Back-to-back wins have cemented the expansion San Diego Sockers as the regular season champs of the Western Division of the Professional Arena Soccer League. The 13-3 Sockers have a first-round bye in the PASL North American championship tournament, which will be hosted at the Del Mar Arena March 11-13.

Paul Wright scored a hat trick

against Tijuana.

^{Courtesy of Sockers}

The team went undefeated at home this season, their first in the PASL.

The Sockers have more soccer business to attend to before the North American championship battle. The team has reached the semifinals of the United States Open Cup for Arena Soccer. The Sockers play Vitesse Dallas, defending champs of the PASL Premier (Amateur) League, on Thursday (March 4; 7:05 p.m.) at the Del Mar Arena.

“It’s incredible,” says Sockers head coach Phil Salvagio. He spoke after the Sockers recent 12-6 home victory over Revolucion Tijuana. “What a loud stadium. We haven’t been home in a month—what a great way to come back home.”

The Sockers followed that win by defeating the Edmonton Drillers, 8-3, the following night.

Leading by 3-2 at halftime against Tijuana, the Sockers knew the pressure was on to secure the division. “If we had lost [that] game and then again tomorrow, we would have been out of the playoffs,” says Salvagio. “It would have been awful to host the playoffs and not been in it. So, that is what we talked about at halftime.”

Inspired, Paul Wright scored just 47 seconds into the second half. It was the first of nine second-half goals for the Sockers. That included a third goal by Wright in the fourth quarter, completing the hat trick.

Sean Bowers was also among the second-half scorers. “This team can score goals,” says Bowers. “I have never been on a team that scores goals at will.”

Salvagio is not taking the playoffs lightly. “I know it is going to be a good playoffs,” says Salvagio. “We have a good shot at it. I know we are going to be ready.”

After the Sockers beat the Drillers, Dan Antoniuk, who had two goals, spoke about the season.

“It is great,” says Antoniuk. “There is so much hype to live up to with the Sockers playing in this city. There is a lot of history here, so it is great to at least match it. They were a great team with a great legacy out here. Being undefeated at home feels pretty good. We can take that into the playoffs.”

The game came with some trepidation caused by the weather - a new roof that opens at both ends covers the Del Mar Arena. Early in the game against the Drillers, a downpour combined with a stiff wind blew the rain sideways into the arena, onto the southwest corner of the playing field.

Despite repeated efforts to mop up the water, the field remained dangerously slick and caused many players, including Aaron Susi, to slip and fall. Susi injured himself seriously enough to cause Salvagio to rest him for the remainder of the game.

“We have a couple injuries with Susi getting hurt and Kraig [Chiles] not playing tonight,” says Salvagio. “That is why we rested Kraig. Hopefully, we get him back by playoffs. I think within two weeks, we should be ready.”

The Sockers first game of the playoffs will be a semifinals match on March 12 at either 5:30 or 7 p.m. The championship game will be on March 13 at 6:15 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through www.sdsockers.com or though www.ticketmaster.com. Playoff tickets are $15, and one ticket is good Thursday through Saturday for general admission to all the playoff games.