Victor Nogueira

The Baltimore Blast is bringing in former Dallas Sidekicks backup goalkeeper Hank Henry for a one-day tryout today.Blast coach Kenny Cooper wouldn't speculate on the chances Henry would be signed as a replacement for Scoop Stanisic, but Blast assistant general manager Drew Forrester said, "It's a possibility.""If he [Henry] fits in with the team, there's a chance he'll be offered a contract," Forrester said.Asked whether Stanisic would be released if Henry is signed, Forrester said, "That could happen."

After learning that he had been named the Major Soccer League's Defensive Player of the Week for the second straight week, Baltimore Blast goalkeeper Cris Vaccaro proved to be as adept at deflecting praise as he is at deflecting shots on goal."

American Conference No. 1 Cleveland Crunch (29-17) vs. No. 2 Blast (28-18) Season series: Cleveland, 4-1. Playoff history: Cleveland, 5-2. Outlook: Cleveland, the defending NPSL champion, started the season slowly, but won eight of its last 10 games to overtake the Blast for the top spot in the American Conference. The Crunch is hurt by having to start the series on the road, where it went 7-15 this season, second worst of the remaining teams. Cleveland played all its games at home in the first-round series against Montreal because of scheduling problems.

MISL semifinals Blast (18-26) at Milwaukee Wave (34-10) When: Tonight, 8:30, WJFK (1300 AM) Where: Bradley Center, Milwaukee Format: One-game semifinal Outlook: The Wave's home dominance (22-0 at the Bradley Center) and the whopping 16 games that separated the teams in the regular-season standings don't seem to faze the Blast. It's the playoffs now, the time the team has long been anticipating, and players are confident they can get the job done. That may be easier said than done. The Blast can't give anything away at the defensive end and must match the Wave's tireless, collective work rate, shift after shift.

With the Blast picking sixth among seven teams in yesterday's Major Indoor Soccer League dispersal draft of players from the two recently closed franchises, Blast players said they were not expecting help in their battle for a playoff spot. "Picking sixth, I don't know how much help we can expect to get," said Blast forward Lee Tschantret. "But if the players we have play to our abilities, we'll be fine." Blast general manager Kevin Healey, his roster thinned by numerous injuries, was doing all he could to make his picks from the San Diego Sockers and Monterrey Fury clubs count.

Six of the Major Soccer League's seven teams are in for 1992-93, but the St. Louis Storm is questionable.The Blast, Dallas Sidekicks, San Diego Sockers, Cleveland Crunch, Tacoma Stars and Wichita Wings have posted or have promised to post by Monday the required $350,000 letter of credit due this week.The fate of the Storm, which averaged a league-high 10,000 fans this season, is dependent on a transfer of ownership from Milan Mandaric to Abe Hawatmeh of St. Louis.Hawatmeh told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch yesterday Mandaric has agreed to assume all Storm debts and lower his undisclosed asking price.

Conference finals American Conference Philadelphia KiXX vs. Blast Series opener: Tomorrow at Baltimore Arena, 7:35 p.m. Season series: Blast won, 4-3 Outlook: The Blast swept the KiXX in the opening round of last season's playoffs and then won the 2000-01 regular-season series. Defense - led by co-Goalkeeper of the Year Peter Pappas - carried Philadelphia for much of this season. The KiXX like to get all five field players back to force opponents to shoot from the outside. The Blast's answer may be the quick counter, and when you talk quick, you have to look to Paul Wright.

MILWAUKEE -- With so many new situations facing the Baltimore Spirit, a slow start could have been expected.Joe Koziol's finish could not have been.Baltimore, in its first game in the National Professional Soccer League, came back from a nine-point, first-quarter deficit last night to win on Koziol's goal 2:08 into the overtime period to defeat the Milwaukee Wave, 13-11, before 15,195 at the Bradley Center."

MILWAUKEE -- New Baltimore Spirit coach Mike Stankovic no longer is perfect.Matt Knowles of the Milwaukee Wave put the first blotch on Stankovic's record by knocking in a late three-point goal to defeat Baltimore, 12-11, yesterday."

SAN DIEGO -- Jean Harbor has picked a perfect time to start showing what he can do. Harbor's hat trick last night lifted the Blast to a 7-6 win over the San Diego Sockers, sending their Major Soccer League semifinal series back to Baltimore tied at one win apiece.Harbor, who scored a goal in Wednesday night's opener, scored on three of his four shots last night, including the winner."They were marking me, but I wasn't worried about them," said Harbor, who scored 14 goals in the regular season.