1996 USISL Pro League

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The 1996 USISL Professional League was the second highest of the three outdoor men's leagues run by the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues during the summer of 1996.

Contents

Overview

This season, the USISL introduced several changes. First, the league added a third, higher league above the professional league. Consequently, several 1995 Pro League teams moved up and did not compete in the 1996 Pro League. Second, the USISL aligned its rules with the newly created Major Soccer League. In previous seasons, the USISL had used 60 minute halves and a shootout for every foul committed after the seventh foul of each half. Both of these were gone for the 1996 season. The USISL also changed its regular season points system to match MLS. This meant each win was worth 3 points and each shootout win was worth 1 point. [1] The average pay for Pro League players was $200 per week. The regular season began in mid-April 1996.

Prime Network provided live broadcast of the USISL All Star Game and delayed broadcast of the Pro League championship game. [2]

All Star Game

The USISL held its All Star Game on July 17 in Blaine, Minnesota. The game pitted the USISL Select League All Stars against a team composed of USISL Professional League and USISL Premier League players. The league coaches voted to select the players. [3] Players from the USISL Professional League included Goalkeeper Randy DeDini of the Chico Rooks, Defenders Paul Edwards (North Jersey Imperials) and Guy Norcott (Charleston Battery); Midfielders Craig Beeson (Everett BigFoot) and Pat O'Kelly (Central Jersey); Forwards Victor Medina (D/FW Toros) and Jon Payne (Charlotte Eagles).

Regular season

Northeast Conference

PosTeamPldWSWLGFGAGDPts
1 Central Jersey Riptide 1611234424+2035
2 North Jersey Imperials 1611054226+1633
3 Rhode Island Stingrays 1610062620+630
4 Reading Rage 169163931+828
5 Philadelphia Freedom 168264025+1526
6 New Hampshire Phantoms 168173240−825
7 Baltimore Bays 1650113415+1915
8 Albany Alleycats 1640123444−1012
9 Worcester Wildfire 1601151957−381
Source: [ citation needed ]

South Atlantic Conference

PosTeamPldWSWLGFGAGDPts
1 Charlotte Eagles 1612044925+2436
2 Charleston Battery 1611144623+2334
3 Wilmington Hammerheads 166192030−1019
4 Washington Mustangs 1660102537−1218
5 Mobile Revelers 1632111533−1811
6 Chattanooga Express 1610151855−373
Source: [ citation needed ]

Central Conference

PosTeamPldWSWLGFGAGDPts
1 Dallas/Fort Worth Toros 169073331+227
2 Rockford Raptors 168173428+625
3 Tulsa Roughnecks 168083834+424
4 San Antonio Pumas 1660102537−1218
5 Houston Hurricanes 1650112843−1515
Source: [ citation needed ]

Western Conference

PosTeamPldWSWLGFGAGDPts
1 Hawaii Tsumani 1610063119+1230
2 Chico Rooks 169162316+728
3 Everett Bigfoot 167362720+724
4 San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles 167362022−224
5 Yakima Reds 168082920+924
6 Cascade Surge 167093323+1021
7 Central Valley Hydra 1630131648−329
Source: [ citation needed ]

Playoffs

The Mobile Revelers made the playoffs despite having only eleven points. This happened because the South Atlantic Conference had four guaranteed play-off spots. The Charleston Battery received a bye into the playoffs as host of the championship final. Therefore, the league went to the Revelers as the next South Atlantic Conference team in line.

Conference semifinals

Reading Rage (PA)1-2 Central Jersey Riptide (NJ)
Matt Woolley Soccerball shade.svg25'
Eric Puls Yellow card.svg 43' Red card.svg
Archie Moylan Yellow card.svg Red card.svg		Soccerball shade.svg4' Pat O'Kelly
Soccerball shade.svg74' Pete Schneiders
Pete Schneiders Yellow card.svg Red card.svg

Conference finals

Northeast Conference

North Jersey Imperials (NJ)5-0 Central Jersey Riptide (NJ)
Dave Fitzgerald Soccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svg
Attendance: 300


Central Jersey Riptide (NJ)2-2 OT North Jersey Imperials (NJ)
Ozrek Soccerball shade.svg
Crowley Soccerball shade.svg		Soccerball shade.svg DeLuca
Soccerball shade.svg (PK) Lucey
Penalties
2-3
Attendance: 2,004
  • North Jersey Imperials advanced to Sizzlin' Six finals.

South Atlantic Conference

  • Wilmington Hammerheads advanced to the Sizzlin' Six finals.

Central Conference

Tulsa Roughnecks (OK)1-3 DFW Toros (TX)
Soccerball shade.svg Berti Generes
Soccerball shade.svg Victor Medina
Attendance: 704
  • Originally planned for August 17, the second game was postponed until Sunday morning, August 18, because of heavy rainfall and flooding which rendered the playing field unusable on Saturday.
DFW Toros (TX)1-0 Tulsa Roughnecks (OK)
  • D/FW Toros advanced to the Sizzlin' Six finals.

Western Conference

Chico Rooks (CA)0-0 Everett BigFoot (WA)
Penalties
Manny Ugbah Soccerball shad check.svg
Dean Freeman Soccerball shad check.svg		2-1Soccerball shade cross.svg
Soccerball shade cross.svg
Soccerball shade cross.svg
Soccerball shade cross.svg
Attendance: 1,056
  • Chico Rooks advanced to Sizzlin' Six finals.

Sizzlin' Six Tournament

The Sizzlin’ Six Tournament was a six-team, two group, round robin tournament. Each of the four conference champions entered the tournament, along with national finals host Charleston Battery and the Charlotte Eagles who had the best regular-season record among the conference runners-up.

Each team received 3 points for a win, 1 for a tie and 1 bonus point for each game in which they scored three or more goals. The top two teams in each group with the most points advanced to the semifinals in Charleston, South Carolina.

Group A

PosTeamPldWLGFGAGDPts
1 Charleston Battery 22042+26
2 Chico Rooks 2113303
3 DFW Toros 20224−20
Source: [ citation needed ]
Charleston Battery (SC)2-1 Dallas/Fort Worth Toros (TX)
 Report
Stoney Field, Charleston, South Carolina
Attendance: 1,526
Chico Rooks (CA)2-1 OT DFW Toros (TX)
Dean Freeman Soccerball shade.svg27'
Mauricio De Melo Soccerball shade.svg120'		Soccerball shade.svg8' Edgar Hernandez
Red card.svg Baltazar Ascensio
Red card.svg Jose Bazan
Stoney Field, Charleston, South Carolina
Attendance: 320
Charleston Battery (SC)2-1 Chico Rooks (CA)
Patrick Olalere Soccerball shade.svg12'
Files Soccerball shade.svg82'		Soccerball shade.svg45' Juan Lojas
Stoney Field, Charleston, South Carolina
Attendance: 1,539

Group B

PosTeamPldWLGFGAGDPts
1 Charlotte Eagles 22072+57 [lower-alpha 1]
2 Wilmington Hammerheads 21131+24 [lower-alpha 1]
3 North Jersey Imperials 20229−70
Source: [ citation needed ]
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Charlotte and Wilmington scored three or more goals in one game each, giving them each one bonus point.
Wilmington Hammerheads (NC)3-0 North Jersey Imperials (NJ)
Laney Field, Wilmington, North Carolina
Charlotte Eagles (NC)6-2 North Jersey Imperials (NJ)
Keith Dakin Soccerball shade.svg11'Soccerball shade.svg24'Soccerball shade.svg46'
Jeremy Sorzano Soccerball shade.svg36'
Philibert Jones Soccerball shade.svg50'
Donovan Francis Soccerball shade.svg59'		Soccerball shade.svg12' David Price
Soccerball shade.svg30' Gerry Lucey
Laney Field, Wilmington, North Carolina
Attendance: 236
Wilmington Hammerheads (NC)0-1 Charlotte Eagles (NC)
Soccerball shade.svg33' Keith Dakin
Laney Field, Wilmington, North Carolina
Attendance: 1,250

Semifinals

Charlotte Eagles (NC)1-0 Chico Rooks (CA)
Stoney Field, Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston Battery (SC)2-0 Wilmington Hammerheads (NC)
Stoney Field, Charleston, South Carolina
Attendance: 2,642

Final

Charleston Battery (SC)2–2 Charlotte Eagles (NC)
 Report
Penalties
2-1
Stoney Field, Charleston, South Carolina
Attendance: 3,429

Points leaders

RankScorerClubGoalsAssistsPoints
1 Philibert Jones Charlotte Eagles 182045
2 Patrick Olalere Charleston Battery 20545
3 Craig Beeson Everette BigFoot 17236
4Jon Payne Charlotte Eagles 14836
5 Flag of Portugal.svg Carlos Rocha Rhode Island Stingrays 14333
6Robert DeLuca North Jersey Imperials 14331
7 Pat O'Kelly North Jersey Imperials 12630

Honors

All-League:

[4]

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References

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