Western Soccer League/Alliance

            Final Team Standings and Playoff Results

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 to the Western Soccer League in 1989.  
League, and then in 1989 to the Western Soccer Alliance.  In 1990, the ASL III
and the WSA merged to form the American Professional Soccer League, known since
1995 as the A-League.  The league standings for the ASL III and the APSL
can be found on their separate homepages.  Many thanks to Kevin Raymond
Mitzel  (mitzel@npsl.com) for providing this information, and to Martin Andreas
Gedra (tallinn@umiacs.UMD.EDU) for providing some corrections & additional info.

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.