Wisconsin Soccer Central

When the 2014 Major League Soccer season kicked off in March, some observers might have been wondering about Ethan Finlay's future in the league – after all, the midfielder didn't record a goal or an assist in 34 league appearances over his first two seasons and had made only six starts for the Columbus Crew.

How things have changed for the former Marshfield High School standout over the past nine months, as he enjoyed a breakout season for the upstart Crew.

Finlay was named the best right midfielder in the league for 2014 by Soccer America in its annual postseason MLS positional awards, becoming just the second Wisconsin native to earn such an honor – Jesse Marsch (Racine Case) was chosen as the top defensive midfielder while playing for Chivas USA in 2007. Soccer America has done the rankings since MLS started in 1996.

"Some college products need time to find their feet in the pro ranks, some just need to find the right fit in the right system. And some just need a breath of success to take off," Soccer America wrote about Finlay.

For Finlay, that breath of success came May 17. He came off the bench in the 80th minute for his fifth appearance of the season and scored his first MLS goal less than a minute later as the Crew earned a 3-3 draw against the Timbers.

From that night forward, Finlay didn't go more than three matches without a goal or an assist. He finished the season with 11 goals and seven assists, tied with Federico Higuain for the team lead in each category, and tied for 12th in the league in goals.

"Stationed on the right side of an attacking trio in support a striker, Finlay found ample opportunities to arrow for goal himself or serve productive balls into the danger zone," Soccer America wrote.

Finlay, who is the first player in MLS history to score 10 goals or more after not having scored during his first two seasons, signed a contract extension with the Crew in October. Columbus enjoyed a resurgence this year under new owner Anthony Precourt and sporting director/coach Gregg Berhalter.

On Twitter: @EthanFinlay13

• Milwaukee Wave defender Tony Walls (Wauwatosa East/UW-Green Bay) was named to the Major Arena Soccer League Team of the Week. Walls had two goals and an assist as the host Wave rolled past the Tulsa Revolution 9-3 last Saturday. Milwaukee (5-4) continues its six-game homestand against the Detroit Waza Flo (3-7) at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. On Twitter: @TWalls20
• Three players with state ties are set to participate in the InfoSport Pro Soccer Combine from Jan. 6 to 8 in Plantation, Fla.: Defender-midfielder David Caban (Kenosha Tremper/UW); midfielder Sam Dorf (Milwaukee Marquette), who played college soccer at Merychurst (Pa.); and Haitian defender Pedashoo Deneus, who spent three seasons with Eau Claire Aris FC in the National Premier Soccer League.