The 2012–13 Detroit Waza season was the fifth season of the Detroit Waza professional indoor soccer club, also known as Detroit Waza Flo Pro FC. The Waza, an Eastern Division team and charter member of the Professional Arena Soccer League, played their regular season home games in the Taylor Sportsplex in Taylor, Michigan. Post-season home matches were played at the Melvindale Ice Arena in Melvindale, Michigan. The team was led by owner Mario Scicluna, general manager Kathy Coyne, and head coaches Dominic Scicluna and Matt Johnson.
Season summary Detroit was very successful in the regular season, finishing 14–2 and clinching the Eastern Division title for the second consecutive year. The team was a perfect 8–0 at home with its only two losses (a close match against the Cincinnati Kings and an upset by the Harrisburg Heat) coming on the road. The Waza advanced to the postseason and earned the right to play for the Ron Newman Cup in the PASL National Championship. The Waza defeated the Cincinnati Kings in two straight games, winning the Eastern Divisional Finals and advancing to the Semi-Finals in San Diego, California, where they defeated the Rio Grande Valley Flash in overtime. The team played the San Diego Sockers for the league championship and lost 6–8 in regulation.
The Waza won the 2012–13 United States Open Cup for Arena Soccer. They received a bye in the wild-card round then defeated the Ohio Vortex in the Round of 16, the Harrisburg Heat in the Quarter-Finals, the Chicago Mustangs in the Semi-Finals, and the reigning Open Cup champion San Diego Sockers in the Championship game.
Awards and honors On January 8, 2013, the Professional Arena Soccer League named Detroit goalkeeper Joe Kapinos as its Player of the Week. Citing the rookie's 8–0 record, including two wins the previous weekend, and his low 4.13 goals against average, the league described Kapinos as "the anchor of the Detroit Waza defense this season".
On January 15, 2013, the PASL named Detroit player Ricardo Lopes as its Player of the Week. Citing his 7 goals against the Harrisburg Heat the previous weekend, the underused Lopes helped the Waza improve to 10–1 on the season.
In postseason honors, defender Costea Decu was named to the 2012-13 PASL All-League First Team and goalkeeper Joey Kapinos was named to the 2012-13 PASL All-League Second Team.
Schedule
Regular season Game Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance Final Score Record 1 Saturday November 3 7:35pm(8:35pm Eastern) at Illinois Piasa W 11–5 1–0 The Sports Academy 515 2 Sunday November 4 6:30pm at Cincinnati Kings L 8–9 1–1 GameTime Training Center 245 3 Saturday November 10 7:30pm Ohio Vortex W 12–1 2–1 Taylor Sportsplex 437 4 Sunday November 18 2:30pm Illinois Piasa W 12–4 3–1 Taylor Sportsplex 353 5 Saturday December 1 7:30pm Chicago Mustangs W 8–7 4–1 Taylor Sportsplex 428 6 Saturday December 8 7:35pm at Ohio Vortex† W 13–3 5–1 Pinnacle Sports Complex 176 7 Saturday December 15 7:05pm at Harrisburg Heat W 6–3 6–1 Farm Show Arena 1,735 8 Friday January 4 7:35pm at Ohio Vortex W 8–2 7–1 Pinnacle Sports Complex 160 9 Sunday January 6 2:30pm Cincinnati Kings W 8–4 8–1 Taylor Sportsplex 347 10 Saturday January 12 7:30pm Harrisburg Heat† W 8–4 9–1 Taylor Sportsplex 417 11 Sunday January 13 2:30pm Harrisburg Heat W 15–8 10–1 Taylor Sportsplex 351 12 Saturday January 19 7:05pm at Harrisburg Heat L 6–10 10–2 Farm Show Arena 1,735 13 Saturday January 26 8:05pm(9:05pm Eastern) at Rockford Rampage W 14–10 11–2 Victory Sports Complex 200 14 Sunday January 27 5:30pm(6:30pm Eastern) at Chicago Mustangs† W 9–6 12–2 Grand Sports Arena 299 15 Saturday February 2 7:30pm Ohio Vortex W 19–1 13–2 Taylor Sportsplex 367 16 Saturday February 9 7:30pm Cincinnati Kings W 5–3 14–2 Taylor Sportsplex 582 † Game also counts for US Open Cup, as listed in chart below.
Postseason Round Day Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance Final Score Record Division Finals Game 1 Saturday February 23 8:30pm at Cincinnati Kings W 9–4 1–0 GameTime Training Center 307 Division Finals Game 2 Sunday February 24 2:35pm Cincinnati Kings W 6–5 2–0 Melvindale Ice Arena 680 Semi-Finals Sunday March 10 4:00pm(7:00pm Eastern) Rio Grande Valley Flash W 6–5 (OT) 3–0 Valley View Casino Center ? Championship Monday March 11 7:35pm(10:35pm Eastern) at San Diego Sockers L 6–8 3–1 Valley View Casino Center 3,336
2012–13 US Open Cup for Arena Soccer Game Date Kickoff Opponent Results Location Attendance Final Score Record Wild Card BYE Round of 16 December 8 7:35pm at Ohio Vortex W 13–3 1–0 Pinnacle Sports Complex 176 Quarter-finals January 12 7:35pm Harrisburg Heat W 8–4 2–0 Taylor Sportsplex 417 Semi-finals January 27 4:30pm(5:30pm Eastern) at Chicago Mustangs W 9–6 3–0 Grand Sports Arena 299 Championship March 2 7:35pm San Diego Sockers W 7–6 4–0 Melvindale Ice Arena 1,256
Roster
References
External links Detroit Waza official website