The San Diego Sockers (7-0) continued their rampage through the Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL) with two more wins this weekend.

On Saturday night the Sockers defeated the Anaheim Bolts (8-3) 16-6 on “Alumni Night” at the Del Mar Arena. The Sockers then boarded a van at 6:15 am on Sunday morning to travel to Phoenix where they overwhelmed the Monsoon (1-8) 10-3 in an afternoon game.

Going back to last season, the Sockers have now won 21 straight games including 18-0 for the 2011 calendar year. Saturday’s win also stretched their all-time record at the Del Mar Arena to 29-0.

There have been some close calls along the way. In their previous matchup versus the Anaheim Bolts , the second game of this season, the Sockers secured a needed goal in the closing seconds of regulation before they won in sudden death overtime.

Among all the winning, Saturday’s victory was one of the more memorable regular season games for the Sockers and their fans. Many former Sockers players from the 1980’s were present to witness the honoring of legendary former head coach Ron Newman.

The PASL championship trophy was re-named the “Newman Cup” in a special halftime presentation. Newman won 10 indoor championships in an 11 season span (1982-1992) with the Sockers as part of both the original Major Indoor Soccer League and the North American Soccer League.

During the game San Diego raced up and down the field and a crowd of 2,334 witnessed forward Kraig Chiles score five goals. Midfielder/Forward Eric Wunderle also racked up five points with a hat trick (three goals) and two assists. “It was definitely a statement game,” team captain Aaron Susi said. “We wanted to show them what kind of team we have right now in the new era of the Sockers.”

Newman had a hard time comparing his coaching style to Phil Salvagio’s, the Sockers current head coach, but he was impressed. “Salvagio is doing everything right,” Newman said. “The team is dynamite. The goals are fantastic. There are some very good soccer players out there.”

Newman was also deeply touched by the naming of the PASL championship trophy after him. “I am very proud,” Newman said. “I love this game. I am very flattered.”

“I think it was the only fitting thing to do,” general manager John Kentera said. “This is still a very young league, only its fourth season. I wouldn’t be here right now as the general manager of the San Diego Sockers if it weren’t for Ron Newman and all the great teams that he put together.”

Newman shared what it was like for the Sockers when the game was brought indoors in 1980. He said it was tough in the beginning to draw fans to the games, but that quickly changed as the Sockers continued to win. we did keep winning. It got harder each year, but we still managed to comeback at the last moment and come away with an incredible reward.”

By 1986 the Sockers were consistently selling out the Sports Arena in route to their fifth consecutive indoor soccer championship. The “One for the Thumb” campaign was born and the Sockers had a media following that rivaled the Padres and the Chargers, as evidenced by the music video, San Diego Sockers – One for The Thumb. It does a great job of capturing the excitement that surrounded the team a quarter century ago.

Newman reflected on the golden era of the Sockers. “The fans were getting louder and the players were getting better,” Newman said. “All these things added up and everybody loved the team.” Newman believes the current Sockers, who are the two-time defending champions of the now Newman Cup, can recapture San Diego’s imagination.

“So many people would love the chance to do it again,” Newman said. “From what I heard here tonight they are excited to think that the game is coming back and I think that it is. I will tell the fans right now that the Sockers are very good soccer players. There is no reason why you can’t buy a ticket and come out and see some very good soccer.”

The Sockers return home to the Del Mar Arena on January 21, when they take on the Turlock Express (7-3).

Notes: Kraig Chiles completed a phenomenal weekend of scoring with four more goals vs. the Phoenix Monsoon on Sunday. Chiles had nine goals and three assists (12 points) in the Sockers wins over Anaheim and Phoenix over the weekend He now has 23 goals and 12 assists (35 points) in seven games.