Aztec Opts out of 2007-08 Pasl Season
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New England Aztec – A History: 2007 Boston Aztec PASL season BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS!!! Aztec wins third straight PASL Regional Crown Team heads to Mexico for league finals after 5-4 OT win over New York Beverly, MA - March 3rd, 2007 - In thrilling fashion, the Boston Aztec stunned their rival New York Shockers 5-4 in overtime to earn the club's third consecutive PASL Regional Championship. Former Salem St. All-New England O'Neil Gray played the part of hero once again, scoring the winner with just over a minute to play in the first golden goal, sudden-death OT period. It was Gray's goal in last season's final with 30 seconds to play that gave the Aztec's that memorable win. For the fourth year in a row, Aztec and the Shockers played for the regional crown, with Boston winning the last three. Now, Aztec heads for Tijuana, Mexico for the PASL International Championships to be held next weekend, March 9th & 10th. Eight teams from the United States will compete in the finals, representing the Southwest, Northwest, Pacific, Midwest/Great Lakes, South Central, Southeast and New England Regions. Four Mexican teams will be in the field, with two each from Mexico City & Tijuana. As for tonight's championship match, the Aztecs controlled the first half of play, going into the locker room up 2-0 at halftime on goals by Gray and current Salem St. All-New England Andrew Angus. After former Beverly All-American Ali Kaba made the score 3-0 two minutes into the second half, it looked like Aztec would run away with the match. Instead, New York's tenacious play put the hosts on their heels, and with just under ten minutes to go in the match, the Shockers fought all the way back to tie the match at 3-3 on goals by Peter Squeglia, John Mabee and Chris Mogavaro. Boston retook the lead on a strike by another current Salem St. All-New England, Yuta Kizaki, with seven minutes to play, only to see New York tie it three minutes later on a goal by Ali Wiltshire, setting the stage for Gray's overtime heroics. AZTEC OPTS OUT OF 2007-08 PASL SEASON Beverly, MA - December 6th, 2007 - The Aztec Soccer Club officially announced to the public today it has opted out of the 2007-08 Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL) winter season. The Boston Aztec minor league men's team were the three-time defending PASL New England Regional Champions, and won the 2005 PASL Championship. The PASL season kicked off last weekend. The club made this decision to focus on some important changes to the organization to be announced in the coming weeks and months. The summer National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) Aztec men's and women's minor league seasons will go ahead as planned. "It is disappointing to miss the season, for the players, the staff, and especially the fans who sell out Soccer ETC for all of our home games. We will miss it this winter, but the organization as a whole will benefit greatly from the coming changes to the club," said Aztec president Mike Kersker, who noted the Aztec men's indoor team will return to PASL action in 2008-09. The PASL took a huge step in its existence this off-season. The Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and the PASL formalized a multi- year affiliation agreement. Through this agreement, the MISL will use the PASL as its minor league affiliate for developing MISL players, developing on-field game officials and referees, and serving as a competitive platform to evaluate potential rules and equipment changes. The New England region is certainly affected by these changes. With the Aztecs taking a year off, more than half the teams are actually from outside New England. The New York Shockers now become the favorite to take the regional crown, having lost the last three finals to the Aztecs. The South Shore's Bay State Selects may also be a regional threat, as Aztec stars O'Neil Gray, Markens Benoit, Mounir Boughamrani, Dave Evans, and Ebbie Kodiat will suit up for the Selects this winter to keep their skills sharp. Rounding out the division are CNY United (Syracuse, NY) and Manchester FC (NH), and the NJ Ironmen Reserves, the reserve squad for the MISL Ironmen. AZTECS KNOCKED OUT OF PASL INTERNATIONAL FINALS ON PKs Tijuana, Mexico - March 10th, 2007 - The Boston Aztecs quest for a second PASL Championship in three years came to an end last night as they fell on penalty kicks in the elimination round of this year's finals.. Although a bittersweet homecoming, the squad returned from Mexico with their heads held high after a third consecutive strong showing at the PASL championships. The Aztec men pulled off the three-peat in the PASL New England Regional Championships, and came within a few bounces of playing for another league crown. In the end, the 2006-07 PASL International Championship went to Texas squad Studio Dallas, 8-5 winners in the final over Virmac of Mexico City, the 2006 Mexican national champions. In the elimination round, the Aztecs fell on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw with the Springfield (IL) Spirits. A low scoring match for an indoor game, both teams battled through a scoreless first half before Springfield took a 1-0 lead with ten minutes to play. Longtime Aztec star Markens Benoit brought the Aztecs level with three minutes to play and sent the game into penalty kicks. In an interesting set up, the penalty kicks immediately began as sudden death. Benoit was first to shoot for the Aztecs, and the Spirit 'keeper came up with the save. Aztecs GK Peter LeVasseur was instrumental in keeping the Aztecs in the entire tournament, but was unable to stop the one penalty kick he faced. With that, the Midwest/Great Lakes Regional Champion Spirits advanced. This was the first time the Aztecs have been unable to earn a win at the PASL Championships. However, the tight scores of each match show that Boston was once again deservedly grouped among the best teams on the continent. Despite the result, the Aztec indoor men's team has still accomplished a great deal, winning their third consecutive PASL regional title and third straight trip to the PASL finals. Such feats are not easy in any sport, and we congratulate the Aztec men on another fantastic season. The Boston Aztec outdoor teams, the women in the WPSL and the men in the NPSL, are now poised to take center stage as we approach the summer months, and both squads are striving to carry on the tradition that the PASL team has created. AZTECS TO FACE ELIMINATION MATCH TONIGHT AT INTERNATIONAL FINALS Tijuana, Mexico - March 9th, 2007 - After today's round robin matches, the PASL New England Division champion Boston Aztec will face a winner-take-all elimination round match earlier than they had hoped. The Aztecs went 0-1-1 in the round robin phase of the 2006-07 PASL International Championships, drawing 4-4 with Mexican side Monterrey Tech. and losing to the Tacoma Stars 5-4 in tight matches. GK Peter LeVasseur (Salem, MA/Salem St.) has kept up his stellar play. The 2005 MVP of these championships, the 'keeper has done his regular job of keeping the Aztecs in close games. He was particularly strong in the match against Monterrey. Aztec women's team star Myriam Del Pozo, a member of the Mexican WNT's player pool, is also a product of the Monterrey Tech. program, one of the strongest in the nation. The second match, against the Tacoma Stars from the PASL's Northwest Division. Although the Aztecs had more chances and dominated in terms of possession, the Stars quick counterattack was effective enough for the victory. Defender Dave Evans (Warren, PA/Wentworth) was strong on defense and also contributed up top, scoring a goal and an assist. Andrew Angus (Kingston, JAM/Salem St.) has also played well, finding the back of the net in both matches. This was Boston's first loss in the PASL Championships since the 2005 tournament, when they fell 4-2 to the Dallas Tornadoes in the final round robin match. That year, the Aztecs went on to capture the National Championship in the elimination round, avenging the loss by beating Dallas in the final 6-4. Last year, despite earning an undefeated 2-0-1 record in the first round, the Aztecs were eliminated on goal differential after a 3-3 tie against the eventual-champion FC Sacramento in the final round robin match. This year however, the finals were structured so that teams would be eliminated on the field of play. There are twelve teams in the tournament, four from Mexico, and eight from the United States. The field is split into four groups of three teams, two American team and one Mexican team in each group. All round robin matches are played today, and the first elimination round matches are tonight. The group stage winners receive a bye into tomorrow's quarterfinals, while the second and third place teams will battle it out tonight in order to advance. Currently, the Aztecs are awaiting the results of the final round robin matches to determine who they will face in the first match of the elimination rounds. The game could be at either 11:40 PM or 12:30 AM Eastern Time. Meanwhile, the Aztecs are readying themselves for a do-or-die match.