The Swope Park Rangers took, understandably, some time in the first half of their inaugural season to become a truly cohesive unit, but when the time came the USL newcomer came good as it not only surged into the postseason, but went on to claim its first piece of silverware in the Western Conference Championship.

With a squad that included a number of recognizable names, the success the side found shouldn’t necessarily have come as a surprise. With the emergence of a number of new faces, such as Mark Anthony Gonzalez, Ayrton, Amer Didic and Kevin Oliveira, however, the Rangers appear well set to continue the path they’ve created in the club’s second season.