Sockers, Waza Headline PASL All-League Teams
Published on March 6, 2012 under Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) News Release
The Professional Arena Soccer League today announced the results of leaguewide voting for the 2011/12 All-League Teams.
The San Diego Sockers and Detroit Waza, the respective Western and Eastern Division champions, placed the most players on the two teams. Detroit landed three players on the All-League First Team and San Diego nabbed two places on each of the First and Second Teams.
San Diego's Kraig Chiles was the top vote getter with 12 of a possible 14 First Team votes. Detroit's Costea Decu collected nine First Team votes. Chiles scored a PASL-record 46 goals and his 66 points were 19 more than the 47 points scored by Decu and his teammate Miki Djerisilo, who each tied for second in the league.
After Chiles, Sockers teammate Brian Farber received the second most votes with seven First Team and four Second Team picks.
Anaheim Bolts defender Adriano De Lima and Cincinnati Kings forward Allen Eller were the only two of the 12 players whose teams did not make the playoffs.
Detroit goalkeeper Vito Lonigro was a surprise pick for the First Team. His 8-1 record and 5.84 GAA were flashy enough, but his season ended with an injury on January 28. He beat out San Diego's 10-0 Riley Swift and his 6-0 understudy Chris Toth, who set a PASL record with a 3.23 GAA.
Another standout whose season was cut short was Tijuana's Cesar Romero. Romero took the PASL by storm scoring 33 goals in seven games, including not one, but two nine-goal games (the previous PASL record was seven). The only thing that could stop Romero's prolific scoring was a contract offer by Chivas USA, who signed him away to play in MLS. Romero's abbreviated stay in the PASL still landed him a Second Team slot.
The other eye opening player was Turlock's Jesse Horta. The rookie defender earned five First Team votes and three Second Team votes, which narrowly landed him on the Second Team, one vote behind De Lima. Horta was third on the Express with 24 points and he tied for third in the league with 20 blocked shots.
The PASL's Ron Newman Cup Championship Weekend will take place this Friday and Saturday at Del Mar Arena in San Diego. The Sockers and Waza will be joined by the Kansas Magic and Revolucion Tijuana in a final four format culminating in Saturday's Championship Game at 7:05pm.
First Team
Kraig Chiles - San Diego
Miki Djerisilo - Detroit
Brian Farber - San Diego
Costea Decu - Detroit
Adriano DeLima - Anaheim
Vito Lonigro - Detroit
Second Team
Cesar Romero - Tijuana
Allen Eller - Cincinnati
Jorge Quiroz - Turlock
Jesse Horta - Turlock
Ze Roberto - San Diego
Riley Swift - San Diego
Professional Arena Soccer League Stories from March 6, 2012
- Sockers, Waza Headline PASL All-League Teams - PASL
- Sockers Phil Salvagio Named Coach of the Year - PASL
- Phil Salvagio Named PASL Coach of the Year - San Diego Sockers
- Sockers Place Four on All-PASL Teams - San Diego Sockers
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