Sounders | Howes returns to former team with 1 goal — goals

In essence, the Seattle Sounders are trading one Rookie of the Year for another one who is older and wiser. In the process, the Sounders are taking a blast from their past to boost their offense.

After losing Cam Weaver, the 2006 United Soccer Leagues (USL) First Division Rookie of the Year, to a pro club in Norway, the Sounders will turn to Greg Howes, former Sounder and 2000 Rookie of the Year in Seattle.

Seattle signed Howes, an eight-year veteran forward from Tacoma, as a free agent this spring to replace the offense lost when Weaver left for Europe. Howes joined the club Wednesday after taking a rest following a winter of pro indoor soccer with the Milwaukee Wave.

Howes will start when the Sounders (0-2-1) meet the Portland Timbers (1-0) in the club's 2007 home opener Saturday at 7 p.m. at Qwest Field.

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer thinks Howes could be ready to start and will definitely see action in his first match with the Sounders since his 2000 rookie campaign.

"Now my career is starting to come full circle," said Howes, traded by the Sounders to the expansion Timbers before the 2001 season.

"I'm not bitter about them trading me. I was so young and excited to be playing then. I was thankful for that situation and them giving me the opportunity."

The Sounders must replace offense lost when forwards Weaver and Maykel Galindo left.

Howes has played year-round soccer for seven years, helping Milwaukee to Major Indoor Soccer League titles in 2005 and finding a niche as one of the top-goal scorers in the USL First Division.

One of Howes' biggest motivations for signing with the Sounders was to play in front of his parents, Dennis and Beverly. He especially wanted to play in front of his father, a diabetic who doesn't travel often because of his health.

"He's only seen me play when I've come back to play in Seattle," said Greg Howes, who wants to stay and coach in the area when his playing career ends.

Howes played the last two seasons with the Rochester Raging Rhinos as a defensive midfielder.

"I was hoping to come here and play more of an attacking midfielder or forward position," he said.

Howes reunites with his former Sounders running mate, Darren Sawatzky, who began his pro coaching career as a Seattle assistant coach this season. Howes had 43 points on 18 goals and seven assists to earn A-League Rookie of the Year honors in 2000, while Howes and Sawatzky tied for second in the league scoring race.

"He's scored a pile of goals in this league," said Schmetzer. "He made good money in this league. He had a pretty good gig going on with Milwaukee and Rochester.

"It came down to us paying a little more and him accepting a little less than he was used to. Hopefully, he scores a pile of goals for us."

The Sounders traded Howes, a 1995 graduate of Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma, to the Portland Timbers for first- and second-round picks and cash after his stellar rookie season.

Now, Howes hopes his homecoming encore has the same ring to it.

"After losing Weaver and Galindo, there was a little more urgency on our part to sign someone like Greg," Schmetzer said.

Notes

• Howes was named MISL Player of the Year for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons with the Milwaukee Wave. He led the MISL in scoring in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06.

• With Rochester in 2006, Howes scored the game-winning goal in added time of the 90th minute as the Raging Rhinos beat the Sounders 2-1 at Qwest Field on May 17.

• Weaver led the USL First Division in 2006 with 39 points and 18 goals.