The Swope Park Rangers kick off a five-game homestand on Sunday by welcoming Saint Louis FC to Children's Mercy Park for the final meeting between the cross-state rivals in 2016. Here are five storylines to watch as SPR hits the homestretch of the regular season.
- PLAYOFF PUSH: With eight games remaining, the Rangers (8-9-5, 29 points) sit one point out of playoff position in a tightly-packed Western Conference. Picking up points at home will be crucial in the next four weeks in order for SPR to climb the table and secure a postseason berth in pursuit of the 2016 USL Championship.
- ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RACE: The Swope Park Rangers have not one, but two potential contenders for USL Rookie of the Year this season. Forward Mark Anthony Gonzalez is the second leading scorer among USL rookies with seven goals to his name. Defender Amer Didic, who debuted with Sporting KC on Tuesday, leads all USL rookies with three Team of the Week selections to date.
- TOP SCORERS IN KC: The top three scorers in the Western Conference could all make trips to Kansas City during this homestand: Saint Louis FC forward Irvin Herrera (11 goals) on Aug. 21, LA Galaxy II forward Jack McBean (15 goals) on Aug. 27 and Tulsa Roughnecks FC forward Sammy Ochoa (10 goals) on Sept. 10.
- BEST IN THE WEST: LA Galaxy II, led by former Kansas City Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo, won the Western Conference in 2015 and were moments from capturing the USL Championship a year ago. The Rangers will look to pass the test on "Back to School Night" on Aug. 27 at Swope Soccer Village when Los Dos visit for the first meeting between the two sides.
- BOOSTED BY BARRETT: On Monday, the Rangers added 24-year-old Jamaican forward Akeil Barrett to the roster. Look for Barrett to make his debut amidst a talented SPR attack that has only been shutout four times in 22 games thanks to goals from 11 different players thus far in 2016.
Tickets for Swope Park Rangers matches start as low as $8 and are available by calling 888-4KC-GOAL or visiting Ticketmaster.com. Follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all the latest news throughout the inaugural season.
