The San Diego Sockers are good at winning league championships, but it's been a while since they've hoisted the trophy.
The franchise has won 14 championships in their storied history, but the last title came in 2013.
The Sockers can regain their championship-winning ways this weekend when they play the Ontario Fury in the championship series of the Major Arena Soccer League.
The series starts Friday in Ontario, with a champion being crowned Sunday evening. The winning team earns the Ron Newman Cup, the MASL championship trophy. Of course, Ron Newman was the legendary coach of the Sockers for many of their title teams.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
That the Sockers are even in the championship series this season is somewhat surprising. San Diego lost 60% of its regular season games and limped to a 4-6 finish.
But the playoffs have been a different story. The Sockers are a perfect 4-0 in the playoffs, with three of the wins coming in sudden death.
Local
Sockers defenseman Brian Farber calls the playoff run "magical."
"It's been an amazing turnaround at the right time. This year it feels like we are peaking at the right time," Farber said.
Sockers forward Kraig Chiles agrees. "We know how playoffs work, it's about peaking late and putting together than run of games at the end of the year and we've done it, storybook style!"
Game one of the Ron Newman Cup finals is Friday at 7 p.m., then by game two Sunday at 3 p.m. That's followed by a 15-minute mini-game in the teams split the first two games.
