Wondolowski Aiming for No. 1 on Quakes Career Goals List
One week after passing Landon Donovan for No. 2 on the Quakes’ career goals list, Chris Wondolowski continued his push to catch Ronald Cerritos for top honors. The Danville native tallied twice against New England on Oct. 8 at Gillette Stadium in a 2-1 win to up his career total in San Jose to 35. Cerritos is the club’s all-time leader with 61 from 1997-2001 and 2005.
MLS Budweiser Golden Boot Update
Chris Wondolowski struck twice over the weekend to move into a three-way tie atop the Budweiser Golden Boot standings. Here’s a glance at the standings heading into this week:
1. Chris Wondolowski (SJ) – 14 goals, 2 games
1. Dwayne De Rosario (DC) – 14 goals, 4 games remaining
1. Thierry Henry (NY) – 14 goals, 2 games
4. Landon Donovan (LA) – 12 goals, 2 games
4. Dominic Oduro (CHI) – 12 goals, 3 games
6. Fredy Montero (SEA) – 11 goals, 2 games
6. Camilo (VAN) – 11 goals, 3 games
Last year, Wondolowski won the Budweiser Golden Boot with 18 goals. He scored 10 in San Jose’s final eight games to overtake LA Galaxy’s Edson Buddle.
Wondolowski’s ’11 Campaign Among the Best in Club History
For the second-consecutive season, Chris Wondolowski has posted one of the top-five goal-scoring seasons in Earthquakes history. With his two goals against New England on Oct. 8 at Gillette Stadium, Wondo became the second player in Earthquakes history to score 13 or more goals twice during their San Jose career. The five best single-season goal outputs in club history include:
1. Chris Wondolowski – 18 goals in 2010
2. Ronald Cerritos – 15 goals in 1999
3. Ariel Graziani – 14 goals in 2001
4. Chris Wondolowski – 14 goals in 2011
5. Ronald Cerritos – 13 goals in 1998
Wondo has 14 goals so far this season. With one more strike, he could tie Ronald Cerritos with 15 goals for No. 2 on the list.
Wondolowski is Mr. October
Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski is earning the reputation of Mr. October for his fall goal-scoring sprees. Wondolowski’s brace gave him nine career goals in October, third-most all-time in MLS and tied for No. 1 with Jeff Cunningham and Dwayne De Rosario amongst active players. All of Wondo’s October goals have come in the last two seasons, more than double the next player on the list over that same time period.
Bingham Makes MLS Debut and Notches First Career Assist
Goalkeeper David Bingham made his MLS debut in a 2-1 win against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 8. He also notched his first MLS career assist after launching a ball 70 yards downfield to find Chris Wondolowski for San Jose’s first goal.
Cronin Notches Second Assist of 2011
Midfielder Sam Cronin notched his second assist of the season in a 2-1 win against the New England Revolution on Oct. 8. Simon Dawkins found Sam Cronin out wide and he picked out Wondolowski with a cross to the back post. Wondolowski finished with a header and the Quakes picked up three points.
Earthquakes Aim to Raise $10,000 for Leukemia, Lymphoma Research in Light the Night Walk
For the fourth consecutive year, the Earthquakes will participate in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walk. On Saturday, Oct. 15 in Palo Alto, Earthquakes players and members of the team’s front office will join fans to walk in the event. This year the team will walk in honor of Matt Luzunaris and his girlfriend Austen. Luzunaris has been very committed to cancer causes during his first season with the Earthquakes, establishing partnerships with local hospitals and cancer outreach groups. His life has been touched by cancer in multiple ways. He lost his brother, Sean, to cancer in 2001 and Austen is currently undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in Seattle. Click here to read Matt’s story. People interested in walking with the Earthquakes at Light The Night can register online at the club’s team page: www.sjearthquakes.com/lightthenight.
Heritage Cup 2011
Saturday’s match marks the second game of the 2011 Heritage Cup, an annual rivalry between the San Jose Earthquakes and Seattle Sounders FC in honor of their NASL lineages. The competition began in 2009 when Seattle joined MLS. The Earthquakes won the inaugural cup on aggregate, 5-2, after a 4-0 home victory on August 2, 2009. Sounders FC won the trophy in 2010 after the teams split the season series 1-1. Sounders FC took the cup due to a tiebreaker because they had a higher position in the Western Conference standings than the Quakes. The cup is decided by aggregate in a European-style format with away goals acting as a tiebreaker. However, in the event that both teams are tied in aggregate, the next determinant is total points earned at the time of the second leg. Should the teams be tied in the standings when the teams conclude the second leg, the next tiebreaker would be most wins followed by goal differential and, ultimately, a coin-flip should the teams still be level. The teams battled to a 2-2 draw earlier this season on April 2 at Buck Shaw Stadium.
Road Warrior
Chris Wondolowski is No. 2 in MLS in goals scored on the road with eight. He added to that total in San Jose’s last away game with a pair of goals in New England on Oct. 8, netting the first goal off goalkeeper David Bingham’s assist in the eighth minute. He found the back of the net for a second time in the 82nd minute when he finished off a cross from midfielder Sam Cronin. Next on the list is Fredy Montero of Seattle Sounders FC with nine.
Quakes Set Career Milestones for Minutes Played
After 32 games, many Earthquakes players have set new all-time career highs for minutes played in a single season. The list includes:
Steven Beitashour – 1,475; Previous record: 640 in 2010
Bobby Burling – 1,861; Previous record: 1,659 in 2008 with Chivas USA
Jon Busch – 2,790; Previous record: 2,700 in 2009 with Chicago Fire
Justin Morrow – 630; Previous record: 59 in 2010
Brad Ring – 1,510; Previous record: 435 in 2010
Khari Stephenson – 2,104; Previous record: 776 in 2010
Chris Wondolowski – 2,492; Previous record: 2,308 in 2010
Busch the Shot Stopper
Thirty-two games into the season, Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch is No. 2 in the league in saves with 109. New England Revolution keeper Matt Reis leads the pack with 111 saves in 27 matches.
Hernandez Moves Up All-Time Starts List
Hernandez moved to within three starts of No. 8 on the Earthquakes’ all-time starts list on Oct. 8 with his 90 minutes played against the New England Revolution. The defender has started 97 games since joining San Jose at the outset of the 2008 campaign. Next on the list is Eddie Lewis who started 100 games during his Quakes career from 1996-1999.
Quakes in the Community
What: Get Earthquakes Fit
Who: Bobby Convey
Location: Laurelwood Elementary School in San Jose
Date: Monday, October 10
Time: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Details: Convey will visit Laurelwood Elementary School on behalf of the Get Earthquakes Fit Program. The midfielder will speak with 250 third and fourth graders about the importance of health and fitness and participate in one of the Get Earthquakes Fit exercises. After the presentation, he will sign autographs for all the students.
About Get Earthquakes Fit: Get Earthquakes Fit is a fun, five-week program designed by Earthquakes Head Athletic Trainer Bruce Morgan to increase physical activity in the classroom and at home. This fall, 10 local schools will be incorporating this program in their 3rd and 4th grade curriculum.
What: Evergreen United Appearance
Who: Rafael Baca
Location: Leyva Middle School in San Jose
Date: Monday, October 10
Time: 6 p.m.
Details: The San Jose Earthquakes and the Evergreen United Education Foundation (EUEF) have established a new partnership to jointly develop soccer and education programs for local youth. The partnership will provide an afterschool tutoring program along with a soccer club named San Jose Earthquakes EU. The club team will feature teams in both the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and NorCal Premier.
What: Evergreen United Appearance
Who: Anthony Ampaipitakwong
Location: Leyva Middle School in San Jose
Date: Tuesday, October 11
Time: 6 p.m.
Details: The San Jose Earthquakes and the Evergreen United Education Foundation (EUEF) have established a new partnership to jointly develop soccer and education programs for local youth. The partnership will provide an afterschool tutoring program along with a soccer club named San Jose Earthquakes EU. The club team will feature teams in both the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and NorCal Premier.
What: United Grocers Store Event
Who: Justin Morrow
Location: 1745 Story Road, San Jose 95122
Date: Wednesday, October 12
Time: 4 p.m.
Details: Justin Morrow will sign autographs and take photos with customers.
What: Wells Fargo Goals for Education
Who: Khari Stephenson, Brad Ring and Rafael Baca
Location: Lincoln High School in San Jose
Date: Wednesday, October 12
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Details: For each goal the Earthquakes score in 2011, Wells Fargo will donate $250 to the program. The Earthquakes have scored 35 goals so far this season, and have raised $8,750 for the Goals for Education program. The total amount raised will be dispersed to local youth sports programs and athletic departments based on the requests received between Oct. 1 and Oct. 30. Donation requests will be accepted from Oct. 1 through Oct. 30 with a limit of one request per youth sports program or school athletic department. Each request will be reviewed by a panel of three Earthquakes representatives, and requests will be granted based on overall need, available funds, and the total number of people that will benefit from the donation. Check out SJEARTHQUAKES.com later in the week for more information.
What: Get Earthquakes Fit
Who: Anthony Ampaipitakwong
Location: Noble Elementary School, 3466 Grossmont Drive, San Jose 95132
Date: Friday, October 14
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Details: Get Earthquakes Fit is a fun, five-week program designed by Earthquakes Head Athletic Trainer Bruce Morgan to increase physical activity in the classroom and at home. This fall, 10 local schools will be incorporating this program in their 3rd and 4th grade curriculum.
What: Light the Night Walk
Who: Earthquakes staff and Shaker Girls
Location: Palo Alto High School
Date: Saturday, October 15
Time: 5 p.m.
Details: Donate to the Earthquakes fundraising page or join the organization as they participate in the LLS Light the Night Walk on Saturday, October 15. It’s a special cause for Earthquakes player Matt Luzanaris who lost his brother to cancer and whose girlfriend is currently battling non-Hodgkins Lymphoma for the third time. To learn more, visit: http://pages.lightthenight.org/sj/PaloAlto11/SanJoseEarthquakes
What: La Bamba Magazine Festival
Who: Earthquakes Street Team and Shakers
Location: National Hispanic University
Date: Sunday, October 16
Time: 12-3 p.m.
Details: The Shakers and Street Team will be mingling with fans and handing out Earthquakes merchandise at the event.
