4/18/09 - The St. Louis Illusion wrapped up the first annual US Open Arena Soccer Championship with an 8-3 win over the visiting Detroit Waza at The Game Arena.

The Illusion join the Monterrey La Raza (Copa America) and Stockton Cougars (PASL-Pro North American Champions) as trophy winners in the PASL-Pro’s first season.

Detroit trailed most of the way, but found themselves as close as 5-3 in the second half before St. Louis pulled away.

When Joe Reiniger went down with an early injury, Justin McMillian picked up the slack offensively with a hat trick.  Elvir Kafedzic addedthree points.

Both teams narrowly missed qualifying for the PASL-Pro playoffs.  St. Louis (8-8 regular season) faltered late in the year while Detroit (7-9) rallied from an 0-6 start.  Detroit could not overcome their road woes that saw them go 1-7 away from Motown.

It was the first indoor championship for a St. Louis team since the St. Louis Ambush won the 1994-95 NPSL Championship.

Before the game Kafedzic and McMillian received their All-PASL plaques from Glen Carbon Mayor Robert Jackstadt.