Photo by Martin Hansson/San Antonio Scorpions

By ADAM TROXTELL

Alen Marcina’s first full season in charge of the San Antonio Scorpions was about as perfect as possible.

In their third season of NASL play, the Scorpions capped their best year so far with a Fall Season title and victory in the Soccer Bowl. All of it was achieved in front of a boisterous crowd at Toyota Field.

A stingy defensive effort consisting of Greg Janicki, Julius James and Jonathan Borrajo allowed just 24 goals against overall, an NASL record. In the Scorpions’ successful fall campaign, only four goals were scored against the club inside their home stadium.

With confidence in the back line, Walter Restrepo was able to move further forward in midfield, supporting an attack led by the experienced striker Eric Hassli and attacking midfielder Rafael Castillo. It was Restrepo that scored the all important extra time goal against the New York Cosmos to take San Antonio into its first ever Soccer Bowl.

A 2-1 win against Fort Lauderdale Strikers cemented the club’s place in history. Now comes the task of building on that fairytale season, minus some of the defensive leaders that provided the backbone of this team.

Here is a closer look at the 2015 San Antonio Scorpions.

SAN ANTONIO SCORPIONS SEASON PREVIEW

2014 FINISH: Overall — 16-4-7, 52 points (Second in Combined Standings); Spring — 5-2-2, 17 points (Third in Spring Season); Fall — 11-2-5, 35 points (First in Fall Season)

HEAD COACH: Alen Marcina, second season

KEY ACQUISITIONS: D Nana Attakora-Gyan, F Omar Cummings, M Zurab Tsiskaridze, M Marvin Chavez, M Pablo Cruz, F Cristian Palomeque, GK Jon Kempin

KEY LOSSES: D Greg Janicki, M Walter Restrepo, M Edin Husic, D Jonathan Borrajo, D Juan Cruz, F Sainey Touray, F Trevin Caesar, GK Josh Saunders

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: Marvin Chavez. The Honduran attacker brings a wealth of experience to the Scorpions after several years in MLS and joining his country’s national team at the World Cup in 2014. Chavez adds a new dimension to the Scorpions attack, with an ability to stir things up on either flank. While playing off of either Hassli or fellow newcomer Omar Cummings, he is a constant danger to defenses.

PRESSURE IS ON: Adrian Cann. The team captain will be responsible for organizing a defensive unit that’s missing key pieces from 2014. Minus both Janicki and Borrajo, the veteran will have to guide the team through a potentially tricky period as the back line builds chemistry. The addition of fellow Canadian National Team player Attakora will help.

OUTLOOK:

After coming up big last season, the Scorpions enter 2015 with a target on their backs.

Head coach Marcina knows this, and the response was to beef up the attack. The addition of Chavez and Cummings, in particular, is expected to pay dividends.

“We expect big things from both of them,” Marcina said. “Marvin is a rare find. A guy who played in the World Cup playing in the NASL, it doesn’t come around that often. He’s dynamic, works very hard and he’s a special player not just for us, but also the league as well. [Cummings] is another significant signing for the club and the league.”

Cummings will look to link up with attacking midfielder Rafael Castillo, who scored 7 goals in 17 appearances to make the NASL Best XI for 2014. He will also look to cooperate with another former MLS striker, Eric Hassli who netted six times in 16 appearances last season.

There’s also the addition of Cristian Palomeque on loan from Colombia’s Atletico Nacional. Palomeque was part of the Colombian team that won the South American Under-20 Championships in 2013.

It’s the other end of the pitch where the Scorpions might face one or two issues. Janicki has gone to Indy Eleven and Borrajo is in Ft. Lauderdale. Add Restrepo’s move to New York Cosmos, and some of the Scorpions’ central organization begins to unravel.

“We lost some key players,” Marcina said. “They’re big shoes to fill. We feel like we’ve brought in some good additions. It’s a work in progress, because you’ve got to build the chemistry. There’s a lot of new guys that need to understand how we do things.”

One of those new guys might feel right at home from day one. Attakora joins fellow Canadian international and former Toronto FC teammate Adrian Cann in the Scorpions’ back line.

If the two can link up in San Antonio like they did before and easily join returning defenders Julius James and Stephen DeRoux, defensive worries won’t last too long. Marcina did say Cann is recovering from a knee injury, but he remains confident the captain will contribute this season.

“I feel confident we can achieve the same results that we achieved last year,” Marcina said. “We took pride in taking the NASL record for fewest goals conceded. We’re an offensive minded team, but at the same time we want to be very organized.”

The squad is not the only thing that shuffled around in the Scorpions’ offseason. Owner Gordon Hartman recently said the search for new ownership has entered a second stage, and the group is being selected based on its potential ability to make San Antonio the latest city for an MLS expansion team.

Marcina said the team makes an effort to stay focused on the task at hand: playing Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday and defending its NASL title.

“We make it clear from day one what our goals and objectives are,” Marcina said. “That’s to win games and repeat as champions.If in the future the team goes to MLS, that’s fantastic. San Antonio can support an MLS team and be successful.”