Pennsylvania Stoners
The Pennsylvania Stoners were an American soccer team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2007, the team played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Eastern Keystone Division.
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| Full name | Pennsylvania Stoners | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Stoners | ||
| Founded | 2007 | ||
| Dissolved | 2009 | ||
| Ground | Zephyr Sports Complex | ||
| Chairman |  Fred Stellato | ||
| Manager | David Weitzman | ||
| League | National Premier Soccer League | ||
| 2009 | Regular Season: 3rd, Keystone Playoffs: did not qualify | ||
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The team played its home games at the Zephyr Sports Complex on the campus of Whitehall High School in nearby Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, where they had played since 2009. The team's colors were royal blue and white.
The "Stoners" name was derived from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's official nickname, The Keystone State. A previous incarnation of the Stoners was a member of the American Soccer League from 1979 to 1983.
History
The original Stoners were members of the American Soccer League from 1979 to 1983, during which time the team had the win-lose-tie record of 76-49-25. The Stoners won the league championship in 1980.[1] Due to increasing competition from other soccer leagues, and decreasing attendance, the team, along with the rest of the league, folded in 1983.[1]
The team was resurrected in 2007 as the Pennsylvania Stoners, and competed in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). The team originally played its home games at J. Birney Crum Stadium. In 2008, the team captured the NPSL league championship. Starting in 2009,the Stoners played their home matches at Whitehall-Coplay School District's Zephyr Sports Complex in nearby Whitehall. The team folded after the 2009 season. In 2010, the FC Sonic Lehigh Valley brought NPSL soccer back to the Lehigh Valley.[2]
Players
Current roster
as at June 7, 2009 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Individual honours
- Coach of the Year - Willie Ehrlich (1979, 1980)
- MVP - George Gorleku (1980)
- Goalkeeper of the Year - Scott Manning (1980)
- Goalkeeper of the Year - Tom Reynolds (1981)
- All-Star Team - Ken McDonald (1981)
- All-Star Team - Jeff Tipping (1981)
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 2 | ASL | 3rd, Eastern | Semifinals | Did not enter |
| 1980 | 2 | ASL | 1st, National | Champion | Did not enter |
| 1981 | 2 | ASL | 2nd, Liberty | Semifinals | Did not enter |
| 1982 | 2 | ASL | 6th | 1st Round | Did not enter |
| 1983 | 2 | ASL | 2nd, Eastern | Final | Did not enter |
| 2008 | 4 | NPSL | 1st, North | Champion | Did not enter |
| 2009 | 4 | NPSL | 3rd, Keystone | Did not qualify | Did not enter |
Honors
- NPSL Champions 2008
- NPSL North Division Champions 2008
- ASL Champions 1980
- ASL National Division Champions 1980
Head coaches
- Willie Ehrlich (1979–80)
- Gary Hindley (1982–83)
- Todd Ervin (2008)
- David Weitzman (2009)[3]
Stadia
- J. Birney Crum Stadium; Allentown, Pennsylvania (2008)
- Zephyr Sports Complex; Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania (2009)
References
- Long, Ernie (13 December 1999). "The Popular Stoners Were Hurt By League: ASL Got Away From What Made It Successful, Which Destroyed Allentown Team". The Morning Call.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2013-06-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Stoners Announce 2009 Coaching Staff". Retrieved 2009-04-27.