2015–16 Baltimore Blast season
| 2015–16 MASL season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Edwin F. Hale, Sr.[1] |
| Head Coach | Danny Kelly |
| Arena | Royal Farms Arena 201 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 |
| Major Arena Soccer League | 1st, Eastern (regular season) |
| Ron Newman Cup | MASL Champion |
| Top goalscorer | Vini Dantas (20 goals, 10 assists) |
| Highest home attendance | 9,442 (November 7 vs. Chicago Mustangs) |
| Lowest home attendance | 3,204 (November 21 vs. Waza Flo) |
| Average home league attendance | 6,102 (10 games)[2] |
The 2015–16 Baltimore Blast season is the twenty-fourth season of the Baltimore Blast professional indoor soccer club. The Blast, an Eastern Division team in the Major Arena Soccer League, play their home games at Royal Farms Arena in downtown Baltimore, Maryland.[3][4]
The team is led by owner Edwin F. Hale, Sr. and head coach Danny Kelly. Following a 10–5 victory on February 15 over the Chicago Mustangs, Baltimore clinched first place in the Eastern Division and the top seed in the Divisional Final.[5]
The Blast finished the regular season 15-4 and went undefeated in the postseason, winning four of their six playoff games in overtime, en route to the team's eighth championship. Pat Healey won his second consecutive Defender of the Year award while Lucas Roque received the MASL Finals MVP.
History
[edit]Launched in July 1992 as the Baltimore Spirit, an expansion team in the second National Professional Soccer League for the 1992–93 season, the team replaced the original Baltimore Blast which folded earlier in 1992 when the first Major Indoor Soccer League shut down.[6] Ed Hale, an owner of the original Blast, bought the Spirit in July 1998 and changed the name to Baltimore Blast.[7] In 2001, the team was a founding member of the second MISL. When that league shut down in 2008, they co-founded the National Indoor Soccer League which, one season later, became the third MISL.
After the 2013-14 season, Baltimore was one of three teams that left the MISL, leading to the league's collapse.[8] Along with five other former MISL teams, the Blast joined the teams of the Professional Arena Soccer League, which was soon rebranded as the Major Arena Soccer League.[9][10] With the Rochester Lancers folding and the failed launch of Hartford City FC, the MASL Eastern Division for the 2015–16 season consists of former MISL club Syracuse Silver Knights, plus former PASL clubs Waza Flo and Harrisburg Heat.[11]
Off-field moves
[edit]All MASL games are now scored with traditional soccer scoring where every goal is worth one point.[12]
Schedule
[edit]Regular season
[edit]| Game | Day | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Location[13] | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | |||||||
| 1 | Saturday | November 7 | 7:35pm | Chicago Mustangs | W 7–4 | 1–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 9,442 |
| 2 | Saturday | November 14 | 7:35pm | Syracuse Silver Knights | W 6–0 | 2–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 4,140 |
| 3 | Saturday | November 21 | 7:35pm | Waza Flo | W 11–1 | 3–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 3,204 |
| 4 | Saturday | November 28 | 2:05pm | at Harrisburg Heat | W 9–2 | 4–0 | Farm Show Large Arena | 1,973 |
| 5 | Friday | December 4 | 7:35pm | San Diego Sockers | W 8–5 | 5–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 8,953 |
| 6 | Saturday | December 11 | 7:30pm | at Syracuse Silver Knights | W 5–2 | 6–0 | Oncenter War Memorial Arena | 1,986 |
| 7 | Friday | December 18 | 7:35pm | Harrisburg Heat | W 5–1 | 7–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 4,611 |
| 8 | Thursday | December 31 | 5:05pm | at Harrisburg Heat | W 8–3 | 8–0 | Farm Show Large Arena | 1,583 |
| 9 | Saturday | January 2 | 7:05pm | Syracuse Silver Knights | W 7–3 | 9–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 4,021 |
| 10 | Friday | January 8 | 7:35pm | Waza Flo | W 9–3 | 10–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 3,921 |
| 11 | Saturday | January 9 | 7:35pm | Harrisburg Heat | W 6–4 | 11–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 6,630 |
| 12 | Sunday | January 24 | 1:00pm | at Syracuse Silver Knights | L 2–3 | 11–1 | Oncenter War Memorial Arena | 2,948 |
| 13 | Saturday | January 30 | 7:05pm | at St. Louis Ambush | W 6–1 | 12-1 | Family Arena | 5,721 |
| 14 | Sunday | January 31 | 3:05pm | at Missouri Comets | L 4–6 | 12–2 | Independence Events Center | 4,101 |
| 15 | Friday | February 12 | 7:35pm | at Waza Flo | Postponed | Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center | ||
| 16 | Monday | February 15 | 6:35pm | at Chicago Mustangs | W 10–5 | 13–2 | Sears Centre Arena | 3,339 |
| 17 | Friday | February 19 | 7:35pm | Missouri Comets | L 4–5 (OT) | 13–3 | Royal Farms Arena | 8,121 |
| 18 | Sunday | February 21 | 5:05pm | Harrisburg Heat | W 9–0 | 14–3 | Royal Farms Arena | 7,984 |
| 19 | Friday | February 26 | 7:35pm | at St. Louis Ambush | W 9–4 | 15–3 | Family Arena | 6,719 |
| 20 | Saturday | February 27 | 7:35pm | at Missouri Comets | L 4–5 | 15–4 | Independence Events Center | 5,214 |
Post-season
[edit]| Game | Day | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Location[16] | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | |||||||
| Division Final #1 | Friday | March 11 | 7:35pm | Syracuse Silver Knights | W 6-5 (3OT) | 1–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 4,041 |
| Division Final #2 | Sunday | March 13 | 4:05pm | at Syracuse Silver Knights | W 6–4 | 2–0 | Oncenter War Memorial Arena | 2,042 |
| Eastern Final #1 | Thursday | March 24 | 7:05pm | at Missouri Comets | W 4–3 (OT) | 3–0 | Independence Events Center | 3,011 |
| Eastern Final #2 | Tuesday | March 29 | 7:05pm | Missouri Comets | W 4–3 (2OT) | 4–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 4,102 |
| MASL Final #1 | Sunday | April 10 | 6:05pm | Soles de Sonora | W 7–4 | 5–0 | Royal Farms Arena | 7,243 |
| MASL Final #2 | Friday | April 15 | 8:05pm | at Soles de Sonora | W 14–13 (OT) | 6–0 | El Centro de Usos Múltiples | 8,324 |
.
Personnel
[edit]Team roster
[edit]- As of January 15, 2016[17]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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|
Staff
[edit]The team's coaching staff includes head coach Danny Kelly, assistant coach David Bascome, athletic trainer Heather Kohlbus, physical therapist Paul Ernst, team doctor Dr. Richard Levine, and equipment manager Mark Meszaros. The Blast front office includes owner Edwin F. Hale, Sr., team president and general manager Kevin Healey, assistant general manager Mike Conway, director of ticket operations Jason Carrick, and marketing coordinator Stephen Cooke.[18]
Statistics
[edit]Top scorers
[edit]| Rank | Scorer | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tony Donatelli
|
18 | 17 | 17 | 34 |
| 2 |  Vini Dantas
|
12 | 20 | 10 | 30 |
| 3 | Lucas Roque
|
18 | 19 | 7 | 26 |
| 4 | Pat Healey
|
19 | 6 | 17 | 23 |
| 5 | Andrew Hoxie
|
19 | 15 | 5 | 20 |
Last updated on October 18, 2016. Source: "Scoring Leaders". Major Arena Soccer League.
References
[edit]- ^ Dance, Scott; Wells, Carrie (September 23, 2014). "Biography set to detail life of ex-banker Ed Hale – including CIA stint". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- ^ "2015-16 League Attendance". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
- ^ Sherman, Natalie (September 15, 2014). "City to vote on 'Royal Farms Arena'". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- ^ Broadwater, Luke (September 17, 2014). "Board approves changing Baltimore Arena's name to Royal Farms Arena". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- ^ "Blast top Chicago, 10-5, to clinch Eastern Division title". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. February 16, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ Ey, Craig S. (August 11, 1997). "Can soccer succeed in Baltimore?". Baltimore Business Journal. Baltimore, MD: Advance Publications. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ Wells, Carrie (November 8, 2014). "'Hale Storm' reveals prominent former banker's CIA ties, two failed marriages". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
- ^ Kramer, Lindsay (November 6, 2014). "Syracuse Silver Knights begin play in new MASL with opening match against old foe Baltimore". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, NY: Advance Publications. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
- ^ Graham, Glenn (April 14, 2014). "Baltimore Blast joining with other teams to form new indoor soccer league". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- ^ Graham, Glenn (May 19, 2014). "Blast among 24 teams to join new Major Arena Soccer League". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- ^ "MASL Opens Second Season". Goal Online. Fall 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
- ^ Graham, Glenn (November 7, 2015). "Blast opens season with 7-4 home win over Chicago Mustangs". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, MD: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ a b "Baltimore Blast Schedule". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
- ^ "Baltimore Blast 2015/2016 MASL Schedule". Major Arena Soccer League. February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ^ "Baltimore Blast 2015/2016 MASL Schedule". Baltimore Blast. February 22, 2016. Archived from the original on February 13, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
- ^ "Baltimore Blast Schedule". Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ^ "Baltimore Blast - Major Arena Soccer League - team stats | Pointstreak Sports Technologies".
- ^ "Official Website of the Baltimore Blast: Coaches". Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2016.