2012–13 Las Vegas Legends season

The 2012–13 Las Vegas Legends season was the first season of the Las Vegas Legends indoor soccer club. The Legends, a Southwestern Division team in the Professional Arena Soccer League, played the majority of their home games in the Orleans Arena in Paradise, Nevada.[2] (Three "holiday season" games were relocated to an indoor soccer facility at the Las Vegas Sports Park.)[3] The team was led by team president and general manager Meir Cohen,[4] head coach Greg Howes, plus assistant coaches Peter Sharkey and Patrick Lawrence.[5]

Las Vegas Legends

2012–13 PASL season
President/
General Manager		 Meir Cohen
Head Coach Greg Howes
ArenaOrleans Arena
Paradise, Nevada
Professional Arena Soccer League1st, Southwestern
Ron Newman CupLost in Semi-Final
US Open CupSemi-Finals
Highest home attendance2,427
(January 18)
vs San Diego Sockers
Lowest home attendance575
(December 29)
vs Arizona Storm
Average home league attendance1,165 (over 8 home games)[1]

Season summary

The Legends were successful in the regular season, compiling a 13–3 record and clinching the Southwestern Division title. They fared better on the road than at home, going undefeated at away games but only 5–3 at home. The team advanced to the postseason and earned the right to play for the Ron Newman Cup in the PASL National Championship. The Legends defeated Toros Mexico in two straight games, winning the Southwestern Divisional Finals and advancing to the Semi-Finals to face the San Diego Sockers in San Diego, California. The Legends lost to the Sockers 6–5 in overtime, ending their playoff run.[6][7]

The Legends participated in the 2012–13 United States Open Cup for Arena Soccer. They defeated Real Phoenix in the Wild Card round, the CSC Cavalry of the Premier Arena Soccer League in the Round of 16, and the Tacoma Stars in the Quarter-Finals before losing in the Semi-Finals to the San Diego Sockers.

Off-field moves

The Legends paid a $50,000 fee to the PASL to participate in the 2012-13 season.[8] The team was initially to be called the Las Vegas Knights, after a local semi-pro soccer team under the same ownership, but a last-minute decision changed the team's name to Legends.[9]

KHDF-CD ("Azteca 19") broadcasts select Las Vegas Legends games.[10]

In early January 2013, the Legends announced that their pivotal January 18 match against the San Diego Sockers would be dedicated to the memory of Allison Wyatt, one of the children murdered in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012. Wyatt was the oldest daughter of Ben Wyatt, the vice president of TransAct Technologies, a company with strong Las Vegas ties. The team is donating proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales, a silent auction, and other fundraisers to the Allison Wyatt Memorial Fund.[11]

Roster moves

The Legends signed their first player, veteran Enrique Tovar, in a ceremony at the Luxor Las Vegas on August 7, 2012.[12] Multiple rounds of tryouts in late August 2012 were used to winnow a field of more than 100 applicants to round out the team's final roster.[13] Players selected include local standouts Eric Guzman and Edgar Nava.[14] Guzman, just 19 when the season began, is the youngest player on the Legends roster.[15] Veteran Emmanuel Ayim has a doctorate in sports education leadership and is an academic adviser at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.[16]

Brazilian-born Ricardo Sobreira, better known as Ricardinho, emerged as the team's leading scorer. Ricardinho quickly became a fan favorite, drawing praise from his coach and attention from both fans and local media.[15]

Corey Adamson, most recently of the Panama City Beach Pirates, has made appearances on the Legends roster.[17]

Brian Fitzmaurice, a former standout soccerplayer at T. C. Roberson High School in Asheville, North Carolina, is now a defender for the Legends.[18]

Forward Franck Tayou and defender Uzi Tayou are brothers, two of nine siblings who emigrated to the United States with their father after fleeing Cameroon to escape political persecution. The brothers have lived in Las Vegas since 2006.[19]

Awards and honors

On December 18, 2012, the Professional Arena Soccer League named Rodrigo Barbirato as its Player of the Week. The league cited his hat trick in Las Vegas' win over Real Phoenix on December 15 and his 14 points in the team's first 5 games this season.[20]

On February 19, 2013, the PASL named Enrique "Qeeks" Tovar as its Player of the Week. The PASL cited his three goals and five assists against the Anaheim Bolts in the Legends's final regular season match plus his setting of a new league record for assists in a single season.[21]

In postseason honors, defender Eric Guzman was named to the 2012-13 PASL All-League First Team and forward Enrique Tovar was named to the 2012-13 PASL All-League Second Team. Greg Howes was the runner-up for the 2012-13 PASL Coach of the Year honor.[22]

Schedule

  Win   Tie   Loss

Pre-season
Game Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location[23] Attendance
Final Score Record
1 Thursday October 18 7:00pm Stars of Mexico W 8–7 (OT)[24] 1–0 Orleans Arena[25] 4,100+[24]

Regular season
Game Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location[23] Attendance
Final Score Record
1 Thursday November 1 7:00pm Arizona Storm W 11–2[26] 1–0 Orleans Arena 775[27]
2 Sunday November 4 2:00pm Anaheim Bolts L 8–11[28] 1–1 Orleans Arena[29] 1,145[30]
3 Friday November 9 8:00pm at Turlock Express W 10–6 2–1 Turlock Soccer Complex 534[31]
4 Saturday November 10 7:00pm at Sacramento Surge W 8–2 3–1 Off The Wall Soccer Arena 324[32]
5 Sunday November 18 4:00pm at Toros Mexico W 13–3[33] 4–1 Unisantos Park 314[34]
6 Sunday December 9 2:00pm Toros Mexico W 16–9[35] 5–1 Orleans Arena[10] 1,246[36]
7 Saturday December 15 7:00pm Real Phoenix† W 10–4[37] 6–1 Orleans Arena 765[38]
8 Saturday December 29 7:00pm Arizona Storm W 8–6 7–1 Las Vegas Sports Park[3] 575[39]
9 Friday January 4 7:00pm Tacoma Stars† W 15–6[15] 8–1 Las Vegas Sports Park 620[40]
10 Saturday January 12 7:00pm
(6:00pm Pacific)		 at Real Phoenix W 6–1 9–1 Barney Family Sports Complex 203[41]
11 Sunday January 13 4:00pm
(3:00pm Pacific)		 at Arizona Storm W 12–5 10–1 Arizona Sports Complex 125[42]
12 Friday January 18 7:00pm San Diego Sockers† L 5–6[43] 10–2 Orleans Arena[15] 2,427[44]
13 Sunday January 27 5:05pm
(4:05pm Pacific)		 at Arizona Storm W 17–7 11–2 Arizona Sports Complex 222[45]
14 Thursday January 31 7:00pm Dallas Sidekicks L 2–4[46] 11–3 Orleans Arena 1,119[47]
15 Saturday February 9 4:00pm
(3:00pm Pacific)		 at Real Phoenix W 13–4 12–3 Arizona Sports Complex 69[48]
16 Sunday February 17 4:00pm at Anaheim Bolts W 20–5[49] 13–3 Anaheim Convention Center[50] 769[51]

† Game also counts for US Open Cup, as listed in chart below.

Postseason
Round Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance
Final Score Record
Division Finals Game 1 Saturday February 23 3:30pm at Toros Mexico W 10–8 1–0 Valley View Casino Center 412[52]
Division Finals Game 2 Sunday February 24 4:00pm Toros Mexico W 10–4[53] 2–0 Orleans Arena[19] 1,023[54]
Semi-Finals Sunday March 10 6:30pm at San Diego Sockers L 5–6 (OT)[6][7] 2–1 Valley View Casino Center[55][56] 4,287[57][58]

2012–13 US Open Cup for Arena Soccer
Game Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance
Final Score Record
Wild Card December 15 7:00pm Real Phoenix W 10–4[37] 1–0 Orleans Arena 765[38]
Round of 16 December 28 7:00pm CSC Cavalry
(PASL-Premier)		 W 18–3[59] 2–0 Las Vegas Sports Park[3] 620[60]
Quarter-final January 4 7:00pm Tacoma Stars W 15–6 3–0 Las Vegas Sports Park 620[40]
Semi-final January 18 7:00pm San Diego Sockers L 5–6[43] 3–1 Orleans Arena[15] 2,427[44]

References
  1. "League Attendance". Professional Arena Soccer League. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
  2. Kelemen, Matt (October 26, 2012). "Ready to Score; Las Vegas Legends bring pro indoor soccer to the Orleans Arena". Las Vegas Magazine. Archived from the original on October 29, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  3. "Games Rescheduled: Las Vegas Legends Announce Holiday Venue Change, Prepare to Play Top PASL Teams in January" (Press release). Las Vegas Legends. December 21, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  4. Kantowski, Ron (August 23, 2012). "Local expansion soccer team puts best feet forward". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Las Vegas, NV: Stephens Media. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
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  7. "Sockers eliminate Legends in overtime, 6-5". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Las Vegas, NV: Stephens Media. March 11, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  8. Maathuis, Chris (June 26, 2012). "Indoor Soccer Team Coming to Las Vegas". KLAS-TV. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
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