Battery Soccer: Awaiting his fate

Dusty Hudock certainly hopes he hasn't played in his last game in a Charleston Battery uniform.

The fate of the Battery's veteran keeper and team captain will be determined during a medical examination this afternoon.

One thing is for sure, Hudock will not be in the lineup tonight when Charleston takes on Vancouver, beginning at 7:30 at Blackbaud Stadium.

Hudock has missed the last two games with a knee injury he suffered during the team's West Coast trip two weeks ago. Hudock, who had trouble just walking around his Mount Pleasant home 10 days ago, said he's feeling better and hopes he can return to the field before the end of the regular season.

But at 36 and with more than 15 professional seasons under his belt, even Hudock admits it's getting tougher and tougher to recover from even the most benign injury.

"I've had some injuries in the last couple of seasons, and at some point as an athlete you start to wonder how this is going to affect you after your playing career is over," said Hudock, who will turn 37 in September. "I want to get back out there and play this season and my knee is definitely feeling a lot better, but if the doctors tell me it's better not to play, than I've got to consider that and think about my future."

Hudock is arguably having the best season of his distinguished career and is a major reason the Battery is in contention for its third league championship. The Battery is in second place in the USL First Division.

"Dusty is such a huge part of this team," said Charleston Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser. "He's our most veteran guy and he's our team captain. He provides a lot of leadership in the locker room. I doubt we'd be where we are in the standings without Dusty."

Hudock is 11-3-6 on the season with 13 shutouts. He has allowed nine goals in all during the season, but just five during USL First Division play. In 2002 and 2003 he had 14 shutouts, but his goal against average this season of 0.45 is by far his lowest in a Battery uniform.

Hudock said his job has been made much easier this season with a defensive core that includes Nelson Akwari, Matt Bobo, Frankie Sanfilippo and John Wilson.

"They make my life pretty easy in the back," Hudock said. "I think they deserve as much credit as I do. They've been fantastic. The whole team has really bought into what we're trying to do defensively and it's major reason why are near the top of the standings. I've only played in 16 league games, so I can't say this is the best season I've ever had because it's not over. I'll have to wait until it's all over and evaluate it then."

Hudock, whose contract expires at the end of the season, isn't sure what his plans are for next year.

"I can't say for sure either way," Hudock said. "It's something I'm going to have to think about when the season is over."

Former College of Charleston star Keith Wiggans will take Hudock's spot in the lineup.

Meanwhile, Wilson is hoping to get back on the field tonight after missing the last six games with a foot injury.

Wilson, who hasn't played since the Battery's U.S. Open Cup match against Houston more than a month ago, has trained the last three days with the team.

"We don't want to rush John back out there and have him get injured again," Anheauser said. "He'll most likely be available and we'd like to get him on the field (tonight) and get some conditioning in. We won't be able to go 90 minutes, but it we could get 20-to-30 minutes out of him that would be fantastic."