“Our superstars are back,” said team co-owner and two-time Coach of the Year Phil Salvagio, “With tough teams coming into the PASL we wanted to make sure our stars and leaders were in place.”

Susi, who will turn 38 in June, is the only player in PASL history to have been a part of the league’s first four championships, winning in 2008-2009 with Stockton before coming to the Sockers for the last three titles. In his fifteenth year of professional indoor soccer, the Mission Bay High and SDSU graduate set personal Sockers highs in 2011-2012 in assists (22) and points (33). His 33 points ranked tied for ninth in the PASL, while his 22 assists were second in the league.

“After the season we had last year and our current streak, I’ve decided to return for another season,” said Susi, who had contemplated retirement but will instead return for a sixteenth season inside the boards, “I feel like I have more to give this team and want to carry our team success into next season.”

Chiles, who celebrates his 28th birthday on May 14th, is the reigning PASL goals and points leader and the back-to-back league MVP. Last season Chiles helped the Sockers to their third straight league championship and an undefeated season, setting the league record for goals (46) while coming two points short of the league mark for points, finishing with 66 in 15 games. The Poway High and SDSU graduate scored his 100th career goal during the 2011-2012 season and added seven goals and three assists during the postseason as the Sockers rolled to another PASL and US Open Cup championship.

“I couldn’t be happier to sign with the Sockers for another season,” said Chiles of the new deal, “It’s a top notch organization that truly takes care of its players. The league is moving in the right direction and I think this will be the most competitive year yet. I’m going to have a target on my back and because of that I plan to be as fit and strong as possible prior to the first game.”

The Sockers, thirteen time indoor soccer champions, completed a 24-0 season in 2011-2012 and carry a 37-game active winning streak into the 2012-2013 season, the second longest in U.S. professional team sports history.
 

Date, Time And Location To Be Determined

Committed to keeping the San Diego community involved in their team, the San Diego Sockers will continue their yearly tradition of holding open tryouts prior to the start of the 2012-2013 season.  Open tryouts will be held at a future date, time and location to be determined in the month of October.

Open tryouts last year netted the Santos brothers including Jason Santos, who earned a place on the Sockers Reserves and was later promoted to the Sockers' PASL side for the FIFRA Championships in Monterrey, Mexico. If you think you have the talent, skill, determination and hard work necessary to make your mark in the world of professional indoor soccer, hone your abilities this summer and get ready to try out in October!

Brian Farber and Kraig Chiles each potted a hat trick and added an assist as the Sockers (24-0, 18-0 PASL) completed the first undefeated season in franchise history with their 37th straight win, a 13-6 romp over the Cincinnati Kings in the final of the US Open for Arena Soccer. The Sockers captured their third straight US Open Cup to go alongside their third straight PASL Championship, a double-"threepeat".

"We accomplished all our goals without any hiccups," said Farber, who dominated the game with his speed and dribbling ability, "We proved to ourselves and everyone else that we can go undefeated."

San Diego’s 37-game winning streak is the second longest in US team sports history. The Sockers will enter the 2012-2013 season four victories away from breaking the Sioux Falls Storm’s record of 40 straight wins (United Indoor Football, 2005-2008).

Standing in the way of perfection were the Cincinnati Kings (8-11, 6-10 PASL), a side which never rebounded from losing all-PASL midfielder Jeff Hughes in the offseason. While veteran Allen Eller stepped in to make the all-league Second Team, the Kings lost the swagger which had come from three consecutive Eastern Division championships. Having not played since their season finale on February 25th, the Kings entered the night with rusty legs and quickly found out what it is like to play a three-time champion on a roll. 

Less than thirty seconds into the opening quarter, team captain Aaron Susi trapped a ball in the far corner, rolled it out to midfielder Majell Aterado on left wing, and Majell casually blasted home the game’s first goal past Cincinnati keeper Craig Salvati.

"We score thirty seconds into the game and I said ’they don’t know what’s coming today,’", Farber remembered, "We’re coming in like a buzzsaw, we’re so motivated right now."

Taking advantage of the longer and wider field at Cincinnati Gardens, the Sockers spread out the Kings and carved them up with precise runs and crisp passing. Susi chested down a rebound in the crease for a point blank goal and a 2-0 lead at 7:59 of the first. While Cincinnati answered right back on a solo goal from defender Jeff Henderson, sloppy defense allowed the Sockers to build out to a 4-1 lead after fifteen minutes complete.

"I think we took them by surprise," said Susi, who finished his best season since returning to the Sockers with a goal and two assists.

First Kraig Chiles back-heeled a pass to fellow Poway Titan alum Eric Wunderle for a fast-break goal and a 3-1 lead, then in less than a minute Anthony Medina finished Chiky Luna’s pass to make it 4-1 San Diego. Medina ended the night with a pair of goals, finishing the season strong after working his way back from a broken foot suffered against the Kings last March when the two teams met for the Open Cup.

The second quarter demonstrated the individual brilliance of all-PASL midfielder Brian Farber, whose speed, skill and determination are difference makers on both ends of the field.

Farber opened the frame by intercepting a hard pass from Salvati and one-timing it back into the Cincy keeper’s net for a 5-1 lead just twenty two seconds into the quarter. Later, in arguably the most exhilarating one-man goal scoring effort of the season, Farber intercepted a loose ball at midfield and zig-zagged his way through three Kings defenders, eventually finishing with a left-to-right tuck of the ball past Salvati for a one-on-four goal and a 6-1 lead.

"That’s my type of field, big and fast," said Farber of the Gardens turf, "I was talking to myself before the game trying to get ready and I realized this is my field and nobody can stop me here."

The Kings, to their credit, found their legs and some new resolve at halftime. After Chris Dobrowolski beat Sockers goalie Riley Swift with a booming shot into the upper side netting to cut the lead to 7-2 just before halftime, the Kings came out and showed high defensive pressure through much of the third quarter.

"We tried to play good solid defense, and we’re down 7-2 at halftime?" lamented Kings head coach Roby Stahl, "Some really, really elementary goals killed us."

The Sockers scored on a Kraig Chiles power play goal from Farber but otherwise struggled against the Kings’ pressure in the third, and Cincinnati found momentum on goals by Kwame Sarkodie, Drew Ducker and Dobrowolski’s second of the game.

It appeared the first goal of the fourth quarter would be important for momentum, and the Kings scored it on a centering pass from Sam Fiore to Sarkodie, who finished with a rising blast to trim the San Diego lead to 8-6. Sarkodie ran up the glass to celebrate and reinvigorate the home crowd, but the Kings celebrated a bit too long.

Noticing that Cincinnati was slow in getting their players back onto the field while the Sockers were set, Susi rolled the ensuing restart forward to Eduardo Velez, who sprung out on right wing and slotted home a critical answer just six seconds later to restore a 9-6 advantage.

The Kings would never be heard from again, while the Sockers tore off four more goals before the game’s final horn sounded. Chiky Luna knocked in a free kick from the top of the crease to make it 10-6 with 5:36 to play. When the Kings turned to a six attackers formation, San Diego shredded Cincy’s possession plans and easily knocked home goals by Chiles, Farber and Medina to end it. The Sockers are now undefeated in ten US Open Cup single elimination games over three years. In fact, counting the PASL playoffs and FIFRA Championships, Phil Salvagio has never lost as Sockers head coach in seventeen playoff or elimination games.

Aaron Susi, Anthony Medina, Chiky Luna and Kraig Chiles each scored twice as the San Diego Sockers rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Detroit Waza 10-7 in the championship game of the Ron Newman Cup. The Sockers (23-0, 18-0 PASL) completed an undefeated season with their third straight Professional Arena Soccer League championship.

"It's awesome, it's the way it should be," said the Sockers captain Susi of the home championship victory, "These fans deserve it. Hopefully we get the word out and people keep coming out to watch us."

Susi's power play goal in the second quarter tied the game 2-2 and sent the Sockers on a roll which led to a 4-0 quarter and a 5-2 halftime lead. Detroit scored three times in the third to stay within striking range, but a pair of Chiky Luna fourth quarter tallies helped San Diego restore order and run out to their 36th straight win, four short of the US professional team sports record.

"It's been surreal this year, we're not really sure what to make of it," said Chiles of the streak, "We just keep rolling have a good mix of young players and veterans and we're gelling together. We want to keep going and break that 40 mark."

Costea Decu netted a hat trick for Detroit (15-4), who won the PASL's Eastern Division before falling short in their first trip to the finals.

Eric Wunderle and Eduardo Velez also scored for the Sockers, who will play for their third trophy of the season next Saturday in Cincinnati as they take on the Cincinnati Kings in the US Open Cup championship game. San Diego already claimed the FIFRA Club Championship earlier this year in Monterrey, Mexico.

Chiles ran away with the voting, gathering eight of a possible fourteen votes in a poll of team and league officials. The 27 year old former SDSU and Poway High star set a PASL record with 46 goals in 15 games, bettering the previous record of 40 goals in 16 games. Chiles finished with a league-leading 66 points, two shy of the PASL single-season record and 19 more than his closest competitors.

Chiles becomes the first repeat winner of the PASL’s highest individual honor. Detroit defender Costea Decu finished second with two votes, while four other players received one vote each.

"It’s exciting, it’s an honor, and it’s definitely a team effort," said Chiles of his award, "Individual accolades come with team success, and it’s nice to play on a great team with wonderful teammates. I’m happy to be given this honor."

Chiles had nine hat tricks on the season, including a seven-goal performance against Revolucion Tijuana on November 26th, and a streak of twelve consecutive multi-goal games. Chiles’ 20 assists finished second on the Sockers to Aaron Susi’s 22 and fourh in the PASL.

"He’s peaking and really understanding the indoor game now," said Sockers’ head coach Phil Salvagio, honored earlier in the week as the PASL Coach of the Year, "Everything clicked for him."

The Sockers (21-0, 16-0 PASL), hosts of the 2012 Ron Newman Cup Championships, will take on the Kansas Magic (9-8) on Friday night at 7:30pm in the second of two semi-finals to determine the championship field for the Ron Newman Cup. The Eastern Division champion Detroit Waza (14-3) will challenge Tijuana (11-6) in the first semi-final at 5pm. The Ron Newman Cup PASL Championship Game will take place on Saturday, March 10th at 7pm. All games will be played at the Del Mar Arena. Friday’s Sockers semifinal and Saturday’s final will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 1700-AM locally, and video streamed live on 619Sports.Net. Tickets are available to all games during championship weekend by calling (866) 799-GOAL, visiting TicketMaster or sdsockers.com.