Stars Open '90 Season Vs. Dallas

TACOMA - The post-Preki era of the Tacoma Stars begins tomorrow night at the Tacoma Dome when the indoor-soccer team gets a visit from the Dallas Sidekicks. Kickoff is set for 7:30.

In a Star-stunning move, Preki, the team's leading scorer the past three seasons, signed as a free agent with St. Louis in the summer.

Even with Preki, the Stars scored a league-low 191 goals in stumbling to a 20-32 record last season, a campaign that saw Coach Alan Hinton replaced by Keith Weller after 11 games.

The Stars have nine returning players from last year's team and 10 newcomers.

The new Stars: goalies Todd Strobeck, formerly of the Portland Timbers, and Shel Brodsgaard, Victoria Vistas; midfielders Freddie Thompson, Baltimore, Eddie Radwanski and Willie Molano, Dallas, Greg Ion, Kansas City; forwards Mark Karpun and Steve Kinsey, Dallas, and Shawn Medved, Portland.

The eight-team league has changed its name from Major Indoor Soccer League to Major Soccer League (MSL) because teams soon may play an outdoor schedule. The goal has been widened by two feet and raised by one foot.

Notes

-- Stars' returnees: forwards, Gary Heale and Kia (returning leader with 28 goals, 13 assists last seeason); midfielder Walter Schmetzer; goalkeeper Cris Vaccaro; defenders Ralph Black, Billy Crook, Dick McCormick, Neil Megson, Nikki Ristic and Joe Waters.

-- Stars from last season now with new teams: Brian Schmetzer and

Preki to St. Louis; Andy Schmetzer and Ali Kazemaini to Cleveland; Brent Goulet to West German Second Division team.

-- The whereabouts of other 1989-90 Stars: Ricky Davis is serving on a U.S. soccer committee; Pato Margetic is coaching the Chicago Power of the American Indoor Soccer Association; Nenad Nikolic returned to Yugoslavia; A.J. Lachowecki is player-assistant coach with the Atlanta Attack of the AISA; and Gerry Gray and Mark Kerlin, who is recovering from a broken leg, are unsigned.