2008–09 National Indoor Soccer League season


The 2008–09 National Indoor Soccer League is the inaugural season for the league and the 31st anniversary of professional Division 1 indoor soccer in the United States. The members of the NISL's first season are the Baltimore Blast, the Massachusetts Twisters, the Monterrey La Raza, the Philadelphia KiXX, and the Rockford Rampage. The Orlando Sharks were supposed to play, but due to scheduling conflicts with the Amway Arena the Twisters took the Sharks' spot for the season.
The league kicked off on November 15, 2008 with the Philadelphia KiXX defeating the Massachusetts Twisters 34-11 and the Baltimore Blast defeating the Rockford Rampage 14-4. The regular season concluded March 29, 2009.
Each team played eighteen games, nine home and nine away. La Raza also played, and won, the Copa América against PASL-Pro and PASL-Premier teams.

Final standings

Blue indicates bye into the NISL Championship

Green indicates playoff berth clinched

Playoffs

Game 1

Friday, 10:35PM EST, April 3, 2009 at Monterrey Arena in Monterrey, Nuevo León
SeedTeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
2Rockford Rampage470213
3Monterrey La Raza640616

Game 2

Sunday, 5:35PM EST, April 5, 2009 at Rockford MetroCentre in Rockford, Illinois
SeedTeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
3Monterrey La Raza00246
2Rockford Rampage30249

Game 3

*
Sunday, April 5, 2009 at Rockford MetroCentre in Rockford, Illinois
SeedTeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
3Monterrey La Raza0XXXX
2Rockford Rampage2XXX2

Championship

Saturday, 7:35PM EST, April 11, 2009 at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Byron AlvarezMonterrey La Raza18221156
Matthew StewartRockford Rampage1622753
Pat MorrisPhiladelphia Kixx18171151
Ricardinho CavalcantePhiladelphia Kixx17132249
Machel MillwoodBaltimore Blast15181248
Hewerthon MoreiraPhiladelphia Kixx917947
Mark UghyMonterrey La Raza1819947
Giuliano CelenzaBaltimore Blast1619745
Anthony MaherPhiladelphia Kixx15151343
Bato RadoncicRockford Rampage1817439

Player of the Week

WeekDatePlayerPos.Team
111/17/08Hewerton MoreiraFPhiladelphia KiXX
212/1/08Matthew StewartMRockford Rampage
312/8/08Anthony MaherFPhiladelphia KiXX
412/15/08Robbie AristodemoMBaltimore Blast
512/22/08Machel MillwoodFBaltimore Blast
612/29/08Ivan MedinaFMonterrey La Raza
71/5/09Carlos GarciaFBaltimore Blast
81/12/09Ptah MyersFPhiladelphia KiXX
91/19/09Jose Luiz BircheDMonterrey La Raza
101/26/09Hewerton MoreiraFPhiladelphia KiXX
112/2/09Ivan MedinaFMonterrey La Raza
122/9/09RicardinhoFPhiladelphia KiXX
132/16/09Adrian BumbutFBaltimore Blast
142/23/09Machel MillwoodFBaltimore Blast
153/2/09RicardinhoFPhiladelphia KiXX
173/9/09Jamar BeasleyFRockford Rampage
183/16/09Byron AlvarezFMonterrey La Raza
193/23/09Jamar BeasleyMRockford Rampage
203/30/09Mark UghyFMonterrey La Raza

Players of the Month

End of Year Awards

PersonPos.Team
MVPByron AlvarezMonterrey La Raza
Defensive Player of the YearPat MorrisPhiladelphia KiXX
Goalkeeper of the YearSaguBaltimore Blast
Rookie of the YearPat HealeyBaltimore Blast
Coach of the YearDanny KellyBaltimore Blast
Finals MVPSaguBaltimore Blast

All-Rookie Team

PersonPos.Team
Pat HealeyFBaltimore Blast
Adrian BumbutFBaltimore Blast
Joel BustiMMonterrey La Raza
Roberto GalloDRockford Rampage
Kevin ColemanDPhiladelphia KiXX
Steve ReeseGKMonterrey La Raza

All-NISL 1st Team

All-NISL 2nd Team

PersonPos.Team
Hewerthon MoreiraFPhiladelphia Kixx
Bato RadoncicFRockford Rampage
Matthew StewartMRockford Rampage
P.J. WakefieldDBaltimore Blast
Tijani AyegbusiDRockford Rampage
SanaldoGKRockford Rampage