2012–13 Rio Grande Valley Flash season explained

Club:Rio Grande Valley Flash
Season:
2012–13 PASL
Chairman:Gerardo Guerra Lozano
Chrtitle:Owner
Manager:Mariano Bollella
Mgrtitle:Head Coach
Stdtitle:Arena
Stadium:State Farm Arena
Hidalgo, Texas
League:PASL
League Result:2nd, Central
Cup1 Result:Lost in semi-final
Cup2 Result:DNP
Highest Attendance:2,035
(December 7, 2012)
vs Arizona Storm
Lowest Attendance:966
(November 25, 2012)
vs Dallas Sidekicks
Average Attendance:1,549 (over 8 home games)
Prevseason:N/A
Nextseason:2013–14

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.

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. 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 team was originally organized in 2011 as the Monterrey Flash in the Liga Mexicana de Futbol Rápido Profesional (LMFR). 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. In mid-October 2012, the Flash announced that they had rejoined the LMFR and would participate in both leagues.

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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

Awards and honors

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

Schedule

Regular season

GameDayDateKickoffOpponentResultsLocationAttendance
Final ScoreRecord
1SaturdayNovember 177:30pmTexas StrikersW 13–11–0State Farm Arena1,758
2SundayNovember 255:00pmDallas SidekicksL 3–71–1State Farm Arena966
3FridayNovember 307:30pmat Dallas SidekicksL 3–71–2Allen Event Center5,606
4FridayDecember 77:30pmArizona StormW 16–22–2State Farm Arena2,035
5SundayDecember 166:00pmRockford RampageW 7–13–2State Farm Arena1,357
6FridayDecember 288:00pmat Chicago MustangsL 9–103–3Grand Sports Arena299
7SaturdayDecember 297:05pmat Rockford RampageW 3–24–3Victory Sports Complex322
8Thursday January 37:30pmat Dallas SidekicksL 2–54–4Allen Event Center4,978
9FridayJanuary 47:05pmat Texas StrikersW 10–15–4Ford Arena496
10SundayJanuary 205:00pmDallas SidekicksW 8–66–4State Farm Arena1,463
11SundayJanuary 275:00pmTexas StrikersW 12–37–4State Farm Arena1,549
12FridayFebruary 17:30pmReal PhoenixW 21–38–4State Farm Arena1,521
13SaturdayFebruary 97:00pm
(9:00pm Central)
at Anaheim BoltsW 18–49–4Anaheim Convention Center689
14SundayFebruary 101:00pm
(3:00pm Central)
at Toros MexicoW 6–210–4UniSantos Park300
15FridayFebruary 157:30pmChicago MustangsW 8–511–4State Farm Arena1,749
16SaturdayFebruary 167:05pmat Texas StrikersW 11–10 (OT)12–4Ford Arena620
♥ Replacement squad after Phoenix franchise revoked by league.

Postseason

RoundDayDateKickoffOpponentResultsLocationAttendance
Final ScoreRecord
Division Finals Game 1SundayFebruary 243:05pmDallas SidekicksW 5–4 (OT)1–0State Farm Arena1,600
Division Finals Game 2ThursdayFebruary 287:30pmat Dallas SidekicksW 8–52–0Allen Event Center3,274
Semi-FinalsSundayMarch 104:00pm
(6:00pm Central)
Detroit WazaL 5–6 (OT)2–1Valley View Casino Center?

External links