Major Arena Soccer League 2
Second Division of the MASL Indoor Soccer Pyramid
MASL 2 Honors Announcements Continue with All League Team Part 1 Release
TAMPA, Fla. – Five of the six active teams in the Major Arena Soccer League 2 2021 season are represented on either the Second or Third Lines which honor some of the top players in M2, which have been announced by league officials in consultation with team representatives.
A total of 12 players have been selected for the two all star lines. A First Line of all-stars will be announced Thursday, with individual award winners, Coach of the Year honors and league Most Valuable Player announcements coming over the next 10 days.
The All M2 Second Line consists of forwards Ali Sodal (Omaha Kings), Leo Acosta (Chicago Mustangs) and Adrian Ortiz (Chicago), midfielder Mike Derezic (Cleveland Crunch), defender Dave Jordan (Cleveland and the goalkeeper is Steven Hammersky (Wichita Wings).
Sodal kept the Kings – who won the Major Arena Soccer League 3 crown this past season – in contention for an M2 playoff spot right down to the final week of Omaha’s regular season, finishing third in the league in scoring with 26 points (20 goals and six assists in 14 games played). He kicked off his season with a four-goal performance against Amarillo on Jan. 22, and had two hat tricks as well during the year, as well as being tied for the league lead in short handed goals with two.
Acosta and Ortiz were a two-man scoring show for the Mustangs, collecting a total of 48 points in Chicago’s 10 games. Acosta was fourth in overall scoring with 25 points (20 goals, 5 assists) while Ortiz was tied for sixth with 23 points (21 goals, 2 assists). Three times Acosta scored three goals in a game, and he netted five in a 12-9 loss at Omaha on May 1. Ortiz turned the five-goal game trick twice in 2021, the first time on April 10 win at home against the Kings and again May 15 in a win at Colorado. He also had two hat tricks, and scored shorthanded twice.
Jordan had eight goals and four assists in eight games as Cleveland’s captain, while Dezeric burst onto the scene with 17 goals and seven assists in just seven games. He was No. 1 in points per game average with 3.3 this past season. Hammersky backstopped the Wings to an appearance in the M2 finals, posting a mark of 5-1, which was tied for second for most wins. His 6.04 goals against average was also second best in M2, as was his save percentage of .615.
The All M2 Third Line is made up of forwards Franck Tayou (Wichita), James Thayer (Omaha), midfielders Admir Suljevic (Cleveland) and Julio Molina (Amarillo), defender Uzi Tayou and goaltender Josue Mazon (Omaha).
The Tayou brothers made big news by signing with the Wichita Wings in mid-season. Franck, a perennial all-star and MVP candidate in the Major Arena Soccer League, appeared in just six games but still totaled 15 points (10G, 5 A). Uzi had four goals and four assists along with eight blocked shots in eight games played. Thayer had 16 goals in 13 games for the Kings while Suljevic dressed in just six games, but still had 17 points and a very impressive post season with six goals and four assists in two games. Molina was especially deadly on the power play unit, tied for second in the league for most man advantage goals with three among his 10 goals in the regular season.