Zodiac Looking to Make A-League’s A-List

The Zodiac will try to avenge a playoff loss last year to Seattle when the teams meet in the first round of the A-League playoffs at 7:35 tonight in Seattle. The winner advances to the Western Conference semifinals.

The Sounders (19-9, 81 points), who finished fourth in the Western Conference, have Mark Baena, whose 20 goals led the league. Seattle defeated the Zodiac twice this season, 4-1 and 2-1, and last year in the first round, 2-1.

The fifth-seeded Zodiac (17-11, 73 points) won nine of its last 13 A-League games after forwards Eddie Soto and Jason Boyce were added to the lineup mix up front.

Soto, who barely played in the season’s first half, finished as the team’s third-leading scorer with six goals and two assists for 14 points.

Boyce, a former Corona del Mar High standout who was signed in early July after being waived by the Miami Fusion of Major League Soccer, was fifth in scoring with three goals and two assists. Seth George, from Santa Margarita High and UCLA, also added some offensive spark late in the year when he was on loan from the Galaxy.

“Adding these guys up front brings the hunger to [starting forwards] Steve Patterson and Gustavo Leal,” said Ricardo Minaya, co-coach of the Zodiac. “Patterson has really picked up his game.”

Patterson had a team-high 42 points--19 goals, four assists--and Leal was second with 30 points--13 goals and four assists.

George will be back with the Galaxy and won’t be available for the playoffs. Defender Ken Hesse, who has a sprained right ankle, probably won’t play either. Hesse, who missed the last three games of the season after being injured in the 2-1 loss at Seattle, will be replaced by Michael Robles as defensive midfielder.

This is the Zodiac’s second playoff appearance in its three-year history.

If it defeats Seattle, the Zodiac would meet top-seeded San Diego or eighth-seeded El Paso in a best-of-three Western Conference semifinal series.