Portland Timbers

The Portland Tribune, Mar 25, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

Next: Portland plays Major League Soccer expansion team San Jose at 7:30 p.m. Friday at University of Portland. The Eathquakes are coming off a sweep in the Carolina Challenge Cup, with wins of 1-0 over Toronto, 2-1 over Charleston and 3-0 over New York. The Pilot men will play San Jose’s reserves at 5 p.m.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, the Timbers will take on Gonzaga at the new, $11 million Lincoln Park Stadium in Forest Grove.

• The Timbers were bracing Monday for the loss of either goalie Josh Wicks or forward Bryan Jordan, or both, to the L.A. Galaxy’s 18-man roster. Both looked good in preseason, and while the news wouldn’t be a shock, it would be a blow to Portland’s preparations for a season that begins April 17.

On the plus side, defender Justin Thompson is expected back soon; he has been out of camp while tending to a new business venture.

Trailists remaining are 6-2 defender Scott Bolkan, a South Salem High product whose career at Stanford ended last fall; Maurice Hughes, a 6-1 forward who has played for Atlanta; and goalkeeper Sam Reynolds, who was with Portland in 2005.

• Portland midfielder Neil Dombrowski, who turned 24 last week, is visibly lighter from head to toe this year. Dombrowski looks like he’s been on a diet, and he’s wearing his hair shorter than he did last season, which ended for him when he hurt his right knee colliding with Justin Thompson on Aug. 26 at Puerto Rico.

The 6-foot Dombrowski says he was a little too heavy last season and is fitter this year, having dropped 6 pounds to reach 175.

“Before last year, I was working a 40-hour-a-week job from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. This offseason, I had more time to get ready for soccer,” he says.

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