2012–13 Rio Grande Valley Flash season

The 2012–13 Rio Grande Valley Flash season was the first season of the Rio Grande Valley Flash indoor soccer club. The Flash, a Central Division team in the Professional Arena Soccer League, played their home games in the State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas. The team was led by owner Gerardo Guerra Lozano and head coach Mariano Bollella.[2]

Rio Grande Valley Flash

2012–13 PASL season
OwnerGerardo Guerra Lozano
Head CoachMariano Bollella
ArenaState Farm Arena
Hidalgo, Texas
PASL2nd, Central
Ron Newman CupLost in Semi-Final
US Open CupDNP
Highest home attendance2,035
(December 7, 2012)
vs Arizona Storm
Lowest home attendance966
(November 25, 2012)
vs Dallas Sidekicks
Average home league attendance1,549 (over 8 home games)[1]

Season summary

The Flash were successful in the regular season, compiling a 12–4 record and placing second in the competitive Central Division. The team split the first half of the season with four wins and four losses before winning the final regular season matches. The team also fared well at the box office, drawing the fourth-highest average attendance for home games this season.[1] The Flash qualified for the postseason and earned the right to play for the Ron Newman Cup in the PASL National Championship. They defeated Central Division regular season champion Dallas Sidekicks in consecutive games and advanced to the PASL Semi-Finals in San Diego where they fell to the Detroit Waza in overtime.

The Flash did not participate in the 2012–13 United States Open Cup for Arena Soccer.

Off-field moves
The original logo, echoing the Monterrey Flash logo, used until January 9, 2013

The team was originally organized in 2011 as the Monterrey Flash in the Liga Mexicana de Futbol Rápido Profesional (LMFR).[3] Although successful (they won the league championship and finished second in the 2012 FIFRA Club Championship) owner Gerardo Guerra Lozano moved the team across the border to Texas and joined the PASL in September 2012.[4][5] In mid-October 2012, the Flash announced that they had rejoined the LMFR and would participate in both leagues.[6]

The Flash at the Dallas Sidekicks, November 30, 2012.

The team's initial logo matched the one used in Monterrey, with only the location named updated. On January 9, 2013, the Flash unveiled a new, sleeker logo during a press conference at Ford Arena.[7]

The Flash warming up before a February 28, 2013, match against the Dallas Sidekicks in Allen, Texas.

The Flash held several pre-season promotion events including a friendly match against local media on November 14 and a "Student's Day" for local area schools during their November 15 match against the Texas South Devils of the National Premier Soccer League.[8]

Roster moves

On January 9, 2013, the team announced that it had signed a number of "soccer stars from Mexico" to play for the Flash during home games. The first such announced signing was Claudio "Diablo" Nuñez, formerly of the Tigres UANL.[7] At the same press conference, the Flash announced the signing of goalkeeper Juan Gamboa, a Brownsville, Texas, native who played for The University of Texas at Brownsville.[9][10]

On January 31, 2013, the team announced the signing of Hector Nicanor. The veteran defender played for C.F. Monterrey and Monarcas Morelia in the Mexican Primera División of Liga MX in the mid-1990s.[11]

Awards and honors

In postseason honors, defender Damian Garcia was named to the 2012-13 PASL All-League Second Team.[12][13]

Schedule

  Win   Tie   Loss

Pre-season
Game Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location[14] Attendance
Final Score Team Record
1 Thursday November 15 10:00am Texas South Devils (NPSL) W 6–5[15] 1–0 State Farm Arena[8]

Regular season
Game Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location[16] Attendance
Final Score Record
1 Saturday November 17 7:30pm Texas Strikers W 13–1[17] 1–0 State Farm Arena 1,758[18]
2 Sunday November 25 5:00pm Dallas Sidekicks L 3–7[19] 1–1 State Farm Arena[20] 966[21]
3 Friday November 30 7:30pm at Dallas Sidekicks L 3–7[22] 1–2 Allen Event Center[23] 5,606[24]
4 Friday December 7 7:30pm Arizona Storm W 16–2[25] 2–2 State Farm Arena 2,035[26]
5 Sunday December 16 6:00pm Rockford Rampage W 7–1[27] 3–2 State Farm Arena 1,357[28]
6 Friday December 28 8:00pm at Chicago Mustangs L 9–10[29] 3–3 Grand Sports Arena[30] 299[31]
7 Saturday December 29 7:05pm at Rockford Rampage W 3–2[32] 4–3 Victory Sports Complex[33] 322[34]
8 Thursday January 3 7:30pm at Dallas Sidekicks L 2–5[35] 4–4 Allen Event Center[36] 4,978[37]
9 Friday January 4 7:05pm at Texas Strikers W 10–1[38][39] 5–4 Ford Arena[40] 496[41]
10 Sunday January 20 5:00pm Dallas Sidekicks W 8–6[42][43][44] 6–4 State Farm Arena[45][46] 1,463[47]
11 Sunday January 27 5:00pm Texas Strikers W 12–3[48][49] 7–4 State Farm Arena[9] 1,549[50]
12 Friday February 1 7:30pm Real Phoenix ♥ W 21–3[51][52] 8–4 State Farm Arena[11] 1,521[53]
13 Saturday February 9 7:00pm
(9:00pm Central)		 at Anaheim Bolts W 18–4[54][55] 9–4 Anaheim Convention Center[56] 689[57]
14 Sunday February 10 1:00pm
(3:00pm Central)		 at Toros Mexico W 6–2[58] 10–4 UniSantos Park[59] 300[60]
15 Friday February 15 7:30pm Chicago Mustangs W 8–5[61] 11–4 State Farm Arena[62] 1,749[63]
16 Saturday February 16 7:05pm at Texas Strikers W 11–10 (OT)[64][65] 12–4 Ford Arena 620[66]

♥ Replacement squad after Phoenix franchise revoked by league.

Postseason
Round Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance
Final Score Record
Division Finals Game 1 Sunday February 24 3:05pm Dallas Sidekicks[67] W 5–4 (OT) 1–0 State Farm Arena[64][68] 1,600[69]
Division Finals Game 2 Thursday February 28 7:30pm at Dallas Sidekicks W 8–5[70][71][72] 2–0 Allen Event Center[73][74][75] 3,274[76]
Semi-Finals Sunday March 10 4:00pm
(6:00pm Central)		 Detroit Waza L 5–6 (OT)[77][78] 2–1 Valley View Casino Center ?[79]

References
  1. "League Attendance". Professional Arena Soccer League. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
  2. Sandalow, Brian (September 28, 2012). "RGV Flash looking to make it work". The Monitor. McAllen, TX. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  3. Rivas, Claudia Perez (September 28, 2012). "Pro indoor soccer coming to Rio Grande Valley". Rio Grande Guardian. Archived from the original on October 11, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  4. Krieger, Dan (October 2, 2012). "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". Our Sports Central. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  5. Williams, Clay (September 28, 2012). "Indoor Soccer Franchise Moves Into Hidalgo's Arena In A 'Flash'". Harlingen, TX: KGBT-TV. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  6. Krieger, Dan (October 22, 2012). "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". Our Sports Central. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  7. "RGV Flash Makes Changes". Our Sports Central. January 9, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  8. Perez, Pedro (November 6, 2012). "RGV Flash to hold events before inaugural season". The Valley Town Crier. Weslaco, TX. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  9. "RGV Capsules: Gamboa among Flash additions". The Brownsville Herald. Brownsville, TX: American Consolidated Media. January 9, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  10. "Dedicated Gamboa finds place with Flash". The Brownsville Herald. Brownsville, TX: American Consolidated Media. January 18, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
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  12. "Professional Arena Soccer League Update". Our Sports Central. March 4, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
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  74. "Flash Take Slim Lead In OT". Our Sports Central. February 24, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
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  78. "Flash Lose in Thriller". Our Sports Central. March 10, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  79. "Box Score: Valley View Casino Arena - Sun, Mar 10, 2013". Professional Arena Soccer League. March 10, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  • rgvflash.com Rio Grande Valley Flash official website
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