staff. This largely consists of different body-weight exercises and ball-work drills.

Soccer isn’t the only sport Forrest has been looking forward to playing again. Once he returns to the Pittsburgh area, he’s awaiting to where he and a golf group left off.

Last year, Forrest joined forces with Robbie Mertz and former Hounds Noah Franke and Kyle Morton on the golf course. With half of this group no longer with the club, there will be a couple of spots to fill in 2020.

Playing at courses all around Pittsburgh, many times Forrest would pair with Mertz in a two-person team showdown, a faceoff they’d often win. But as for the best golfer in the group, Mertz would take that title.

“I’m not going to pretend I’m better than him,” Forrest said. “He’s definitely a little better than me.”

Back to the greens of Highmark Stadium, Forrest and the Hounds will look to build off of last year’s season, which saw the squad earn the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the USL Championship playoffs.

Forrest said he is looking forward to making a greater impact in his second campaign with the team, once the suspension ends.

“As a team, we want to look to keep doing what we were doing from the year before,” Forrest said. “We had a tremendous season last year, so if we can replicate that it’d be a job well done. It’s about going back to Pittsburgh, hopping in to where we left off and getting back to it.”

Hunter Ashworth has already had a different type of rookie season than most players.

On trial with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for the second half of preseason action, the center back signed his first professional contract this past March 10. Just two days later, his and the Black and Gold’s season would be put on hold.

“The last couple weeks have been unexpected,” Ashworth said. “At this point, we would’ve been playing games, had our home opener and things like that. The priority is the health of all of the players and everyone at the club, and that goes for everyone around the world.”

Currently, Ashworth has returned to his home in Los Angeles. While there, he has partaken in a training regimen created by the coaching staff, which allows players to continue workouts individually.

California is also where he spent his collegiate career, splitting time between the University of San Francisco and UCSB. During this time, he also gained international experience.

Being eligible to compete for the New Zealand National Team due to family ties, Ashworth suited up for the squad during the 2017 U-20 FIFA World Cup, in addition to the 2015 U-17 FIFA World Cup. In both of these competitions combined, he made seven appearances and scored two goals.

“I think the biggest thing I take away from that experience is being composed,” Ashworth said. “I think it taught me how to keep a level-headedness. I hope that’s something I can continue working on as I continue with my career for the Hounds.”

While Ashworth progresses through workouts at home, he still keeps in contact with teammates. From time to time, they check in with each other to see how they’re doing and how their situations compare.

And although his rookie season has been put on hold, his professional debut will surely be a special one.

“I look forward to playing in front of great environments,” Ashworth said. “I’m looking forward to getting on the pitch and getting my first few touches as a pro player. That’s the most exciting part for me, putting on the jersey and getting out in front of the fans for the first time.”

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC was just two days away from its originally scheduled season opener when the USL Championship announced the campaign would be suspended.

With the season now halted through May 10, the Hounds will have nine games postponed – all of which the league is planning to reschedule at a later date. The unprecedented nature of these postponements in the USL Championship, and across the sports world, has created unique challenges for professional sports organizations like the Hounds.

Across two decades of experience, this is the first time head coach Bob Lilley has dealt with a situation mirroring these circumstances. The closest thing he has coached through in regard to an extended suspension came after Sept. 11, 2001.

That season, the league delayed the first round of its playoffs for about two weeks before starting up again. Lilley, who served as the head coach for the Hersey Wildcats at the time, would see his team advance to the 2001 USL A-League finals, where they fell to the Rochester Rhinos.

But as that hiatus happened at the end of the season, this one interrupted the Hounds before they played their first regular season match, which creates for a different set of hurdles.

“A challenge is to get players fit enough to start up again,” Lilley said. “Getting back into game mode is tough to do without playing any more preseason or exhibition games.”

Heading into the original start date of the 2020 season, Pittsburgh competed in eight preseason games, facing opponents from the collegiate to the professional ranks. Once the current suspension and restrictions are lifted, the team could have about two to three weeks to be back on the field together before game action resumes.

In the meantime, players have received detailed training regimens from the coaching staff, which will help them maintain their fitness levels away from the team environment.

“The big thing when we get back will be raising the fitness level of guys in game-type situations,” Lilley said. “Making everyone sharper in those situations and getting our rhythm back.”

This season, Pittsburgh returned nine players from the 2019 campaign while the remainder of the roster features players in their first season at the organization. Once matches resume, it’ll take an entire team effort to obtain results and points in the standings.

As the league intends to reschedule all postponed matches, it could create a situation in that the Hounds have a larger number of two-game weeks and busier months ahead of them. Due to this, there could be an increase in player rotation over the course of the season.

“This was a new group, so there was a lot of learning in terms of how we wanted to play,” Lilley said. “A lot of that is in place as we went through more and more preseason games. A lot of that is in place now.”

With the 2020 season on pause, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and its fans will have to wait until the club kicks off in the home confines of Highmark Stadium. While the city longs for soccer to return to the banks of the Monongahela River, here are some of the club’s top home opener moments.

1999: The first-ever match

On May 1, 1999, a franchise made its debut. In front of a sellout crowd at Bethel Park High School Stadium, the Hounds took on the Cincinnati Riverhawks in their inaugural match.

Emil Haitonic scored the first goal in club history during the 30th minute before Tenywa Bonseu added another for the squad during the 75th minute. The game was a nail-biter until the end, when it advanced into penalty kicks. Pittsburgh fell 4-3 in penalties, but the club would rebound exactly one week later with its first-ever win at the home stadium.

2004: A 5-0 rout

The 2004 season ranks among the best in club history, as the Hounds put together a 17-2-1 record en route to a division championship. For the team’s first home match, it put on a show against the Northern Virginia Royals at Moon Area High School Stadium.

Eventual Rookie of the Year Said Ali potted a brace in the first half and David Flavius completed a brace of his own come the second half of play. Late in the match, Matt Chulis tacked on another goal for good measure, giving the team a 5-0 victory. This marks the largest home opener win in Riverhounds SC history.

2008: A return to the pitch

Taking the 2007 season off to reevaluate business operations, the home opener of the 2008 campaign marked a special moment – the return of professional soccer to Pittsburgh.

This season, the Hounds battled long-time rival Harrisburg City Islanders (now known as Penn FC) in their return to the pitch at Chartiers Valley High School Stadium. Just two minutes into the match, Pittsburgh scored its first goal at home since the hiatus, courtesy of Edward Hayden. The in-state rival would eventually tie the score in the 77th minute, which brought the match to its final of 1-1.

2013: Highmark Stadium grand opening

After years of playing at high school stadiums, the Hounds found a home of their own in 2013: Highmark Stadium.

The first-ever match played on its turf pitted Pittsburgh against the City Islanders in front of a sellout crowd. José Angulo scored the venue’s first-ever tally in the 70th minute to give the Hounds the 1-0 advantage. However, Harrisburg would ultimately storm back for the 2-1 win.

2015: A hat trick plus a brace

The Hounds yet again met the City Islanders in a high-scoring 2015 clash at Highmark Stadium. As both teams combined for a total of seven goals, Pittsburgh notched five of them with a hat trick and a brace.

Long-time Hound Kevin Kerr posted the hat trick, scoring in the 11th, 52nd and 78th minutes. Rob Vincent joined him on the scoresheet, posting tallies in the 5th and 90th minutes. This is the only match in team history where a pair of Hounds teamed up for a hat trick and a brace.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (0-0-0) travels to North Carolina to open its season against the Charlotte Independence (1-0-0) at 7 p.m. this Saturday at Sportsplex at Matthews. As the Hounds look to build on last season’s success, here are a few things to look for ahead of Saturday’s matchup.

1.) REVENGE

The Independence got the better of the Riverhounds in Charlotte last season. 

Although the Riverhounds got the last laugh, finishing atop the Eastern Conference, but look to make right on last season’s away loss.

When the two teams faced off in Pittsburgh, the Hounds struggled to capitalize on several great opportunities. Their defense was stellar (as always), but looks to come out of the gates firing on Saturday.

2.) REGULAR SEASON POINT STREAK

The Hounds have gained a point in each of their last 11 regular season games, and in 17 of their last 19.

The last true loss was at the hands of North Carolina FC on Aug. 17. The last time before that? In Charlotte, courtesy of the Independence, on July 7. 

The Hounds look to avenge their only loss in July last season.

3.) NEW FACES

It’s no secret that the Hounds will feature many veterans that look to make an instant impact.

Tomas Gomez, for instance, has experience playing under head coach Bob Lilley. He won two Golden Gloves Awards during his two seasons playing for Lilley at the Rochester Rhinos.

Ropapa Mensah brings the ability to score at a high level. Mensah scored six goals for Nashville SC last season, tied for second on the team.

Dakota Barnathan brings previous USL Championship experience to Pittsburgh. He started all four of Sporting Kansas City II’s postseason games during their title-game run.

Tony Walls, captain of the Rhinos during their championship-winning run, gained All-League First Team honors in 2015. He logged 24 appearances for the Chattanooga Red Wolves of USL League One last season.

Lastly, Skylar Thomas brings 95 games of USL Championship experience to the Hounds. His last stint was for the Charleston Battery in 2017-18, making 48 appearances in two seasons.

With the release of the 2020 USL Championship regular season schedule earlier this week, soccer season is right around the corner once again in the Steel City.

Fresh off of a 2019 campaign that saw Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC finish as the regular season Eastern Conference champions, the team will look to build off of that momentum during its 34-game slate this season.

Here is a look at some highlights from the 2020 Hounds schedule unveil.

Highmark Home Stretch

The Hounds enter the final stretch of the regular season with a five-match month of August, with four of those five coming at home at Highmark Stadium. 

Pittsburgh’s dominance at home has been well-documented, and it’ll take any advantage it can get down the stretch once the playoff picture comes into focus. 

After heading out on the road for a tilt against Memphis 901 FC on Aug. 5, the Black and Gold return home for three straight home games, including back to back matches against a pair of playoff teams in New York Red Bulls II and Tampa Bay Rowdies. 

They close out the home stand with a Saturday night showdown against Sporting Kansas City II. 

Clash of the Titans

The Hounds will have one of their hardest tests of the regular season on Sept. 13 when they head out on the road for a clash at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Indy Eleven. 

Fresh off a 2019 campaign that saw them finish in third place in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings just five points behind the Riverhounds, Indy will be looking to build off that momentum during these stretch run to the 2020 playoffs.

Indy defeated the Black and Gold, 2-1, last season in their only trip to Lucas Oil Stadium. 

Season Finale

Pittsburgh closes out its 2020 regular-season slate at home against the Charleston Battery, another playoff team from the 2019 campaign.

And while a perfect world would have the Hounds wrapping up their playoff picture well before the final game of the season, history has shown that is not always the case. 

After all, it wasn’t until the final game of the 2019 campaign that the Black and Gold locked up the No. 1 overall seed in the USL Championship Eastern Conference playoffs with a win over Birmingham Legion FC.  With a 2020 season that figures to be just as competitive, it could very well come down to the final day of the season.

On The Road Again 

Riverhounds SC faces perhaps its toughest stretch of the season in the month of June, playing four straight road games against Miami FC, Philadelphia Union II, Atlanta United 2 and Loudoun United FC before closing the month at home against Indy Eleven.

While the Black and Gold weren’t quite as dominant on the road as they were at home in 2019, they still managed to put together a very impressive 9-4-4 mark away from Highmark Stadium, including a 2-1 road win over Loudoun on Oct. 1.

It will also mark the first matchup in club history between the Hounds and newly added Miami FC.

Fourth of July Showdown

Riverhounds SC will once again have a home game on the Fourth of July, taking on North Carolina FC Saturday evening at Highmark Stadium. 

Fans in attendance are welcome to stay after the conclusion of the game to watch the City of Pittsburgh fireworks display from the comfort and incredible vantage point of Highmark Stadium in Station Square.

The Hounds defeated Philadelphia Union II, 1-0, in a memorable showdown last year on the holiday. 

Southern Tour 

The Hounds round out July against a trio of southern clubs, playing back-to-back road matches against Birmingham Legion FC and Charleston Battery before hosting Charlotte Independence at Highmark on July 25.

Pittsburgh clinched the top overall seed in last year’s USL Championship Playoffs on the last game of the regular season a year ago, a 1-0 thriller at Birmingham that saw the Black and Gold go up 1-0 with just a few minutes to play in the game.

Home Opener

After starting the 2020 campaign on the road at the Charlotte Independence on March 14, the Black and Gold will return to Highmark Stadium for their home opener against Louisville City FC on March 21.

The game also marks a rematch of Pittsburgh’s Eastern Conference Semifinal playoff matchup from 2019, a game that saw Louisville end the Hounds’ incredible run into the postseason with a 2-1 extra time victory back on Nov. 2.

April on the Mon

The Hounds are still riding a regular season home-unbeaten streak dating back to July 21, 2018, finishing the 2019 campaign with an unblemished 10-0-7 mark at Highmark Stadium. 

They will look to carry that indomitable home form into 2020, when they play three of their four games in the month of April at home as they look to bank points and build up some momentum early on.

After hosting Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday, April 4, Pittsburgh heads out on the road for a tilt at Sporting Kansas City II the following weekend before returning back to Highmark for consecutive home games against Loudoun United FC and and Saint Louis FC on April 18 and April 25. 

The Hounds were a combined 2-0-1 at home against those three squads in 2019. 

May Madness

The Hounds will play five matches in the month of May, with three coming against teams who finished the 2019 campaign outside of the playoff picture. 

While every matchup presents its own unique challenges, the Hounds faired well against their May opponents last season.

Pittsburgh collected four out of a possible six points against Philadelphia (formerly Bethlehem Steel FC), swept the season series against Hartford Athletic, Memphis 901 FC and New York Red Bulls II, and split 1-1 against North Carolina FC a year ago.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC began its initial offseason roster plans last week, picking up the contract options of eight returning players from the 2019 squad that finished with a No. 1 seed in the USL Championship Eastern Conference.

Just last year, the Hounds returned 10 squad members after the 2018 campaign and went on to have arguably their best season in club history in 2019. Now they are looking to repeat that success in 2020 after re-signing a number of key players. 

Finally, a look at the returning forwards for the Black and Gold.

The Returners: Defenders
The Returners: Midfielders

The Cape Verde native was a force to be reckoned with all over the pitch for the Riverhounds in 2019, racking up 10 goals and adding four assists in 33 appearances for the Black and Gold. 

Steevan Dos Santos’ 10 goals were second most on the team behind only Neco Brett in 2019, as was his total of 29 shots on target.  Dos Santos was prolific in his first season with the Riverhounds since first joining the squad after two years with Ottawa Fury FC, and will look to build off that momentum in 2020.

He added an assist on a Neco Brett goal in Pittsburgh’s 7-0 win over Birmingham Legion FC in the opening round of the 2019 postseason to record his first-ever playoff point with the Hounds as well.

Although Mark Forrest was used sparingly during the 2019 campaign, the rookie still managed to make an impact when the team needed it most, scoring the go-ahead goal late in Pittsburgh’s regular season finale against Birmingham that sealed the win and clinched the No. 1 seed in the playoffs for the Hounds.

The Douglassville, Pennsylvania native completed over 70 percent of his passes during the year, making one start and eight total appearances over the course of the season.