1998 USISL D-3 Pro League
Football league season
| Season | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Chicago Stingers |
| Relegated | Central Jersey Riptide Miami Breakers NYCD Alleycats Orlando Nighthawks Vermont Voltage |
← 1997 1999 → | |
The 1998 USISL D-3 Pro League was the 12th season of third-division soccer in the United States, and was the second season of now-defunct USISL D-3 Pro League. The champions were the Chicago Stingers who beat the New Hampshire Phantoms in the final.
Changes from 1996
Before the season, Western Massachusetts, Northern Virginia, and Pensacola were added. Baltimore became Eastern Shore. Dallas became Texas. Vermont became the Voltage. Miami was promoted from PDSL.
Name Changes
- Vermont Wanderers rebranded as Vermont Voltage
- Baltimore Bays rebranded as Eastern Shore Sharks
- Dallas Toros rebranded as Texas Toros
New Clubs
| Team Name | Metro Area | Location | Previous Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|
 Miami Breakers | South Florida | Miami, FL | promoted from PDSL |
 Northern Virginia Royals | Northern Virginia | Manassas, VA | expansion |
| Pensacola Barracudas | Pensacola area | Pensacola, FL | expansion |
 Western Mass Pioneers | Springfield area | Ludlow, MA | expansion |
Folding or Moving
No teams left the league nor folded.
Teams
Head coaching changes
Season Overview
Standings
Northeast Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island Stingrays | 18 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 39 | 33 | +6 | 33 | USISL Divisional Semifinals |
| 2 | New Hampshire Phantoms | 18 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 36 | 24 | +12 | 32 | |
| 3 | Western Mass Pioneers | 18 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 45 | 34 | +11 | 30 | |
| 4 | Cape Cod Crusaders | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 21 | |
| 5 | Vermont Voltage | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 43 | −28 | 6[a] | Relegation to the 1999 PDSL |
Source:[citation needed]
Notes:
Notes:
- ^ 1 point deduction
Mid-Atlantic Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Jersey Barons | 18 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 40 | 20 | +20 | 36 | USISL Divisional Semifinals |
| 2 | Reading Rage | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 41 | 29 | +12 | 30 | |
| 3 | New Jersey Stallions | 18 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 37 | 24 | +13 | 30 | |
| 4 | Central Jersey Riptide | 18 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 33 | 19 | +14 | 27 | USISL Divisional Semifinals and relegation to the 1999 PDSL |
| 5 | NYCD Alleycats | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 19 | 36 | −17 | 15 | Relegation to the 1999 PDSL |
Source:[citation needed]
Atlantic Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware Wizards | 18 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 43 | 16 | +27 | 40 | USISL Divisional Finals |
| 2 | Myrtle Beach Seadawgs | 18 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 42 | 26 | +16 | 37 | |
| 3 | Charlotte Eagles | 18 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 47 | 31 | +16 | 31 | USISL Divisional Semifinals |
| 4 | Roanoke Wrath | 18 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 36 | 19 | +17 | 30 | |
| 5 | South Carolina Shamrocks | 18 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 34 | 32 | +2 | 25 | |
| 6 | Wilmington Hammerheads | 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 33 | 34 | −1 | 24 | |
| 7 | Northern Virginia Royals | 18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 28 | 46 | −18 | 16 | |
| 8 | Eastern Shore Sharks | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 16 | 90 | −74 | 0 |
Source:[citation needed]
Southeast Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami Breakers | 18 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 67 | 21 | +46 | 51 |
| 2 | Orlando Nighthawks | 18 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 62 | 33 | +29 | 36 |
| 3 | Southwest Florida Manatees | 18 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 34 | 57 | −23 | 24 |
| 4 | Pensacola Barracudas | 18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 21 | 57 | −36 | 13 |
| 5 | Tallahassee Tempest | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 12 | 41 | −29 | 6 |
Source:[citation needed]
North Central Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana Blast | 18 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 57 | 24 | +33 | 45 |
| 2 | Chicago Stingers | 18 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 37 | 16 | +21 | 39 |
| 3 | Rockford Raptors | 28 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 31 | 25 | +6 | 28 |
| 4 | Cleveland Caps | 18 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 33 | 41 | −8 | 28 |
Source:[citation needed]
South Central Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Lone Stars | 18 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 46 | 20 | +26 | 39 |
| 2 | Texas Toros | 18 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 44 | 24 | +20 | 37 |
| 3 | San Antonio Pumas | 17 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 26 | 44 | −18 | 21 |
| 4 | Tulsa Roughnecks | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 33 | 44 | −11 | 16[a] |
| 5 | Houston Hurricanes | 17 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 25 | 36 | −11 | 14 |
| 6 | Shreveport/Bossier Lions | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 50 | −26 | 6[b] |
Source:[citation needed]
Notes:
Notes:
West Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | SW | SL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona Sahuaros | 18 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 67 | 28 | +39 | 42 |
| 2 | Chico Rooks | 18 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 39 | 28 | +11 | 31 |
| 3 | Stanislaus County Cruisers | 18 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 51 | 25 | +26 | 37 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Fireballs | 18 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 21 | 37 | −16 | 16 |
| 5 | San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles | 18 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 29 | 51 | −22 | 15 |
| 6 | Reno Rattlers | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 23 | 52 | −29 | 10 |
Source: [1]
Playoffs
Divisional Semifinals
Higher seed/home team on the left.
Texas Toros v San Antonio Pumas
| August 1, 1998 | Texas Toros | 1–0 | San Antonio Pumas | Duncanville, Texas |
| Stadium: Old Panther Field |
Austin Lone Stars v Houston Hurricanes
| August 1, 1998 | Austin Lone Stars | 4–2 | Houston Hurricanes | Austin, Texas |
|
| Stadium: House Park |
Roanoke Wrath v South Carolina Shamrocks
| August 14, 1998 | Roanoke Wrath | 5–2 | South Carolina Shamrocks | Roanoke, Virginia |
| 7:30 PM |
|
| Stadium: Victory Stadium |
Chicago Stingers v Rockford Raptors
| August 14, 1998 | Chicago Stingers | 3–0 | Rockford Raptors | Arlington Heights, Illinois |
| Report | Stadium: Forest View Park |
Rhode Island Stingrays v Cape Cod Crusaders
| August 15, 1998 | Rhode Island Stingrays | 5–2 | Cape Cod Crusaders | East Providence, Rhode Island |
| 7:00 PM | Stadium: Pierce Memorial Field |
New Hampshire Phantoms v Western Mass Pioneers
| August 15, 1998 | New Hampshire Phantoms | 2–1 (OT) (a.e.t.) | Western Mass Pioneers | Manchester, New Hampshire |
| Stadium: Singer Family Park |
South Jersey Barons v Central Jersey Riptide
| August 15, 1998 | South Jersey Barons | 2–3 (OT) (a.e.t.) | Central Jersey Riptide | Ocean City, New Jersey |
| 5:00 PM |
| Report | Stadium: Carey Stadium Attendance: 1,168 Referee: Matt Lawlor |
Reading Rage v New Jersey Stallions
| August 15, 1998 | Reading Rage | 5–2 | New Jersey Stallions | Fleetwood, Pennsylvania |
| Stadium: Fleetwood H.S. Stadium |
Charlotte Eagles v Wilmington Hammerheads
| August 15, 1998 | Charlotte Eagles | 4–0 | Wilmington Hammerheads | Davidson, North Carolina |
| Report | Stadium: Richardson Stadium |
Orlando Nighthawks v Southwest Florida Manatees
| August 15, 1998 | Orlando Nighthawks | 6–2 | Southwest Florida Manatees | Orlando, Florida |
| Report | Stadium: Edgewater H.S. Stadium |
Arizona Sahuaros v Los Angeles Fireballs
| August 15, 1998 | Arizona Sahuaros | 3–0 | Los Angeles Fireballs | Scottsdale, Arizona |
| Report | Stadium: Scottsdale Stadium Attendance: 1,723 |
Stanislaus County Cruisers v Chico Rooks
| August 15, 1998 | Stanislaus County Cruisers | 3–2 | Chico Rooks | Modesto, California |
|
| Stadium: Central Catholic High School Attendance: 2,140 |
Division Finals
- Austin defeated Texas 1-0
- Charlotte defeated Myrtle Beach, 8-3
- Delaware defeated Roanoke, 2-1
- New Hampshire defeated Rhode Island, 3-2
- Chicago defeated Indiana, 3-0
- Central Jersey defeated Reading, 3-0
- Arizona defeated Stanislaus County 2-1
South Central Division Final
| Austin Lone Stars | 1–0 | Texas Toros |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Atlantic Division Final 1
| Myrtle Beach Seadawgs | 3–8 | Charlotte Eagles |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
North Central Division Final
| Indiana Blast | 0–3 | Chicago Stingers |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Attendance: 3,218
Southeast Division Final
| Miami Breakers | 0–1 | Orlando Nighthawks |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Mid-Atlantic Division Final
| Reading Rage | 0–3 | Central Jersey Riptide |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Atlantic Division Final 2
| Delaware Wizards | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Roanoke Wrath |
|---|---|---|
|
| |
| Penalties | ||
| 3–2 |
|
Referee: Craig Lowery
Northeast Division Final
| Rhode Island Stingrays | 2–3 | New Hampshire Phantoms |
|---|---|---|
West Division Final
| Arizona Sahuaros | 2–1 | Stanislaus County Cruisers |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Attendance: 1,000
Quarterfinals/Regional Finals
- New Hampshire defeated Central Jersey, 3-0
- Chicago defeated Delaware 1-0
- Orlando defeated Charlotte, 3-2
- Austin defeated Arizona 1-0
| Chicago Stingers | 1–0 | Delaware Wizards |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Forest View Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois
Attendance: 2,029
| Charlotte Eagles | 2–3 (OT) | Orlando Nighthawks |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
East Regional Final
| New Hampshire Phantoms | 3–0 | Central Jersey Riptide |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Owl Stadium, Keene, New Hampshire
Attendance: 3,185[2]
Semifinals
- Chicago defeated Orlando, 2-0
- New Hampshire defeated Austin, 3-2 (OT)
| Chicago Stingers | 2–0 | Orlando Nighthawks |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Del Valle Stadium, Del Valle, Texas
| Austin Lone Stars | 2–3 (OT) | New Hampshire Phantoms |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Championship
Chicago defeated New Hampshire, 3-2 (OT)
Third Place Match
| Austin Lone Stars | 2–3 | Orlando Nighthawks |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Del Valle Stadium, Del Valle, Texas
Attendance: 863
USISL D-3 Pro League Championship Game
| Chicago Stingers | 3–2 (OT) | New Hampshire Phantoms |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Del Valle Stadium, Del Valle, Texas
Attendance: 897 [4]
Top goalscorers
Statistics
Honors
- Organization of the Year:[5] Indiana Blast
- Executive of the Year: Gary Mack, Stanislaus County Cruisers
- Fair Play Award: Charlotte Eagles
References
- ^ United Soccer Leagues (RSSSF)
- ^ "1998 New Hampshire Phantoms Schedule". New Hampshire Soccer. Archived from the original on February 10, 1999. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "1998 New Hampshire Phantoms Schedule". New Hampshire Soccer. Archived from the original on February 10, 1999. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "1998 New Hampshire Phantoms Schedule". New Hampshire Soccer. Archived from the original on February 10, 1999. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Blast Named Organization of the Year". Indiana Blast. November 13, 1998. Archived from the original on February 2, 1999. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "The Year in American Soccer, 1998: USISL D3-Pro League (Division 3)". The American Soccer History Archives. April 11, 2010. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
