August 3, 2009
Tampa, FL - United Soccer Leagues announced the Team of the Week honors for the 17th week of the USL season, honoring Vancouver’s Tyrell Burgess as the USL First Division Player of the Week and Wilmington’s Phil Hufstader as the USL Second Division Player of the Week.

The Vancouver Whitecaps hit the road for two and started things off with a bang as they handed the Rochester Rhinos a 3-1 loss Friday evening to jump eighth to playoff position tied for sixth.

After an initial late first half penalty converted by Marlon James served as the opener, Tyrell Burgess became a thorn in the Rhinos side attacking up the left flank. On the hour mark he drove up the left side and sent a low cross along the top edge of the penalty area to James, who ran onto the ball and one-timed it straight into the back netting to double the advantage.

A nice goal from Tiger Fitzpatrick three minutes cut into the deficit, but a fantastic individual effort from Burgess a further six minutes later capped the game. The Bermuda international received the ball from Gordon Chin, turned toward goal and after a few touches launched a well-driven swerving shot that rifled past goalkeeper Tim Melia and under the bar for his first goal of the year to make 3-1 in the 69th minute.

The Wilmington Hammerheads ensured a spot in the top three in the USL Second Division, avoiding the First Round meeting between the fourth and fifth seeds, by posting a 2-0 victory on the road over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

The Hammerheads scored in the fifth minute as they swarmed Pittsburgh’s penalty area. After receiving a perfect feed from midfielder Kenny Bundy, forward Phil Hufstader blasted the ball to the lower right post after a pivot move in front of the Riverhounds goal.

In the 37th minute, Zeke Dombrowski finished of a Wilmington attack that featured three quick touches inside the Pittsburgh penalty area. Mark Briggs carried it to the right side of the area before tapping a centering pass to Hufstader, who gently sent it to Dombrowski. Dombrowski then popped it past Riverhounds goalkeeper Danny Waltman for the Hammerheads second goal of the evening.

In his nine appearances, Hufstader has four goals and two assists for the Hammerheads, who are in position to potentially win the regular season title over the next two weeks after missing the postseason the past three years. 

USL First Division Team of the Week
Pos	Name	Team	Highlights
G	Evan Bush	Cleveland	Four saves in 0-0 draw against Vancouver
D	Matt Bobo	Charleston	Led team in 1-0 win over Austin
D	Marco Reda	Vancouver	Led team in win and draw on the road
D	Quavas Kirk	Minnesota	Led team in 1-1 draw against Portland
M	Scott Buete	Charleston	Goal in 1-0 win over Austin
M	Tyrell Burgess	Vancouver	Goal, assist in 3-1 win at Rochester
M	Joseph Kabwe	Carolina	Goal in 3-0 win over Austin
M	Ryan Pore	Portland	Goal in 1-1 draw at Minnesota
M	Ciaran O’Brien	Montreal	Assist in 1-1 draw at Miami
F	Marlon James	Vancouver	Two goals in 3-1 win at Rochester
F	Alen Marcina	Miami	Goal in 1-1 draw against Montreal

USL Second Division Team of the Week
Pos	Name	Team	Highlights
G	Dave Kern	Maryland	Eight saves in 0-0 draw against Harrisburg
D	Henry Kalungi	Richmond	Led team in 1-0 win at Harrisburg
D	Kevin Richards	Bermuda	Goal in 1-1 draw agianst Charlotte
D	Sascha Gorres	Richmond	Assist in 1-0 win at Harrisburg
D	Dustin Bixler	Harrisburg	Led team in 0-0 draw at Maryland
M	Mark Briggs	Wilmington	Led team in 2-0 win at Pittsburgh
M	Mike Burke	Richmond	Goal in 1-0 win over Maryland
M	Zeke Dombrowski	Wilmington	Goal in 2-0 win at Pittsburgh
M	Ben Hunter	Richmond	Goal in 1-0 win at Harrisburg
M	Jorge Herrera	Charlotte	Goal in 1-1 draw at Bermuda
F	Phil Hufstader	Wilmington	Goal, assist in 2-0 win at Pittsburgh