1996 USISL Premier League season

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USISL Premier League
Season1996
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The 1996 USISL Premier League season was its second. The season began in April 1996 and ended in August 1996.

Contents

Central Coast Roadrunners won the championship, defeating the San Francisco Bay Seals 3–2. Spokane Shadow won the regular season title, winning 14 games to 2 losses.

Changes from 1995 season

Name changes

New teams

12 teams were added for the season.

TeamAreaLocationPrevious affiliation
Flag of Washington.svg Bellingham Orcas Northwest Washington area Bellingham, WA expansion
Flag of California.svg Central Coast Roadrunners Central West Coast area San Luis Obispo, CA expansion
Flag of Florida.svg Florida Strikers Greater Miami area Fort Lauderdale, FL from USISL Pro
Flag of Kentucky.svg Lexington Bluegrass Bandits Lexington area Lexington, KY from USISL Pro
Flag of Florida.svg Miami Tango Greater Miami area Miami, FL expansion
Flag of Michigan.svg Mid-Michigan Bucks Flint/Tri-Cities area Saginaw, MI expansion
Flag of Nebraska.svg Omaha Flames Omaha-Council Bluffs area Omaha, NE expansion
Flag of California.svg San Diego Top Guns San Diego area San Diego, CA from USISL Pro
Flag of California.svg Southern California Gunners Inland Empire area San Bernardino, CA expansion
Flag of Washington.svg Spokane Shadow Spokane area Spokane, WA expansion
Flag of Florida.svg West Florida Fury Emerald Coast area Pensacola, FL expansion
Flag of Oregon.svg Willamette Valley Firebirds Corvallis area Corvallis, OR former Portland Firebirds of the USISL Pro League

Teams leaving

Five teams folded after the 1995 season:

Standings

Central Conference

Northern Division

PosTeamPldWPKWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Lexington Bluegrass Bandits 149143218+1428 [a] Division champion
2 Michigan Madness 148152428−425 [a] Team qualified for playoff berth
3 Detroit Dynamite 147163419+1522 [a]
4 Mid-Michigan Bucks 147162418+622 [a] Team qualified for playoff berth
5 Kalamazoo Kingdom 145091822−415
6 Grand Rapids Explosion [b] 7007621−150
Source: [ citation needed ]
Notes:
  1. 1 2 3 4 Detroit, Kalamazoo, Lexington, and Michigan were all penalized 3 points.
  2. ↑ Grand Rapids did not have a home stadium this year, and played only road games.

Southern Division

PosTeamPldWPKWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Austin Lone Stars 1410044117+2430Division champion
2 Omaha Flames 148063922+1724Team qualified for playoff berth
3 Sioux City Breeze 137242623+323 [a] [b]
4 Des Moines Menace 147072221+121
5Oklahoma City Heat147072226−421
6 Wichita Blue 135081833−1515 [a]
Source: [ citation needed ]
Notes:
  1. 1 2 The game between Sioux City and Wichita was postponed and could not be rescheduled before end of the season. The game was cancelled because it had no effect on the playoffs.
  2. ↑ Sioux City was penalized 6 points.

Eastern Conference

Northern Division

PosTeamPldWPKWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Roanoke River Dawgs 1410044828+2030Division champion
2 Jackson Chargers 147163424+1022 [a] Team qualified for playoff berth
3 Nashville Metros 145273426+817 [b]
4 Birmingham Grasshoppers 1440102033−1312
Source: [ citation needed ]
Notes:
  1. ↑ Jackson was penalized 3 points.
  2. ↑ Nashville was penalized 6 points.

Southern Division

PosTeamPldWPKWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Cocoa Expos 149144522+2328 [a] Bye into semifinals as defending champion.
2 Orlando Lions 148152528−325 [a]
3 Florida Strikers 146173133−219 [a] Team qualified for playoff berth
4 West Florida Fury 145092936−715
5 Miami Tango 1440102937−812
6 South Florida Future 1400141763−460
Source: [ citation needed ]
Notes:
  1. 1 2 3 Cocoa, Florida, and Orlando were all penalized 3 points.

Western Conference

Northern Division

PosTeamPldWPKWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Spokane Shadow 1411123417+1734 [a] Division champion
2 San Francisco Bay Seals 1410043515+2030Team qualified for playoff berth
3 Colorado Springs Stampede 148152012+825 [a]
4 Puget Sound Hammers 148063123+824Team qualified for playoff berth
5 Willamette Valley Firebirds 145092131−1015
6 Bellingham Orcas 1430111750−339
Source: [ citation needed ]
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Colorado Springs and Spokane were both penalized 3 points.

Southern Division

PosTeamPldWPKWLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Central Coast Roadrunners 1411123816+2234 [a] Division champion
2 San Diego Top Guns 148152822+625 [a] Team qualified for playoff berth
3 Arizona Phoenix 147073231+121
4 Tucson Amigos 147072429−521
5 Fontana Falcons 145093132−115
6 Southern California Gunners 1430111928−99
Source: [ citation needed ]
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Central Coast and San Diego were both penalized 3 points

Playoffs

Format

Central Coast received a bye to the PDL Semifinals as the defending champion.
The top four teams from every division except the Southwest earn playoff spots. With Central Coast already receiving a bye, the top two teams from the Southwest Division will play each other, however if Central Coast is in the top two, then the third place team receives a playoff spot. The Division winners would then face each other in the Conference finals.

Divisional brackets

Division Semifinals Division Finals Finals
         
NC1 Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan Madness
NC4 Flag of Michigan.svg Mid-Michigan Bucks 0
NC1 Flag of Michigan.svg Mid-Michigan Bucks (AET/PSO) 0 (1)
North Central Division
NC3 Flag of Michigan.svg Kalamazoo Kingdom 0 (0)
NC2 Flag of Michigan.svg Detroit Dynamite 0
NC3 Flag of Michigan.svg Kalamazoo Kingdom (AET) 1
 
 
C1 Flag of Nebraska.svg Lincoln Brigade 0
C4 Flag of Iowa.svg Des Moines Menace 4
C4 Flag of Iowa.svg Des Moines Menace 6
Central Division
C2 Flag of Nebraska.svg Omaha Flames 0
C2 Flag of Nebraska.svg Omaha Flames 5
C3 Flag of Iowa.svg Sioux City Breeze 3

Central Conference Playoffs

North Division Playoffs
Semifinals
Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan Madness 2–3 (OT) Flag of Michigan.svg Mid-Michigan Bucks
Soisson-Rapacz-Clason Field
Kalamazoo, Michigan
South Division Playoffs
Semifinals
Flag of Texas.svg Austin Lone Stars 1–0 (OT) Flag of Iowa.svg Des Moines Menace
Tranquility Park
Omaha, Nebraska
Semifinals
Flag of Nebraska.svg Omaha Flames 3–1 Flag of Iowa.svg Sioux City Breeze
Report
Tranquility Park
Omaha, Nebraska
South Division Final
Flag of Nebraska.svg Omaha Flames 3–2 (OT) Flag of Texas.svg Austin Lone Stars
Report
Tranquility Park
Omaha, Nebraska
Division Semifinals Division Finals Finals
SE1 Flag of Florida.svg Cocoa Expos 3
SE1 Flag of Florida.svg Cocoa Expos 5SE3 Flag of Florida.svg West Florida Fury 1
SE4 Flag of Florida.svg Miami Tango 2 SE1 Flag of Florida.svg Cocoa Expos 2
MS2 Flag of Mississippi (1996-2001).png Jackson Chargers 1
MS1 Flag of Ohio.svg Cincinnati Riverhawks 0
SE2 Flag of Florida.svg South Florida Future 0 MS2 Flag of Mississippi (1996-2001).png Jackson Chargers 3
SE3 Flag of Florida.svg West Florida Fury 4

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Eastern Conference Play In
Play-In
Flag of Virginia.svg Roanoke River Dawgs 1–2 (OT) Flag of Tennessee.svg Nashville Metros
Report
Victory Stadium
Roanoke, Virginia
Attendance: 1,010
Semifinal
Flag of Florida.svg Florida Strikers 0–1 Flag of Tennessee.svg Nashville Metros
The Sports Club
Jackson, Mississippi
Eastern Conference Final
Flag of Mississippi (1996-2001).png Jackson Chargers 3–2 (OT) Nashville Metros
Report
The Sports Club
Jackson, Mississippi
Division Semifinals Division Finals Western Finals
         
NW1 Flag of Washington.svg Spokane Shadow 2
NW4 Flag of Washington.svg Puget Sound Hammers 1
NW1 Flag of Washington.svg Spokane Shadow 2
Northwest Division
NW2 Flag of Washington.svg Yakima Reds 0
NW2 Flag of Washington.svg Yakima Reds 1
NW3 Flag of Oregon.svg Cascade Surge 0
NW1 Flag of Washington.svg Spokane Shadow 0
SW1 Flag of California.svg San Gabriel Valley Highlanders 1
SW1 Flag of California.svg San Gabriel Valley Highlanders bye
 
SW1 Flag of California.svg San Gabriel Valley Highlanders 2
Southwest Division
SW2 Flag of Arizona.svg Tucson Amigos 1
SW2 Flag of Arizona.svg Tucson Amigos bye
 

Western Conference Playoffs

South Division Playoffs
Semifinals
Flag of California.svg San Diego Top Guns 3–1 Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona Phoenix
San Luis Obispo High School
San Luis Obispo, California
North Division Playoffs
Semifinals
Flag of Washington.svg Spokane Shadow 2–1 Flag of Washington.svg Puget Sound Hammers
Report
Spokane Falls Community College
Spokane, Washington
Attendance: 1,712
North Division Final
Flag of Washington.svg Spokane Shadow 2–3 Flag of California.svg San Francisco Bay Seals
Report Part 1 Report Part 2
Spokane Falls Community College
Spokane, Washington
Attendance: 1,408
Referee: Neil Pinski

Premier Six Tournament

Six teams entered the Premier Six Tournament in Cocoa, Florida the weekend of August 16–18. Each of the five division playoff champions qualified for the tournament, along with the host Cocoa Expos. The teams were seeded in this order, based on their regular season points:

The Central Coast Roadrunners played the bottom two seeds (Jackson and Mid-Michigan). The San Francisco Seals played the #4 and #6 seeds (Omaha and Mid-Michigan). The Cocoa Expos played and #4 and #5 seeds (Omaha and Jackson).

Qualification to the finals

In order to determine the two teams to qualify for the finals, the league used the following point system during the Premier Six Tournament:

PlaceTeamWSWSLLBPPTS
1 Central Coast Roadrunners 200017
2 San Francisco Bay Seals 101015
3 Cocoa Expos 100114
4 Omaha Flames 010102
5 Jackson Chargers 100102
6 Mid-Michigan Bucks 000200

Friday

Flag of California.svg San Francisco Bay Seals (CA)2-2 OT Flag of Nebraska.svg Omaha Flames (NE)
Penalties
1-2
Cocoa Expo Sports Center, Cocoa, Florida
Flag of Florida.svg Cocoa Expos (FL)0-1 Flag of Mississippi (1996-2001).png Jackson Chargers (MS)
Soccerball shade.svg50' Sheldon Bennett
Cocoa Expo Sports Center, Cocoa, Florida

Saturday

Final

Flag of California.svg Central Coast Roadrunners (CA)1-0 Flag of California.svg San Francisco Bay Seals (CA)
Bryan Taylor Soccerball shade.svg48'
Cocoa Expo Sports Center, Cocoa, Florida

Honors

[1]

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References

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