1997 PDSL season

The 1997 Premier Development Soccer League season was its 3rd. The season began in April 1997 and ended in August 1997.

Premier Development Soccer League
Season1997
← 1996
1998 →

Central Coast Roadrunners successfully defended the championship, defeating the Cocoa Expos 3-2. Spokane Shadow won the regular season title, winning 14 games to 2 losses.

Changes from 1996 season

Name changes
  • Miami Tango changed their name to Miami Breakers.
  • Puget Sound Hammerheads merged with the D-3 Pro's Everett BigFoot to become Puget Sound BigFoot.
  • Southern California Gunners changed their name to Southern California Chivas.

New teams

6 teams were added for the season.

Team Area Location Previous affiliation
Alabama Alabama Saints Birmingham area Birmingham, AL expansion
Oregon Cascade Surge Willamette Valley Area Salem, OR from USISL Pro League
Ohio Cincinnati Riverhawks Greater Cincinnati area Cincinnati, OH expansion
California San Gabriel Valley Highlanders Greater Los Angeles area Glendale, CA expansion
Florida Southwest Florida Manatees Southwest Florida area Cape Coral, FL expansion
Washington (state) Yakima Reds Yakima area Yakima, WA from USISL Pro League

Teams Leaving

The Nashville Metros were promoted to the A League. The Arizona Sahuaros (formerly the Arizona Phoenix), Austin Lone Stars, Fort Lauderdale Strikers (formerly Florida Strikers), and San Francisco Bay Seals were promoted to the D-3 Pro League.

6 teams folded after the 1996 season:

The Wichita Blue went on hiatus for this year, and the Willamette Valley Firebirds went on hiatus for the next two years.

Standings

Central Division
Pos Team Pld W PKW PKL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Lincoln Brigade 16 10 2 0 4 34 23 +11 32[lower-alpha 1] Division champion
2 Omaha Flames 16 7 0 1 8 42 29 +13 21 Qualified for playoff berth
3 Sioux City Breeze 16 8 0 0 8 26 38 −12 24
4 Des Moines Menace 16 6 1 0 9 29 27 +2 19[lower-alpha 2]
5 Colorado Springs Stampede 16 6 0 1 9 23 33 −10 18
6 Twin Cities Tornado 16 3 2 1 10 29 39 −10 11[lower-alpha 1]
Source: rsssf.com
Notes:
  1. Lincoln and Twin Cities were both penalized 6 points.
  2. Des Moines was penalized 3 points.

North Central Division
Pos Team Pld W PKW PKL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Mid-Michigan Bucks 16 12 0 1 3 41 24 +17 36 Division champion
2 Detroit Dynamite 16 9 1 2 4 41 20 +21 28[lower-alpha 1] Qualified for playoff berth
3 Kalamazoo Kingdom 16 8 2 1 5 32 25 +7 26[lower-alpha 2]
4 Grand Rapids Explosion 16 7 1 1 7 35 27 +8 22[lower-alpha 1]
5 Michigan Madness 16 0 1 0 15 11 66 −55 1[lower-alpha 1]
Source: rsssf.com
Notes:
  1. Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Michigan were all penalized 3 points.
  2. Kalamazoo was penalized 6 points.

Mid-South Division
Pos Team Pld W PKW PKL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Cincinnati Riverhawks 15 10 0 0 5 48 28 +20 30[lower-alpha 1] Division champion
2 Jackson Chargers 16 9 1 0 6 50 25 +25 28[lower-alpha 2] Qualified for playoff berth
3 Lexington Bluegrass Bandits 16 8 2 3 3 45 22 +23 26[lower-alpha 3]
4 Alabama Saints 16 5 0 1 10 31 34 −3 15
5 Chattanooga Express 16 4 1 0 11 18 54 −36 13[lower-alpha 2]
Source: rsssf.com
Notes:
  1. Game between Cincinnati and Tucson was unable to be rescheduled before season's end, games was cancelled because it had no impact on playoffs.
  2. Chattanooga and Jackson were both penalized 3 points.
  3. Lexington was penalized 6 points.

Southeast Division
Pos Team Pld W PKW PKL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Cocoa Expos 16 11 1 2 2 46 23 +23 34[lower-alpha 1] Division champion
2 South Florida Future 16 10 1 0 5 42 22 +20 31[lower-alpha 1] Qualified for playoff berth
3 West Florida Fury 16 8 2 1 5 32 23 +9 26[lower-alpha 2]
4 Miami Breakers 16 8 0 1 7 41 24 +17 24
5 Southwest Florida Manatees 16 0 0 0 16 9 74 −65 0
Source: rsssf.com
Notes:
  1. Cocoa and South Florida were both penalized 3 points.
  2. West Florida was penalized 6 points.

Northwest Division
Pos Team Pld W PKW PKL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Spokane Shadow 16 14 0 0 2 37 16 +21 42 Division champion
2 Yakima Reds 16 7 0 1 8 31 31 0 21 Qualified for playoff berth
3 Cascade Surge 16 6 2 1 7 28 23 +5 23[lower-alpha 1]
4 Bellingham Orcas 16 6 0 1 9 26 40 −14 18
5 Puget Sound BigFoot 16 4 1 0 11 27 39 −12 13[lower-alpha 1]
Source: rsssf.com
Notes:
  1. Cascade and Puget Sound were both penalized 3 points.

Southwest Division
Pos Team Pld W PKW PKL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 San Gabriel Valley Highlanders 16 12 0 0 4 43 20 +23 36 Division champion
2 Central Coast Roadrunners 16 10 1 2 3 34 17 +17 34 Bye into semifinals as defending champion
3 Tucson Amigos 15 5 1 0 9 18 41 −23 16[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] Qualified for playoff berth
4 Southern California Chivas 16 3 1 0 12 16 32 −16 10[lower-alpha 1]
Source: rsssf.com
Notes:
  1. Southern California and Tucson were both penalized 3 points
  2. Game between Cincinnati and Tucson was unable to be rescheduled before season's end, games was cancelled because it had no impact on playoffs.

Playoffs

Format

Central Coast received a bye to the PDL Semifinals as the defending champion.
The top four teams from every division except the Southwest earn playoff spots. With Central Coast already receiving a bye, the top two teams from the Southwest Division will play each other, however if Central Coast is in the top two, then the third place team receives a playoff spot. The Division winners would then face each other in the Conference finals.

Divisional brackets
Division Semifinals Division Finals Central Finals
         
NC1 Michigan Mid-Michigan Bucks 4
NC4 Michigan Grand Rapids Explosion 3
NC1 Michigan Mid-Michigan Bucks (AET/PSO) 0 (1)
North Central Division
NC3 Michigan Kalamazoo Kingdom 0 (0)
NC2 Michigan Detroit Dynamite 0
NC3 Michigan Kalamazoo Kingdom (AET) 1
NC1 Michigan Mid-Michigan Bucks 3
C4 Iowa Des Moines Menace 0
C1 Nebraska Lincoln Brigade 0
C4 Iowa Des Moines Menace 4
C4 Iowa Des Moines Menace 6
Central Division
C2 Nebraska Omaha Flames 0
C2 Nebraska Omaha Flames 5
C3 Iowa Sioux City Breeze 3
Central Conference Division Semifinals
Semifinals
Des Moines Menace4–0Lincoln Brigade
  • Phillips 43:39', 72:25'
  • Wilson 61:22'
  • Sells 75:44'
 Report
Phelps Field
Omaha, Nebraska
Semifinals
Grand Rapids Explosion3–4Mid-Michigan Bucks
  • Irvine pen.', 70'
  • Toohey 72', 87'
Semifinals
Kalamazoo Kingdom1–0 (OT)Detroit Dynamite
  • Adrian gold-colored soccer ball 97'
Report
Ed Annen Complex
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Attendance: 1,205
Semifinals
Omaha Flames5–3Sioux City Breeze
  • Harris 14:54', 83:40'
  • Caution 38:07'
  • Duranzo 81:25'
  • Herrera 86:43'
 Report 1 Report 2
  • Hagan 5:45'
  • Vasquez 63:21'
  • Koroma 74:05'
  • Peters Red card
Phelps Field
Omaha, Nebraska
Attendance: 983
Central Division Finals
Central Division Final
Omaha Flames0–6Des Moines Menace
Report
  • Calderon 11:43', 37:10'
  • Scheer 23:19'
  • Wilson 64:30'
  • Phillips 77:34'
  • Buseck 84:50'
Phelps Field
Omaha, Nebraska
Attendance: 845
North Central Final
Mid-Michigan Bucks0–0 (a.e.t.)Kalamazoo Kingdom
Penalties
 4–3
  • soccer ball with check mark
  • soccer ball with check mark
  • soccer ball with check mark
  • soccer ball with red X
  • soccer ball with red X
  • soccer ball with red X
  • soccer ball with red X
  • soccer ball with red X
Central Conference Final
Mid-Michigan Bucks3–0Des Moines Menace
  • Brose 26', 75'
  • Snape 60'
 Report
White Pine Stadium
Saginaw Township, Michigan
Attendance: 730
Division Semifinals Division Finals Eastern Finals
         
SE1 Florida Cocoa Expos 5
SE4 Florida Miami Breakers 2
SE1 Florida Cocoa Expos 3
Southeast Division
SE3 Florida West Florida Fury 1
SE2 Florida South Florida Future 0
SE3 Florida West Florida Fury 4
SE1 Florida Cocoa Expos 2
MS2 Mississippi Jackson Chargers 1
MS1 Ohio Cincinnati Riverhawks 7
MS4 Alabama Alabama Saints 4
MS1 Ohio Cincinnati Riverhawks 0
Mid-South Division
MS2 Mississippi Jackson Chargers 3
MS2 Mississippi Jackson Chargers (AET) 1
MS3 Kentucky Lexington Bluegrass Bandits 0
Eastern Conference Division Semifinals
Semifinals
South Florida Future0–4West Florida Fury
Semifinals
Cincinnati Riverhawks7–4Alabama Saints
  • Yaks
  • Rockey
  • Roberts
  • Schaffer
  • Schilten
Report
The Sports Club
Jackson, Mississippi
Semifinals
Cocoa Expos5–2Miami Breakers
Semifinals
Jackson Chargers1–0 (OT) (a.e.t.)Lexington Bluegrass Bandits
  • Felician gold-colored soccer ball
The Sports Club
Jackson, Mississippi
Eastern Conference Division Finals
Southeast Division Final
Cocoa Expos3–1West Florida Fury
Report
Attendance: 750
Mid-South Division Final
Jackson Chargers3–0Cincinnati Riverhawks
 Report
The Sports Club
Jackson, Mississippi
Attendance: 1,200
Eastern Conference Conference Final
Cocoa Expos2–1Jackson Chargers
  • Haig 14'
  • Enders 58'
 Report
  • Farrar 69'
Attendance: 1,500
Division Semifinals Division Finals Western Finals
         
NW1 Washington (state) Spokane Shadow (AET/PSO) 4 (1)
NW4 Washington (state) Bellingham Orcas 4 (0)
NW1 Washington (state) Spokane Shadow 2
Northwest Division
NW2 Washington (state) Yakima Reds 0
NW2 Washington (state) Yakima Reds 1
NW3 Oregon Cascade Surge 0
NW1 Washington (state) Spokane Shadow 0
SW1 California San Gabriel Valley Highlanders 1
SW1 California San Gabriel Valley Highlanders bye
 
SW1 California San Gabriel Valley Highlanders 2
Southwest Division
SW2 Arizona Tucson Amigos 1
SW2 Arizona Tucson Amigos bye
 
Western Conference Division Semifinals
Semifinals
Spokane Shadow4–4 (a.e.t.)Bellingham Orcas
Report
Penalties
  • Seeley soccer ball with red X
  • Berto soccer ball with red X
 1–0
Attendance: 1,708
Semifinals
Yakima Reds1–0Cascade Surge
  • Feital 36'
 Report
Western Conference Division Finals
Northwest Division Final
Spokane Shadow2–0Yakima Reds
 Report 1 Report 2
Attendance: 1,258
Southwest Division Final
San Gabriel Valley Highlanders2–1Tucson Amigos
Western Conference Final
Spokane Shadow0–1San Gabriel Valley Highlanders
Report
Attendance: 1,875

PDSL Finals Brackets
PDSL Semifinals PDSL Finals
      
NC1 Michigan Mid-Michigan Bucks 0
H California Central Coast Roadrunners 2
H California Central Coast Roadrunners 2
SE1 Florida Cocoa Expos 1
SW1 California San Gabriel Valley Highlanders 0 (0)
SE1 Florida Cocoa Expos (AET/PSO) 0 (1) PDSL Third Place
NC1 Michigan Mid-Michigan Bucks 2
SW1 California San Gabriel Valley Highlanders 3

[1]

PDSL National Semifinals
Semifinals
Cocoa Expos0–0San Gabriel Valley Highlanders
Penalties
3–1
Semifinals
Central Coast Roadrunners2–0Mid-Michigan Bucks
 Report
Attendance: 1,000
Third Place Game
Mid-Michigan Bucks2–3San Gabriel Valley Highlanders
  • Rawlins 34'
  • Snape 89:49'
 Report
  • Shakhbazyan
  • Saarkissian 35'
  • Abyanli 88'
PDSL National Championship Game
Central Coast Roadrunners2–1Cocoa Expos
 Report
  • Senk 88'
Attendance: 1,600

Honors

References
  1. United Soccer Leagues (RSSSF)
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