Five Comets Players Receive All-League Honors
March 9, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Kansas City Comets News Release
INDEPENDENCE, Mo (March 9, 2015) - A total of five Comets players were named to the Major Arena Soccer League All-League Teams for the recently completed 2014/15 regular season. League leader Leo Gibson, team captain Vahid Assadpour and defenders John Sosa and Brian Harris received Firs-Team honors. Goalkeeper Danny Waltman leads the Second-Team.
MASL leading scorer Leo Gibson was a unanimous selection at forward. Gibson set league records with 93 points, 45 assists, and 15 power play goals for the undefeated Missouri Comets.
Fellow teammate and Comets team captain Vahid Assadpour was the only player to be named on every ballot, earning First or Second team nods from every voter. The midfielder was fourth in the league with 61 points on 36 goals and 25 assists.
Two of the three defenders on the First Team also came from the Comets. John Sosa, who was third in points among defenders with 37 as well as 14 blocked shots received the most votes at the position. Brian Harris, last year's MISL Playoff MVP, was named to the First Team after a season in which he scored 36 points, blocked 18 shots, and went 1-0 with a 5.52 GAA as a sixth attacker/backup.
Baltimore Blast goalkeeper William Vanzela received the third most First Team votes after Gibson and Assadpour after a season in which he went 14-2 with a record 2.83 GAA. Vanzela's flashy numbers were punctuated by recording four of the league's six shutouts this season.
Joining Vanzela as the co-captains of Baltimore top-rated team defense is defender Pat Healey. Healey was named to the MASL Team of the Week four times and led the 18-2 Blast with 22 assists while adding seven goals and a league-leading 53 blocked shots.
Last, but certainly not least is San Diego Sockers star forward Kraig Chiles, the only returning MASL player on the list. The three-time MVP found his way to the First Team for the fifth straight season after scoring 45 goals and 17 assists for the 16-4 Sockers.
The Second Team is led by Comets goalkeeper Danny Waltman who set a league record with 17 wins, Rochester Lancers forward Mauricio Salles, St. Louis Ambush rookie forward Gordy Gurson, midfielder Tiguinho Dias of the Ontario Fury, Sockers defender Eduardo Velez, and Wichita B-52s defender Alex Moseley.
The Third Team features Sockers forward Nick Perera, Oxford City FC of Texas rookie forward Lucas Totti, Dallas Sidekicks forward Freddy Moojen, Turlock Express/Las Vegas Legends defender Enrique Tovar, and Syracuse Silver Knights defender Nelson Santana. Sockers goalkeeper Chris Toth, who is 39-6 in his career, rounded out the Third Team.
The finalists for Most Valuable Player, Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Rookie of the Year will be announced on March 12. The final award winners will be announced at a time and location during the week of the Ron Newman Cup Finals.
2014/15 MASL ALL-LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
PLAYER POSITION TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
William Vanzela Goalkeeper Baltimore Blast 14-2 record, 2.83 GAA 4 shutouts
John Sosa Defender Missouri Comets 13 goals, 24 assists, 14 blocked shots
Brian Harris Defender Missouri Comets 23 goals, 13 assists, 18 blocked shots.
Pat Healey Defender Baltimore Blast 7 goals, 22 assists, 53 blocked shots.
Vahid Assadpour Midfielder Missouri Comets 36 goals, 25 assists, fourth overall.
Kraig Chiles Forward San Diego Sockers 45 goals, 17 assists, 10 hat tricks.
Leo Gibson Forward Missouri Comets 48 goals, 45 assists, 8 hat tricks.
2014/15 MASL ALL-LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
PLAYER POSITION TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
Danny Waltman Goalkeeper Missouri Comets 17-0 record, 4.83 GAA, league record for wins
Eduardo Velez Defender San Diego Sockers 16 goals and 19 assists while blocking 23 shots
Alex Moseley Defender Wichita B-52s 20 goals, 19 assists, 39 points
Tiguinho Dias Midfielder Ontario Fury 31 goals, 22 assists and five hat tricks
Gordy Gurson Forward Seattle Impact/St. Louis Ambush 46 goals and 18 assists, 11 power play goals
Mauricio Salles Forward Rochester Lancers Fourth with 41 goals and fifth with 57 points
2014/15 MASL ALL-LEAGUE THIRD TEAM
PLAYER POSITION TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
Chris Toth Goalkeeper San Diego Sockers 12-3 record, 4.58 GAA, third in wins
Enrique Tovar Defender Turlock Express/Las Vegas Legends 12 goals and 27 assists, 20 blocked shots
Nelson Santana Defender Syracuse Silver Knights 11 goals and 17 assists, 24 blocked shots
Lucas Totti Midfielder Oxford City FC of Texas 30 goals and 25 assists.
Nick Perera Forward San Diego Sockers 27 goals and 22 assists.
Freddy Moojen Forward Dallas Sidekicks 39 goals and seven hat tricks
Next up, the Missouri Comets will host the Milwaukee Wave for the MASL Central Divisional Final this Thursday at the Independence Events Center. In case of winning, the team will advance to the Conference Final against the winner of Baltimore and Rochester.
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from March 9, 2015
- Ontario Fury's Tiguinho Named to All-MASL Team - Ontario Fury
- William Vanzela and Pat Healey Named First Team All MASL - Baltimore Blast
- Five Comets Players Receive All-League Honors - Kansas City Comets
- Gurson Earns MASL All-Second Team Honor - St. Louis Ambush
- MASL Announces 2014/15 All-League Teams - MASL
- Allen Named Host City for 2015 WMF Arena Soccer World Cup - Dallas Sidekicks
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