Just before the demise of the United Soccer League in 1985, there was formed the Western Soccer League, followed two years later by the Lone Star Soccer Association (itself formed as a direct result of the collapse of the United Soccer League), and the American Soccer League III in 1988. Originally known as the Western Alliance Challenge Series in 1985, the league changed its name to the Western Soccer Alliance, and then the Western Soccer League in 1989. In 1990, the ASL III and the WSA merged to form the American Professional Soccer League, known in 1995 as the A-League. The two leagues continued to play as separate entities for the 1990 season. The league standings for the APSL and the ASL III can be found on their separate homepages. Many thanks to Kevin Raymond Mitzel (mitzel@uiuc.edu) for providing this information, and to Martin Andreas Gedra (tallinn@umiacs.UMD.EDU) for providing some corrections & additional info.
Final Team Standings and Playoff Results
Scoring systems:
1985-1986: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.
1987: 3 points for a win, and 1 point for each goal scored up to
a maximum of three per game.
1988: 6 points for a win, 1 point for each goal scored up to a
maximum of three per game, and 0 for a loss.
1989: 6 points for win in regulation or overtime, 1 point for
each goal scored in regulation or overtime up to a maximum
of 3; 4 points for penalty-kick win, 2 points for pk-loss,
and 0 points for a regulation loss.
1985
GP W T L GF GA Pts
San Jose Earthquakes 7 4 1 2 10 9 13
Victoria Riptide 7 3 1 3 16 11 10
F. C. Seattle 7 3 1 3 13 13 10
F. C. Portland 7 1 2 4 8 16 5
LEAGUE CHAMPION: San Jose
There were games played against Edmonton Brickmen and a game against the
Canadian National team. The combined record of these games was 2-1-1 in
favor of the non-league teams. Also included is a game against the Canadian
National Team.
After the season, Victoria withdrew from the league.
1986
Before the season, Hollywood, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Edmonton were
added. Seattle changed their name to Seattle Storm.
GP W T L GF GA PTS
Hollywood Kickers 14 8 4 2 21 13 28
F. C. Portland 14 6 2 6 20 19 20
Seattle Storm 14 6 2 6 19 22 20
Los Angeles Heat 14 4 5 5 15 14 17
San Diego Nomads 14 4 4 6 18 20 16
San Jose Earthquakes 14 3 4 7 23 32 13
Edmonton Brickmen 14 3 3 8 18 28 12
Standings include games played agains Manchester City and Dundee FC.
LEAGUE CHAMPION: Hollywood
After the season, Edmonton left the league to join the Canadian Soccer League.
1987
Before the season, Hollywood changed their name to California.
GP W L OW OL PW PL GF GA PTS
San Diego Nomads 10 6 4 1 0 1 1 17 9 31
Seattle Storm 10 5 5 1 1 1 1 16 14 31
San Jose Earthquakes 10 5 5 1 1 0 1 21 13 31
F. C. Portland 10 5 5 2 0 0 0 9 16 24
Los Angeles Heat 10 5 5 0 1 0 0 9 15 24
California Kickers 10 4 6 0 2 2 0 11 16 23
Wild Card: San Jose defeated Seattle 3-0
CHAMPIONSHIP: San Diego defeated San Jose 3-1
1988
GP W L GF GA PTS
Seattle Storm 12 10 2 25 10 83
San Diego Nomads 12 9 3 23 17 76
San Jose Earthquakes 12 7 5 20 19 61
Los Angeles Heat 12 7 5 20 17 61
California Kickers 12 3 9 17 28 35
F. C. Portland 12 1 11 16 32 22
Note: Includes games against Calgary Kickers and Vancouver 86ers of the CSL.
Semifinal: San Jose defeated San Diego 2-1(PK)
FINAL: Seattle defeated San Jose 3-1
1989
Before the season, Sacramento, Arizona, and Santa Barbara were added. San
Jose moved to San Francisco Bay. Portland changed their nickname to the
Timbers.
GP W L GF GA Pts
North Division
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks 16 11 5 37 26 98
Portland Timbers 16 11 5 32 25 92
Seattle Storm 16 10 6 32 23 87
Sacramento Senators 16 3 13 20 43 40
South Division
San Diego Nomads 16 12 4 30 18 99
Los Angeles Heat 16 10 6 35 19 81
Real Santa Barbara 16 5 11 20 35 51
Arizona Condors 16 5 11 25 39 50
California Kickers 16 5 11 17 30 42
Semifinals: San Francisco Bay defeated Los Angeles 2-1(PK)
San Diego defeated Portland 2-1
FINAL: San Diego defeated San Francisco Bay 1-0
WSL-ASL II "National" Championship: Ft. Lauderdale defeated San Diego 3-1.
After the season, Sacramento folded.
At the end of 1989, the ASL III and the WSA merged into a new entity known
as the American Professional Soccer League. They remained separate
conferences which played independent schedules with different rules and
scoring systems, but the two conference champions met for a league
championship title game.
Prepared and maintained by David A. Litterer for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: David A. Litterer
(spectrum@sover.net)
Last updated: 25 Oct 2003
(C) Copyright David A. Litterer and RSSSF 1995/2003
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.