1997–98 National Professional Soccer League season

National Professional Soccer League

Season	1997–98
Champions	Milwaukee Wave
Matches played	260
Top goalscorer	Hector Marinaro (87)
Highest attendance	18,197 Philadelphia at Milwaukee (March 13)
Average attendance	6,369
← 1996–97 1998–99 →

The 1997–98 National Professional Soccer League season was the fourteenth season for the league. Also marks the twentieth season of professional Division 1 indoor soccer.

League standings[]

American Conference[]

East Division[]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	PCT	GB
1	Philadelphia KiXX	40	26	14	569	484	+85	.650	—
2	Harrisburg Heat	40	21	19	530	518	+12	.525	5
3	Baltimore Spirit	40	12	28	487	569	−82	.300	14

Central Division[]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	PCT	GB
1	Milwaukee Wave	40	28	12	593	486	+107	.700	—
2	Cleveland Crunch	40	21	19	627	612	+15	.525	7
3	Cincinnati Silverbacks	40	15	25	563	604	−41	.375	13

National Conference[]

North Division[]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	PCT	GB
1	Buffalo Blizzard	40	21	19	495	504	−9	.525	—
2	Edmonton Drillers	40	18	22	428	418	+10	.450	3
3	Montreal Impact	40	16	24	455	518	−63	.400	5
4	Detroit Rockers	40	13	27	464	571	−107	.325	8

Midwest Division[]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	PCT	GB
1	St. Louis Ambush	40	27	13	625	513	+112	.675	—
2	Wichita Wings	40	22	18	575	559	+16	.550	5
3	Kansas City Attack	40	20	20	442	497	−55	.500	7

Playoffs[]

	Conference Quarterfinals							Conference Semifinals							Conference Finals									Championship
								A1	Milwaukee Wave	19	18	–
	A4	Harrisburg Heat	14	5	18			A4	Harrisburg Heat	4	11	–
	A5	Cincinnati Silverbacks	12	27	13			American Conference							A1	Milwaukee Wave	7	19	12	16	–
															A2	Philadelphia KiXX	9	5	3	10	–
								A2	Philadelphia KiXX	10	29	–
								A3	Cleveland Crunch	4	27	–
																								A1	Milwaukee Wave	16	18	17	8	21	–	–
																								N1	St. Louis Ambush	14	10	14	12	10	–	–
								N1	St. Louis Ambush	17	18	–
	N4	Kansas City Attack	8	14	–			N4	Kansas City Attack	8	15	–
	N5	Edmonton Drillers	4	8	–			National Conference							N1	St. Louis Ambush	17	10	14	19	–
															N3	Wichita Wings	9	8	21	11	–
								N2	Buffalo Blizzard	16	14	–
								N3	Wichita Wings	19	15	–

Scoring leaders[]

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Hector Marinaro	Cleveland	36	87	43	212
Zoran Karić	Cleveland	35	62	91	206
Gino DiFlorio	Cincinnati	40	67	48	177
Joe Reiniger	St. Louis	39	61	39	164
Bernie Lilavois	Cincinnati	40	66	24	150
Bojan Vučković	Baltimore	32	60	38	148
	Milwaukee	40	52	35	139
Rudy Pikuzinski	Buffalo	38	53	38	139
Kevin Sloan	Philadelphia	36	57	23	131
	St. Louis	34	38	55	127

League Awards[]

• Most Valuable Player: Victor Nogueira, Milwaukee
• Defender of the Year: Matt Knowles, Philadelphia
• Rookie of the Year: Travis Roy, Detroit
• Goalkeeper of the Year: Victor Nogueira, Milwaukee
• Coach of the Year: Keith Tozer, Milwaukee
• Playoffs MVP: Victor Nogueira, Milwaukee

All-NPSL Teams[]

First Team	Position	Second Team	Third Team
Victor Nogueira, Milwaukee	G	Scott Hileman, Edmonton	, Philadelphia
Daryl Doran, St. Louis	D	Wes Wade, Kansas City	Richard Chinapoo, Harrisburg
Matt Knowles, Philadelphia	D	Omid Namazi, Philadelphia	Randy Prescott, Detroit , Edmonton
Zoran Karić, Cleveland	M	Gino DiFlorio, Cincinnati	Kevin Sloan, Philadelphia
Hector Marinaro, Cleveland	F	, Milwaukee	Bojan Vučković, Baltimore
Joe Reiniger, St Louis	F	Erik Rasmussen, Wichita	Rudy Pikuzinski, Buffalo

All-NPSL Rookie Teams[]

First Team	Position	Second Team
, Kansas City	G	, Edmonton
Kyle Swords, Harrisburg	D	, Cleveland
, Milwaukee	D	, Edmonton
Garret Kusch, Wichita	M	, Edmonton
, Kansas City	F	, Baltimore
Travis Roy, Detroit	F	Shawn Boney, Cleveland

References[]

• Major Indoor Soccer League II (RSSSF)