2013–14 Professional Arena Soccer League season explained

Competition:Professional Arena Soccer League
Season:2013–14
Winners:Chicago Mustangs
League Topscorer:Efrain Martinez CHI
Bryan Moya CHI
40 Goals
Biggest Home Win:MEX 27-2 BAY
(February 15)
(PASL Record)
Biggest Away Win:DAL 15-1 TEX
(January 11)
Highest Scoring:CLE 27-6 ILL
(January 4)
Matches:159
Total Goals:2483
Longest Unbeaten:16 Games:
Chicago Mustangs
(unbeaten season)
Longest Losses:15 Games:
Texas Strikers
(November 10-February 8)
Highest Attendance:9,627
HLF @ MON
(November 3)
(PASL Record)
Lowest Attendance:109
CHI @ ILL
(January 11)
Average Attendance:1,349[1]
Prevseason:2012–13
Nextseason:2014–15

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.

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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

Last season's Central Division champion Rio Grande Valley Flash returned under new ownership as "La Fiera FC". Head coach Mariano Bollella also returned to lead the team at State Farm Arena. In late July, the team announced Joaquín García Fernández as its new president. 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. On July 22, the team announced that head coach Jason Norsic had resigned for personal and family reasons. The team scheduled open tryouts for August 24–25 at The Field Sports Complex.

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. July 2013 press reports stated that Rockford Rampage and Real Phoenix would not return for this season. 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.

Expansion

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

Launch delayed

In April 2013, the league announced that a new team would play at the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas. 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. 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.

Standings

As of 2/16/2014


(Bold) Division Winner

PlaceTeamGPWLPctGFGAGB
style=background-color:Green colspan=9 Eastern Division
1Chicago Mustangs161601.00020283
2Detroit Waza15105.6671301075.5
3Cleveland Freeze16106.6251731346.0
4Cincinnati Saints16511.31310814111.0
5Harrisburg Heat16412.2509415612.0
6Illinois Piasa15213.1336214513.5
style=background-color:Green colspan=9 Central Division
1Hidalgo La Fiera16142.87518565
2Dallas Sidekicks16142.87515068
3Monterrey Flash16133.813140761.0
4Wichita B-52s1679.438911137.0
5Saltillo Rancho Seco16610.375911328.0
6Tulsa Revolution16214.1258915812.0
7Texas Strikers16115.0636219513.0
style=background-color:Green colspan=9 Pacific Division
1Las Vegas Legends16133.813180101
2San Diego Sockers16133.81313883
3Toros Mexico1697.5631751184.0
4Bay Area Rosal1679.4381121586.0
5Turlock Express16511.313931208.0
6Ontario Fury16511.3131161518.0
7Sacramento Surge16313.1889217910.0

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.

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.

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.

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.

PASL Final 4 Bracket

(@ Chicago, IL)

Schedule

Divisional First Round

Divisional Finals

Newman Cup Semi-Finals

Newman Cup Third Place

Newman Cup Championship

Statistics

Top scorers

RankScorerClubGamesGoalsAssistsPoints
1 Efrain MartinezChicago Mustangs16402363
2 Allen EllerCleveland Freeze14283462
Enrique TovarLas Vegas Legends16224062
4 Kraig ChilesSan Diego Sockers16382260
5 Bryan MoyaChicago Mustangs16401555
6 Miguel VacaChicago Mustangs16351954
7 Ivan CamposLas Vegas Legends16282553
8 Nestor HernandezDallas Sidekicks15331649
Carlos FariasHidalgo La Fiera15163349
10 Jamie LovegroveDallas Sidekicks16262248
Last updated on February 22, 2014. Source: Web site: . Scoring Leaders.

Awards

Player of the Week

WeekDatePlayerPos.Team
1November 5, 2013Enrique TovarFWLas Vegas Legends
2November 12, 2013Efrain MartinezFWChicago Mustangs
3November 19, 2013Erick TovarFWMonterrey Flash
4November 26, 2013Ivan CamposFWLas Vegas Legends
5December 3, 2013Miki DjerisiloMFDetroit Waza
6December 10, 2013Miguel VacaMFChicago Mustangs
7December 17, 2013Kraig ChilesFWSan Diego Sockers
8December 24, 2013Tom MellorFWHarrisburg Heat
9December 31, 2013Jesus FloresGKChicago Mustangs
10January 7, 2014Brian FarberMFSan Diego Sockers
11January 14, 2014Stefan OstergrenMFCleveland Freeze
12January 21, 2014Bryan MoyaFWChicago Mustangs
13January 28, 2014Kraig ChilesFWSan Diego Sockers
14February 4, 2014SaguGKDallas Sidekicks
15February 11, 2014Josh Grossman
Allen Eller
DF
FW
Cleveland Freeze
16February 18, 2014Joey KapinosGKDetroit Waza

Individual awards

AwardNameTeam
League MVPEfrain MartinezChicago Mustangs
Coach of the YearArmando GamboaChicago Mustangs
Aaron Susi Trophy (Playoff MVP) Jesus FloresChicago Mustangs

All-League First Team

NamePositionTeam
Kraig ChilesFSan Diego Sockers
Efrain MartinezFChicago Mustangs
Enrique TovarMLas Vegas Legends
Alex CaceresDLas Vegas Legends
Genoni MartinezDMonterrey Flash
Juan GamboaGKHidalgo La Fiera

All-League Second Team

NamePositionTeam
Allen EllerFCleveland Freeze
Jamie LovegroveMDallas Sidekicks
Miguel VacaMChicago Mustangs
Costea DecuDDetroit Waza
Josh GrossmanDCleveland Freeze
Jesus FloresGKChicago Mustangs

Honorable Mention

NamePositionTeam
Ivan CamposFLas Vegas Legends
Nestor HernandezMDallas Sidekicks
Evan McNeleyDSan Diego Sockers
Bryan MoyaFChicago Mustangs
Omar SantillanDChicago Mustangs
Chris TothGKSan Diego Sockers

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: . 2013-14 League Attendance . March 18, 2014.