The Massachusetts Twisters finished their tenth anniversary season in fine fashion tonight as they defeated the Rockford Thunder 11-5, earning them their first American Indoor Soccer League championship in front of a crowd of 1695 at the Eastern States Coliseum.

“I can’t begin to describe how happy I am right now,” said Twisters player/coach Eric DaCosta after the game. “We assembled a great bunch of guys this season, and we repaid the faith that Paul (Twisters owner Lapointe) had in us, and, considering where we were last season, this is just the greatest.”

The Twisters went from a 0-4 record in 2005-06, and after a wholesale roster change, went 8-5 this season, finishing with a two standings point edge over the Thunder, who finished at 8-4.

In the first quarter, the two clubs swapped goals with Radu Giurgiu opening the scoring for the Thunder. His goal would be followed by tallies by Jeff Deren for the Twisters, George Fleps for the Thunder, and Kyle Texiera for the Twisters.

The Twisters owned the second frame, as goals from Jeff Deren, Pedro Navarro, and Alex Martinucci gave the home team a 5-2 lead at the half. The second quarter also took a physical slant, as Twister forward Brent Dillard received a red card for a head butt. Rockford’s Radu Giurgiu also received a yellow card during the quarter.

The Thunder narrowed the gap to 6-4 in the third, as AISL leading scorer Bato Radoncic and Roberto Gallo each lit the lamp. Everson Maciel, the Twisters leading scorer in the regular season got his first of the evening in the third.

The Twisters blew the game open in the fourth, as two goals each from Martinucci and Maciel, and another from Texiera iced the win. Bato Radoncic scored in the fourth for the Thunder.

Paul DelloStritto took the win in goal for the Twisters, and Dimitri Meletis will be creditied with the loss.

The win was the first championship for a team playing their games at the Eastern States Coliseum since 1962, when the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League won their third straight Calder Cup trophy.