Wings close out regular-season home slate with 13-point win, anniversary celebration
The Wichita Wings closed their home schedule they same way they opened it: with a 13-point indoor soccer victory.
Their last home game of the regular season highlighted a weekend-long, 40th anniversary celebration that included the “God Save the Wings” documentary premiere along with a Wings Hall of Fame ceremony and dinner.
The current Wings players had the chance to hear from players from previous Wings teams, which coach Roger Downing wanted to use to his team’s advantage.
“All the guys will enjoy stories from the vets I’m sure, that’s what I’m looking forward to the most,” Downing said. “Any chance you get to hear an old vet tell a war story, you should listen. That goes for every aspect of life.”
Downing predicted that with those Hall of Fame Wings in attendance, his team would feel some extra pressure to win. That pressure had the desired effect: The Wings earned a 17-4 MASL2 victory over the Falls Town Flyers Sunday evening, extending their win streak to four games.
Wichita’s double-digit triumph gave the Wings (7-2) the opportunity to showcase many of their scorers, but one player in particular seemed to pique fans’ interest at Hartman Arena.
Lucas Sousa signed with the Wings last week and made his season debut against the Flyers. Less than five minutes into his debut, he’d put the Wings on the board. And before the evening was over, he would score four more times.
Downing said that he wasn’t surprised by Sousa’s five-goal success.
“He was phenomenal, which I knew he would be,” Downing said. “He’s practiced with us a few times and the few times he has you can tell he’s going to be one of our better players.”
Sousa, who came from Kansas City and played with the Comets of MASL, was familiar with the Wings players before signing here. He said he instantly clicked with the rest of the team and that the squad’s chemistry helped him be at ease on the field.
“The chemistry is there already,” Sousa said. “The way they receive me is everything to me, so it makes me feel comfortable to give them passes, to give them the goals, and to play well.”
Besides his camaraderie with the team, the Brazil-born Sousa, who played collegiately at Park University in Parkville, Missouri, was excited for the opportunity to play in front of Wichita’s home fans.
“The environment was unbelievable,” Sousa said. “I was telling people how amazing the fans and the city is. They put their heart into the Wichita Wings.”
The Wings home games have averaged 2,000 to 3,000 “Orange Army” fans per game at Hartman in this, their return season after shuttering in 2013.
“I say it at the end of every match, Wichita has the best indoor soccer fans in the country, there’s no changing my mind, I’m 100 percent convinced,” Wings operations manager Johnny Freedom said. “They get behind the players, they support the club, they chant, they scream, they yell … they do everything.”
Some of those fans were around in the 1980s, during the Wings’ initial heyday; others are just now getting their first experience with indoor soccer. The club’s appeal to both factions helps draw energetic crowds to home games.
“We have a nice mix of nostalgic fans and we have a nice mix of younger fans, as well,” Freedom said. “It’s been a wonderful thing and it’s been really the heart behind the success that we’ve had.”
As announced earlier this month, Wichita will play host to the MASL 2 championships in April. The semifinals and championship matches will take place at Hartman April 5-6.
The Wings hope to treat their fans to appearances in both.
This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Wings close out regular-season home slate with 13-point win, anniversary celebration."