2013–14 Professional Arena Soccer League season

The 2013–14 Professional Arena Soccer League season was the sixth season for the PASL, an American professional indoor soccer league. The regular season started on November 1, 2013 and ended on February 16, 2014. After regional playoffs in late February, the three regional winners and host Chicago Mustangs competed at the Sears Centre for the Ron Newman Cup on March 15–16, 2014. The Mustangs capped a perfect season by winning the league championship.

Professional Arena Soccer League
Season2013–14
ChampionsChicago Mustangs
Matches played159
Goals scored2,483 (15.62 per match)
Top goalscorerEfrain Martinez CHI
Bryan Moya CHI
40 Goals
Biggest home winMEX 27-2 BAY
(February 15)
(PASL Record)
Biggest away winDAL 15-1 TEX
(January 11)
Highest scoringCLE 27-6 ILL
(January 4)
Longest unbeaten run16 Games:
Chicago Mustangs
(unbeaten season)
Longest losing run15 Games:
Texas Strikers
(November 10-February 8)
Highest attendance9,627
HLF @ MON
(November 3)
(PASL Record)
Lowest attendance109
CHI @ ILL
(January 11)
Average attendance1,349[1]

Teams

Returning clubs

In advance of news from the league's 2013 summer meetings, the exact size and composition of the PASL for the 2013–14 season was unclear. Reigning champion San Diego Sockers and league attendance leader Dallas Sidekicks were sure to return.[2][3] The Sockers were scheduled to play an outdoor exhibition match against a Mexico All-Stars team at Balboa Stadium on September 1. The game was the first outdoor contest for the Sockers since 1984.[4]

The Harrisburg Heat announced in early July 2013 that head coach Richard Chinapoo and assistant Gino DiFlorio would return to lead the team for the 2013–14 season.[5] On July 24, Chinapoo announced that this season would be his last in Harrisburg as he will move to Florida in August 2014 to be with his wife and daughter.[6][7][8] The Heat scheduled two open tryouts at Sports City Harrisburg, the first on September 15 and the second on October 6. Training camp for the team opened on October 21.[6]

Last season's Central Division champion Rio Grande Valley Flash returned under new ownership as "La Fiera FC".[9] Head coach Mariano Bollella also returned to lead the team at State Farm Arena.[10] In late July, the team announced Joaquín García Fernández as its new president.[11] By league mandate, the team's name was changed to Hidalgo La Fiera to reflect its home city.

On July 19, 2013, the Illinois Piasa announced that they would play this season at The Field Sports Complex in Pontoon Beach, Illinois. Formerly known as "Sports For Fun", this facility had been the Piasa's home turf from 2008 through 2011.[12] On July 22, the team announced that head coach Jason Norsic had resigned for personal and family reasons.[13] The team scheduled open tryouts for August 24–25 at The Field Sports Complex.[14]

Contraction

Teams that struggled at the box office, were taken over by the league, or were unable to relocate to meet the league's new 1,000-seat minimum for home arenas variously sought demotion, suspension, or dissolution. In late May 2013, the ownership of the Anaheim Bolts announced that due to increasing costs and poor attendance they would seek a new buyer for the franchise and that the team would not play in the 2013–14 season.[15][16][17] July 2013 press reports stated that Rockford Rampage and Real Phoenix would not return for this season.[5] Without fanfare, the league removed the Ohio Vortex and Arizona Storm from their list of affiliated teams in August 2013. The Tacoma Stars went on hiatus for the 2013–14 season on August 23, 2013. The organization instead fielded a squad called "Tacoma Galaxy" in the Premier Arena Soccer League.[18]

Expansion

The PASL added several new teams for the 2013–14 season:

  • Originally announced in July 2012, the Tulsa Revolution play at the Tulsa Convention Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[19] The team held its first open tryout in mid-July 2013.[20] The Williams Companies signed as the team's presenting sponsor for their debut season.[21]
  • In late May 2013, the owners of the now-dormant Anaheim Bolts announced that they would instead field a new PASL team at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.[15][16][22] The team held its first open tryouts on June 28–29.[23][24] On July 25, team president Bernie Lilavois announced that "Ontario Fury" was chosen from over 500 fan-submitted entries in a name-the-team contest.[25][26] The name, logo, and team colors all reflect the passion of local soccer fans and the "powerful elements" of heat and wind that characterize the Inland Empire climate.[26][27]
  • In June 2013, the Wichita Wings of the MISL folded but a successor corporation named FC Wichita LLC announced their intention to join the PASL for the 2013–14 season.[28] The name and home arena for the Wichita, Kansas, based team were not immediately announced.[29][30] On July 10, the team announced that it secured a lease at Hartman Arena but planned to delay joining the PASL until the 2014–15 season.[31] On July 23, the PASL announced that a different ownership group had secured its own Hartman Arena lease and the franchise to play in Wichita for the 2013–14 season.[32][33] On August 22, the team announced that it will play as the "Wichita B-52s" to honor the city's aviation heritage. Indoor soccer veteran Larry Inlow serves as head coach.[34]
  • The league also added the expansion Cleveland Freeze, Mexico-based teams Monterrey Flash and Saltillo Rancho Seco, plus Bay Area Rosal and the Cincinnati Saints moved up from the PASL-Premier to the pro league.

Launch delayed

In April 2013, the league announced that a new team will play at the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas.[35] A fan contest in May 2013 named the team "Laredo Diesel" but, citing marketability, franchise owner Dr. Judson Somerville changed the name to Laredo Honey Badgers on July 24.[36] On September 27, 2013, the team confirmed that, due to the financial and legal difficulties faced by their owner, they would delay entry into the league until the 2014–15 season.[37]

Standings

As of 2/16/2014
  2013-14 League Championship
  2013-14 Playoff Team
(Bold) Division Winner

Place Team GP W L Pct GF GA GB
Eastern Division
1 Chicago Mustangs 161601.00020283
2 Detroit Waza 15105.6671301075.5
3 Cleveland Freeze 16106.6251731346.0
4 Cincinnati Saints 16511.31310814111.0
5 Harrisburg Heat 16412.2509415612.0
6 Illinois Piasa 15213.1336214513.5
Central Division
1 Hidalgo La Fiera 16142.87518565
2 Dallas Sidekicks 16142.87515068
3 Monterrey Flash 16133.813140761.0
4 Wichita B-52s 1679.438911137.0
5 Saltillo Rancho Seco 16610.375911328.0
6 Tulsa Revolution 16214.1258915812.0
7 Texas Strikers 16115.0636219513.0
Pacific Division
1 Las Vegas Legends 16133.813180101
2 San Diego Sockers 16133.81313883
3 Toros Mexico 1697.5631751184.0
4 Bay Area Rosal 1679.4381121586.0
5 Turlock Express 16511.313931208.0
6 Ontario Fury 16511.3131161518.0
7 Sacramento Surge 16313.1889217910.0

2014 Ron Newman Cup

Playoff format

On December 24, The PASL selected San Diego, Dallas, Ontario, and Chicago as possible sites for the 2014 Ron Newman Cup Final Four. The sites were initially determined based on several factors including venue availability and suitability. The potential hosts were evaluated based on attendance, accessibility and the teams' competitive history. On January 22, the PASL announced that Chicago would host the PASL Final Four tournament at the Sears Centre while the amateur Premier Arena Soccer League will hold its championship at the Grand Sports Arena, the Mustangs' usual home field this season.[38]

The top three teams in each division will qualify for the Newman Cup Playoffs. In the host team's division, the three top teams other than the host will qualify, creating a total field of 10 playoff teams. As host, Chicago gets an automatic bye past the playoffs and directly to the Final Four tournament.[38]

In each division the division winner (or next best team other than the host), will get a first round bye. The #3 seed will play at #2 and the winner of that game will play at the #1 seed. The three divisional playoff winners will join the host team in the Final Four. All rounds of the playoffs will be single elimination.[39]

The PASL named the Newman Cup Most Valuable Player award the Aaron Susi Trophy, after the California Cougars/San Diego Sockers player who was a member of the league's first five championship teams.[40]

Eastern Division Bracket

  Semifinals
Mar. 1 - 7:05pm
    Final
Mar. 8 - 7:05pm
                 
    E2 Detroit Waza 5
  E3 Cleveland Freeze 11     E3 Cleveland Freeze 6
  E4 Cincinnati Saints 6  

Central Division Bracket

  Semifinals
Feb. 22 - 7:05pm
    Final
Mar. 1 - 7:05pm
                 
    C1 Hidalgo La Fiera 9
  C2 Dallas Sidekicks 4     C3 Monterrey Flash 8
  C3 Monterrey Flash 6  

Pacific Division Bracket

  Semifinals
Feb. 22 - 7:05pm
    Final
Mar. 1 - 7:05pm
                 
    P1 Las Vegas Legends 11
  P2 San Diego Sockers 7     P2 San Diego Sockers 7
  P3 Toros Mexico 4  

PASL Final 4 Bracket

(@ Chicago, IL)

Semifinals
March 15 - 5:00pm, 7:30pm
Final
March 16 - 4:30pm
      
C1 Hidalgo La Fiera 5
P1 Las Vegas Legends 4
C1 Hidalgo La Fiera 5
E1 Chicago Mustangs 14
E1 Chicago Mustangs 10
E3 Cleveland Freeze 3

Schedule

Divisional First Round

Dallas Sidekicks4 - 6Monterrey Flash
Report
San Diego Sockers7 - 4Toros Mexico
Report
Cleveland Freeze11 - 6Cincinnati Saints
Report
Soccer Sportsplex
North Olmsted, Ohio
Attendance: 471

Divisional Finals

Hidalgo La Fiera9 - 8Monterrey Flash
Report
Las Vegas Legends11 - 7San Diego Sockers
Report
Las Vegas Sports Park
Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 711
Detroit Waza5 - 6Cleveland Freeze
Report
Melvindale Ice Arena
Melvindale, Michigan
Attendance: 1,007

Newman Cup Semi-Finals

Hidalgo La Fiera5 - 4Las Vegas Legends
Report
Chicago Mustangs10 - 3Cleveland Freeze
Report

Newman Cup Third Place

Las Vegas Legends7 - 6Cleveland Freeze
Report

Newman Cup Championship

Statistics

Top scorers

Rank Scorer Club Games Goals Assists Points
1 Efrain Martinez Chicago Mustangs 16 40 23 63
2 Allen Eller Cleveland Freeze 14 28 34 62
Enrique Tovar Las Vegas Legends 16 22 40 62
4 Kraig Chiles San Diego Sockers 16 38 22 60
5 Bryan Moya Chicago Mustangs 16 40 15 55
6 Miguel Vaca Chicago Mustangs 16 35 19 54
7 Ivan Campos Las Vegas Legends 16 28 25 53
8 Nestor Hernandez Dallas Sidekicks 15 33 16 49
Carlos Farias Hidalgo La Fiera 15 16 33 49
10 Jamie Lovegrove Dallas Sidekicks 16 26 22 48

Last updated on February 22, 2014. Source: "Scoring Leaders". Professional Arena Soccer League.

Awards

Player of the Week

Week Date Player Pos. Team
1 November 5, 2013 Enrique Tovar[41] FW Las Vegas Legends
2 November 12, 2013 Efrain Martinez[42] FW Chicago Mustangs
3 November 19, 2013 Erick Tovar[43] FW Monterrey Flash
4 November 26, 2013 Ivan Campos[44] FW Las Vegas Legends
5 December 3, 2013 Miki Djerisilo[45] MF Detroit Waza
6 December 10, 2013 Miguel Vaca[46] MF Chicago Mustangs
7 December 17, 2013 Kraig Chiles[47] FW San Diego Sockers
8 December 24, 2013 Tom Mellor[48] FW Harrisburg Heat
9 December 31, 2013 Jesus Flores[49] GK Chicago Mustangs
10 January 7, 2014 Brian Farber[50] MF San Diego Sockers
11 January 14, 2014 Stefan Ostergren[51] MF Cleveland Freeze
12 January 21, 2014 Bryan Moya[52] FW Chicago Mustangs
13 January 28, 2014 Kraig Chiles[53] FW San Diego Sockers
14 February 4, 2014 Sagu[54][55] GK Dallas Sidekicks
15 February 11, 2014 Josh Grossman
Allen Eller[56]
DF
FW
Cleveland Freeze
16 February 18, 2014 Joey Kapinos[57] GK Detroit Waza

Individual Awards

Award Name[58] Team
League MVP Efrain Martinez Chicago Mustangs
Coach of the Year Armando Gamboa Chicago Mustangs
Aaron Susi Trophy (Playoff MVP) [40] Jesus Flores Chicago Mustangs

All-League First Team

Name[59] Position Team
Kraig Chiles F San Diego Sockers
Efrain Martinez F Chicago Mustangs
Enrique Tovar M Las Vegas Legends
Alex Caceres D Las Vegas Legends
Genoni Martinez D Monterrey Flash
Juan Gamboa GK Hidalgo La Fiera

All-League Second Team

Name[59] Position Team
Allen Eller F Cleveland Freeze
Jamie Lovegrove M Dallas Sidekicks
Miguel Vaca M Chicago Mustangs
Costea Decu D Detroit Waza
Josh Grossman D Cleveland Freeze
Jesus Flores GK Chicago Mustangs

Honorable Mention

Name[59] Position Team
Ivan Campos F Las Vegas Legends
Nestor Hernandez M Dallas Sidekicks
Evan McNeley D San Diego Sockers
Bryan Moya F Chicago Mustangs
Omar Santillan D Chicago Mustangs
Chris Toth GK San Diego Sockers

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