M2 kicks off 6th season of pro indoor soccer with battle of Hawkeye state

Major Arena Soccer League 2 will kick off its sixth season of pro indoor soccer with a battle of the Hawkeye State as two newcomers to MASL2 -- the Iowa Raptors and Iowa Demon Hawks -- square off in a 6:35 p.m. CST start at the Alliant Energy Power House. 

The two teams are sharing the former U.S. Cellular Arena this season. The Demon Hawks are the former Des Moines United who played in Major Arena Soccer League 3 last season, and moved up to M2 this year. They plan on moving back to Des Moines for the 2023-24 MASL2 season.

They will be strong contenders though right out of the gate, signing such Major Arena Soccer League talent as Ricardo Diegues, Bruno Henrique and Rainer Hauss, who played for the former Cedar Rapids Rampage in the MASL.

Diegues and Henrique were among the leading scorers for the MASL Florida Tropics last season, who advanced all the way to the league championship finals last spring, and Hauss was their starting goaltenders. They are currently not eligible to play in M1 this season due to visa issues, but are able to suit up in M2.

But the Raptors will be a tough out too, following a 9-7 pre-season game win over the Omaha Kings last Saturday at the Alliant Energy Power House. The Kings advanced to M2's final four last season.

The Raptors got big games from Jonah Dancer, Rueben Ortiz and Ronaldo Rojas in getting the early-season victory. 

Tickers are available HERE , or at the Power House box office on game day. The game will be broadcast live on YouTube