In professional sports leagues, there is an unwritten rule: Expansion teams are supposed to be the whipping boys for a few years. It’s all part of paying one's dues.

Josh Barton was slugged by a

Cougar in an 11-10 Sockers win.

^{Photo by Mark Nord}

Someone forgot to tell this to the San Diego Sockers, who are now 11-1 as an expansion team in the Professional Arena Soccer League (PASL).

The Sockers beat the PASL defending champion California Cougars, 11-10. It was the third time the two teams met this year, and it was the third time the Sockers won by one goal. The other two games went into overtime.

Someone also forgot to tell Enrique Tovar of the Cougars (9-4) that fisticuffs are meant for hockey games, not indoor soccer. With about one minute to go in the game, Tovar let his emotions get the best of him and punched San Diego Sockers forward Josh Barton in the eye.

This stopped play as the referees literally flipped through the rule book on the field in search of what to do. Surprisingly Tovar’s, unsportsmanlike actions did not earn him a red card ejection, but it definitely marred what could have been a Cougars comeback.

With five minutes to go in the third period, the Sockers had a commanding 9-4 lead. Unexpectedly, the Cougars replaced goalie Jesus Molina with a sixth attacker, Nelson Santana.

"When they went to a sixth attacker, we had to call a time out,” Chiky Luna told Sockers announcer Craig Elsten. "We were caught off guard. We couldn’t believe they went to a sixth attacker that early in the game.”

Over the next 15 minutes of play, the Cougars rallied to bring the score to 9-8 with just over three minutes left to play in the fourth period.

Aaron Susi and Paul Wright then scored goals in the closing minutes of the game to secure the Sockers win.

After the game, Barton and Tovar nearly came to blows and had to be pulled apart when exchanging what were supposed to be the customary friendly handshakes.

"I told [Tovar] what I thought about him and honestly wanted to [let him know] that is not okay when you do that on the field,” says Barton.

The win nearly claimed the Sockers their first PASL-Pro’s Western Division title. They will secure the division if they win any of their remaining four games of the season.

The Sockers next game will be a rematch with the Cougars in Stockton on February 13 (7 p.m.) The game can be seen live via webcast at www.619sports.net.

Look for this to be another highly physical and close game. A win for the Sockers would not only secure the Western Division title, it would also mean a season sweep over the defending champs.