The Rochester Raging Rhinos are quickly beginning to hear the D-word thrown around in the same breath as their name, winning a third A-league title in their fourth consecutive A-League championship appearance in 2001. With the 1999 U.S. Open Cup championship also among the club’s honors, the term dynasty has been mingling quietly among discussions surrounding the Rhinos. Claiming that third title last year, however, was not an easy task for Rochester as other clubs stepped into the limelight during the season.

One of the first teams to grab the headlines were the fellow 2001 A-League finalist Hershey Wildcats, who met up with the Raging Rhinos in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and eliminated the 1999 tournament champs on their home turf with a 1-0 victory. Following a loss to DC United in the Third Round, the Wildcats dropped four of their next six matches, rebounding to close the season with a seven-game win streak with just three goals against. The strong finish gave Hershey a one-point margin over the Rhinos for the Northern Conference championship.

In the Western Conference, the Vancouver Whitecaps, sporting their new NASL-retro name, were clear favorites for most of the season. After a slow 3-4-1 start, the Whitecaps caught fire with a midseason run of 10-1-0, giving them a comfortable margin in the standings. The Whitecaps, however, struggled down the stretch with a 3-3-1 mark, missing out on the regular season league title by two points.

In the playoffs, Vancouver rallied from a 2-0 deficit in game one of the second round against San Diego with a 4-1 victory at Swangard Stadium. Home field advantage was of no assistance when Hershey came to town the following week, however, as the Whitecaps fell 4-0 to the stingy defensive club that gave up a league-low 20 goals on the 26-game season. Although of little consolation, the Whitecaps did win the second leg in Hershey 1-0 to close out their season.

The battle of the season between the Eastern Conference’s Richmond Kickers and Charleston Battery crowned the regular season champion. The Kickers led the league for much of the season with a 12-2-1 start but faltered over the second half of the 2001 campaign, opening the door for challengers. Among them was Charleston, who won 11 of its final 16 games to pull within three points.

When the dust settled on September 8, the final night of the season, it was the Richmond Kickers on top of the table as regular season champions by the slimmest of margins. In one of the closest races in the league’s history, four other clubs finished within three points of the Kickers. Hershey finished one point back in second and Vancouver and Rochester were two points behind Richmond.

Then tragedy struck. With the events of September 11, the A-League postponed the postseason one week.

When action resumed, the Rhinos were back to form after a quiet, but steady season. Rochester fell 2-1 to Pittsburgh on the road in the opening match of the playoffs, but proceeded to win each match thereafter. A 3-0 decision in the second leg eliminated the Riverhounds and 3-2 and 1-0 victories over the Milwaukee Rampage propelled the Rhinos back to the championship.

In the end, it may have been one moment at midseason that decided the league championship. The surprisingly struggling Minnesota Thunder made a stunning move in part of a three-team trade that also involved the Atlanta Silverbacks. Minnesota acquired Atlanta’s Steve Armas and Atlanta picked up Andrew Restrepo of Rochester in the deal, but it was the Rhinos who came out on top with Stoian Mladenov.

The talented midfielder, in the midst of a scoring drought in Minnesota, caught fire in Rochester and scored seven goals and eight assists in 17 games. More importantly, he helped lead the Rhinos to that third A-League championship, scoring both goals in the 2-0 victory over Hershey and claiming the A-League Championship Most Valuable Player honor.