Morton Cup Kicks Off 2015 Season
Rowland, Stewart & O-30 Follow
Maryland cup plays starts on 11 January with 4-group Morton Cup. (28 December) The schedules are set and so are we for another great cup season in Maryland. It all starts on 11 January as 15 teams compete for the Morton Cup among 4 groups. The winners and the runner-ups of each group advance to the knockout stage.
National Champions Christos FC O-30 and the Maryland Bays look to retain their state titles for a chance to make another run in the US Adult Soccer National Cup Finals. The Rowland & Stewart Cups kick off on 25 January with 9 teams taking part in Maryland's oldest competition for the Rowland and 12 vying for the amateur title in the Stewart. The Maryland Over-30 Cup starts in March with 7 teams fighting for the trophy. We look to have all our cups wrapped up by March, weather permitting. The schedules can be found at the tab links above.
Cup Season Delayed by a Week
Snow Covered Fields Prevent Play
Morton Cup will now kick off on 18 January. (10 January) Old Man Winter decided to give us a New Year hit as it did not get warm enough to melt off the snow on the pitches. Our cup schedule is pushed back one week. The schedules for the 18th & 25th remain the same. The games scheduled for tomorrow will be played on 1 February. The Morton Cup page has been updated. The schedules for the Rowland & Stewarts Cups are not affected.
We Are Back On
2015 Cup Season Kicks Off Sunday
Morton Cup action starts the cup season this Sunday. (15 January) The weather decided to cooperate this week and we are in good shape to get the cups rolling. We have 15 teams competing in 4 groups for the privilege of lifting the Morton Cup named in honor of former MSSA Vice President Lefty Morton. Matches will be played at Blandair Park in Columbia and Martin Luther King Park in Silver Spring. The top two in each group will qualify for the knockout rounds that will be played on 8 February. The adjustments from last weekend's delay were made with Match Day 3 now posted on the schedule page. Check to see some field changes for Match Day 2.
The following weekend we will get the Rowland & Stewart Cups in play to see who qualifies for the Open & Amateur Cups from Maryland. We have a number of strong teams looking to challenge reigning Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup champion Maryland Bays in both competitions. The winners will advance to the quarterfinal rounds.
(15 January) The weather decided to cooperate this week and we are in good shape to get the cups rolling. We have 15 teams competing in 4 groups for the privilege of lifting the Morton Cup named in honor of former MSSA Vice President Lefty Morton. Matches will be played at Blandair Park in Columbia and Martin Luther King Park in Silver Spring. The top two in each group will qualify for the knockout rounds that will be played on 8 February. The adjustments from last weekend's delay were made with Match Day 3 now posted on the schedule page. Check to see some field changes for Match Day 2.
The following weekend we will get the Rowland & Stewart Cups in play to see who qualifies for the Open & Amateur Cups from Maryland. We have a number of strong teams looking to challenge reigning Werner Fricker US Open Cup champion Maryland Bays in both competitions. The winners will advance to the quarterfinal rounds.
Morton Cup - Group Stage - Match Day 1
18 January - Columbia & Silver Spring, MD
Match Day 1 Complete in Morton Cup
Rowland & Stewart Cups to Begin First Round
Group play in Morton Cup continues next Sunday. (19 January) We got the Morton Cup played despite the weather giving us an early morning scare. By game time, the conditions were good to go and the teams played out the first match day in their respective groups. Deportivo Maryland came out banging with a 7:2 victory over Green Lightning to jump at the top of Group A. They share the standings with Academy FC who defeated Greenbelt FC 2:1. In Group B, Colombia FC and Brothers United take top billing with Colombia shutting out Baltimore Kickers Schalke 14 by 5 goals and Brothers edging Mandos Ramos FC 2:1. We have to sort out problems in Group C as we have lost a side. Sierra Rangers sit alone in the lead of Group D after beating Portside 7:2. Christos FC Topguns and Malawi FC drew 1:1 to share the second spot in the group. After the third match day, the top two in each group advance to the knockout quarterfinal round to determine the cup champion. Match Day 2 will be played next Sunday.
We also will start the Rowland and Stewart Cups on Sunday. The Rowland Cup will determine which team represents Maryland in the Region I qualifier of the Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup. ASA Charm City and Washington Elite FC will face off to determine who meets defending State, Region I and National champion Maryland Bays in the quarterfinals. We also will have 4 first round games in the Stewart Cup that will determine the Maryland side to advance to the Region I qualifiers of the USASA Amateur Cup. The quarterfinal rounds for the Rowland Cup are scheduled for 1 February with the Stewart quarterfinals the following week.
Morton Cup - Group Stage - Match Day 2
Rowland & Stewart Cups - First Round
25 January - Columbia & Silver Spring, MD
One Match Day Left in Morton Cup
Quarterfinals Set for Rowland & Stewart Cups
Match Day 3 to determine who advances to knockout stage of the Morton Cup. (26 January) It was a busy Sunday with 6 Morton Cup games and 5 first round matches in the Rowland & Stewart Cups. The Maryland Bays got off to a great start in defending their Stewart Cup title with a 6:0 beating of ABGC La U. Along with the Bays, Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC went through with a 4:0 win over CSSM Blues, Baltimore Kickers Bayern scored twice in their shutout of Kamikaze Crew and Christos FC survived in penalty rounds after a 1:1 draw against Yinz United. The quarterfinals are scheduled 8 February. In the lone Rowland Cup match, it took extra time for ASA Charm City FC to defeat Washington Elite 2:1. Charm City will play defending champion Bays next Sunday. The other quarterfinal games pit CSSM against Christos, Capital City FC versus Pipeline SC and the Hawks with the Kickers. Those matches will be at Blandair Park in Columbia.
The Sierra Rangers locked up first place in Group D to advance to the Morton Cup quarterfinals after shutting out Christos FC Topguns 2:0. Portside and Malawi FC drew 2:2 and the remaining playoff spot will be determined on the last match day among the three sides. Academy FC leads Group A after trashing Green Lightning 7:0 as Deportivo Maryland lost to Greenbelt FC 3:4. Group B is in a toss up between Colombia FC and Brothers United FC who tied 1:1 and Mandos Ramos FC, which defeated Baltimore Kickers Schalke 14 3:1. In Group C, ICC and Tommy's Hustlers will finally hit the pitch to determine quarterfinal seedings among the two.
Morton Cup - Group Stage - Match Day 3
Rowland Cup - Quarterfinal Round
1 February - Columbia, Ellicott City & Silver Spring, MD
One Match Day Left in Morton Cup
Quarterfinals Set for Rowland & Stewart Cups
The Stewart Cup quarterfinals to be played next Sunday. (2 February) We had to make some early morning schedule adjustments with some of our fields closed due to snow and ice on them. We did get all four of the Rowland Cup quarterfinal games moved and played. The tightest contest of the day was between two Maryland Major rivals as last season's Rowland titleholder Maryland Bays edged out ASA Charm City 2:1. The Bays will meet Christos FC in the semifinals who trounced CSSM Blues 9:2. The other semifinal will pair Pipeline SC, 5:2 victors over Capital City FC, and Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks who shutout Baltimore Kickers Bayern 3:0. Pipeline and the Hawks will have a preview of that semi next Sunday when they meet in the quarterfinals of the Stewart Cup. Other matches have the Bays against Capital City, the Kickers meeting Washington Elite FC and Christos dueling Charm City. Those quarterfinals will take place at Blandair Park in Columbia.
We could not get all of the Morton Cup games played as only the Group B scheduled fields were open. Brothers United FC took the top honors with a 4:2 win over Baltimore Kickers Schalke 14 to finish with 7 points. Mandos Ramos FC defeated Colombia FC 2:1 to make second and advance to the quarterfinals. The remainder of Match Day 3 will be played next Sunday at Montgomery Blair HS and Blaindair Park. The knockout stage has been moved back to 15 February.
Morton Cup - Group Stage - Match Day 3
Stewart Cup - Quarterfinal Round
8 February - Columbia & Silver Spring, MD
Stewart Down to Final Four
Morton Cup Reaches the Knockout Eight
Semifinals are scheduled Sunday for the Rowland Cup. (10 February) Our cup schedule is moving along after a mild February day allowed Maryland's amateur competition to reach its last four sides. The Maryland Bays first entered this competition in 2011 and have yet to lose after a 4:1 beating of Capital City FC. They look to defend that record when they face Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks who took care of matters 3:1 against Pipeline SC. Both clubs are also in the semifinals of the Rowland Cup. The other two to make the final four are Baltimore Kickers Bayern who edged Washington Elite FC 2:1 and ASA Charm City, 3:1 victors over league rivals Christos FC. The semifinals are scheduled for 22 February.
We completed Match Day 3 of the Morton Cup and move forward to the quarterfinals next Sunday. Academy FC made it a clean sweep in Group A finishing with a 9:3 goalfest against Deportivo Maryland. Greenbelt FC scored 9 themselves shutting out Green Lightning. Both advance to the knockout stage. Group C lost a competitor at the start of the cup so the two left played it out for seeding. ICC was one goal better than Tommy's Hustler in a 3:2 victory to top the group. The Sierra Rangers had already clinched Group D after two match days and finished with a perfect record defeating Malawi FC 1:0. The loss for Malawi eliminated them from the final rounds as Christos FC Topguns finished second by taking out Portside 5:2. Group B finished the week previous with Brothers United FC and Mandos Ramos FC taking the top two spots. The quarterfinals will be played at Blandair Park and Atholton HS in Columbia.
The Rowland Cup semifinals take place on Sunday as the teams compete to advance to the Region I qualifiers of the Werner Fricker US Open Cup. The Hawks and Pipeline meet for the second week in a row while the Bays takes the field against Christos. Both contests are set for Blandair Park.
Morton Cup - Quarterfinal Round
15 March - Silver Spring, MD
We Got One In!
We Return to our Normally Scheduled Program
Stewart Cup semifinals & final to be played next week. (17 March) After four weeks of delays, we did get a cup match completed on a windy, blustery day this past Sunday. Due to a few St. Patrick's Day tournaments throughout the state, we had a light schedule with a Morton Cup quarterfinal that featured Sierra Rangers and Mandos Ramos FC. With the wind a huge factor, both sides scored once in the half when it had the wind as support to end in regulation at 1:1. That meant penalty rounds to determine who advanced through with the Rangers edging Mandos Ramos 4:3. The other three quarterfinal games will take place Sunday with Brothers United FC taking on Tommy's Hustlers followed by Academy FC against Christos FC Topguns at Rockburn Branch Park. The other match involves ICC and Greenbelt FC at Montgomery Blair High School.
We did have a second match scheduled for Sunday in the Maryland Over-30 Cup between Portside and ABGC Aegean Hawks FC. Portside were unable to get enough players together and had to withdraw, so the Hawks advance to the semifinals.
We conclude the Stewart Cup in the next week with the semifinals on Sunday. At Montgomery Blair at noon, Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC take on defending champion Maryland Bays. Over at Rockburn, the Baltimore Kickers Bayern challenge ASA Charm City in a 6:00 kickoff. The winners meet on Wednesday evening, 25 March at Howard High School.
Stewart Cup - Semifinal Round
Morton Cup - Quarterfinal Round
22 March - Elkridge & Silver Spring, MD
Stewart Cup Replay
Bays & Charm City Return to Final for Third Straight Year
Semifinals are scheduled Sunday for the Rowland Cup. (24 March) These two Maryland Major sides know each well from league play and the same carries through with the Stewart Cup. For the third straight season, the Maryland Bays and ASA Charm City FC are the opponents for Maryland's Amateur competition that first kicked off in 1932. The Bays have defeated their rivals in those two title matches and are looking to make it five in a row. Both teams put in strong performances in their semifinal contests with the Bays hitting the net four times against the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC in their 4:1 victory while Charm City shutout the Baltimore Kickers Bayern 3:0. The final is set for 7:00 tomorrow night, Wednesday, 25 March at Rockburn Park. The winner advances as Maryland's representative to the Region I qualifiers of the US Adult Soccer Amateur Cup.
We completed the remaining three games in the quarterfinal round of the Morton Cup. ICC advanced to the semifinals after going toe-to-toe with Greenbelt FC. After the 2:2 draw, ICC put in all 5 of their penalty kicks to set up their semifinal match against Sierra Rangers. Brothers United FC and Academy FC make up the other semifinal pairing. Brothers United defeated Tommy's Hustlers 3:1 while Academy blanked Christos FC Topguns with a 3:0 scoreline. The final four will be played Sunday, 29 March at Troy Park in Elkridge.
We also look to wrap up the Rowland Cup next week, Maryland's oldest competition that is in its 101st year of existence. The Bays seek to defend their Open title and will meet Christos FC in the first semifinal match while the Hawks hook up against Pipeline SC on the other side of the bracket. The four play Sunday with the final scheduled for Wednesday, 1 April.
Sunday also features two quarterfinal games in the Maryland Over-30 Cup with Mandos Ramos FC and Baltimore Kickers squaring off while Colombia FC meets ASA Charm City Over-30 in the other leg.
Stewart Cup - Final
25 March - Elkridge, MD
Rowland Cup - Semifinal Round
Morton Cup - Semifinal Round
Maryland Over-30 Cup
29 March - Baltimore, Elkridge & Silver Spring, MD
Bays Seek Another Double
Take Title in Stewart & Reach Final of the Rowland
Morton Cup final pairs Brothers United & Sierra Rangers. (30 March) The Maryland Bays look to continue their state dominance as it once again looks to repeat a Maryland cup double by reaching the finals of the Rowland Cup. On Wednesday evening, the Bays lifted the Stewart Cup for the fifth straight season shutting out league rival ASA Charm City FC 2:0. The two played to a scoreless first half but Elton Joe changed that when his splendid free kick in the 67th minute went inside the right post. Jonathon Orlando iced it in the 81st with the Bays building the attack from the back, finding Orlando on the left who then took the ball to the edge of the penalty area and placed it into the upper right corner of the goal. The Stewart Cup is Maryland's Amateur title that first kicked off in 1932 and sends the winner to the Region I qualifiers of the US Adult Soccer Amateur Cup.
Last season, the Bays nearly did a Region I cup double, making and winning the national final of the Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup. Their intent is to enter the two competitions again this year and they are one step closer after a 6:0 rout of Christos FC. In their way will be Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks who downed Pipeline SC 4:1. The Rowland Cup final takes place Wednesday evening, 1 April, 8:00 at Troy Park in Elkridge. The prize will be advancement to the region qualifiers.
Our Morton Cup is down to its last two teams with Brothers United FC and Sierra Rangers set to play the final on 12 April. Brothers United edged out Academy FC 3:2 and the Rangers go through after ICC withdrew from the semifinal match. We also reached the final four of the Maryland Over-30 Cup. Three-time defending national champion Christos FC O-30 take on Mandos Ramos FC, who on Sunday beat the Baltimore Kickers 5:3. ASA Charm City O-30 trounced Colombia FC 7:1 and will meet ABGC Aegean Hawks FC on the other side of the bracket. The semifinals will be played on 12 April.
Rowland Cup - Final
1 April - Elkridge, MD
Hawks End Bays Reign
Hoist the Rowland Cup & Advance to Regionals
Brothers United & Sierra Rangers to play Morton Cup final Sunday. (11 April) The Dulles Sportplex Aegean Hawks played a gritty match to edge out the Maryland Bays 1:0 in the final of the Rowland Cup. Thorsten Pacher's corner kick in the 42nd minute was headed in by Dan Fogarty to put the Hawks ahead prior to halftime. In the second half, they put up a defensive wall with keeper Robbie Batchelder making several key saves. The Bays were looking to not only defend the Rowland but also the USASA national title they won last summer. The Hawks look to take their place and will host West Chester Majors of Eastern Penn on 26 April in the quarterfinal round of the USASA Region I qualifier of the Werner Fricker US Adult Soccer Association Open Cup. The Bays will meet up against Hammers FC of Metro DC/Virginia on 19 April in the Region I qualifiers of the US Adult Soccer Amateur Cup after winning the Stewart Cup.
The Morton Cup final will feature Brothers United FC and Sierra Rangers on Sunday, 12 April, 10:00 at the Bates Heritage Center in Annapolis. The tournament started with 15 teams in January and after several postponements from the winter weather, we finally reached our title match. The Morton Cup was established in 2014 for teams not taking part in either the Rowland or Stewart Cups. It is named after Darwin "Lefty" Morton, former Vice President and long serving member of the Maryland State Soccer Association.
We also will play the semifinals of the Maryland Over-30 Cup. Mandos Ramos FC will attempt to dethrone three-time defending national champion Christos FC O-30 while ASA Charm City O-30 hook up against ABGC Aegean Hawks FC. It will take place at Banner Field in Baltimore starting at 5:00.
Morton Cup - Final
Maryland Over-30 Cup - Semifinals
12 April - Annapolis & Elkridge, MD
Rangers Lift Morton Cup
Charm City & Mando Ramos in O-30 Final
Maryland Cup season coming to a conclusion. (18 April) The Morton Cup is our youngest competition, completing its third year of existence. It was created for teams that were not playing in either the Rowland or Stewart Cups. The cup is in honor of former MSSA Vice President Darwin "Lefty" Morton who was always found every Sunday on soccer pitches throughtout the state. FC Reina won the first two editions but we have a new new champion this season, Sierra Rangers. The team had a perfect record in group play, got by Mando Ramos FC in penalties rounds in the quarterfinals but then cruised on through the semifinals and final. On Sunday, seven players hit the net as the Rangers trounced Brothers United FC 8:2. Saidu Sankoh had a brace with Rashid Deen, Ibrahim Kamara, Mohamed Sesay, Solomon Anthony, Lamin Conteh and Godwin Imprian adding their names on the record sheet. Luis Vasquez and Steven Youkap tallied for United who dedicated their cup run to former Cosmpolitan Soccer League of Maryland Commissioner, Wladimir Oliviera, who we lost last fall.
We are down to our last final of the season, the Maryland Over-30 Cup. It has been a challenge with the snow this winter as we had several postponements. Defending champion Christos FC O-30 was upset in a 3:0 shutout by Mandos Ramos FC. Stanley Kaweesi broke the stalemate in the 70th minute and added a second a few minutes later while Ryan Olson finished it in the final minutes. This ends an incredible three-year national championship run for Christos, the current holder of the Gerhard Mengel USASA Over-30 Cup. Mandos Ramos will meet ASA Charm City O-30 in the final, who defeated ABGC Aegean Hawks FC 2:0 with second half goals from Ben Pardew and Carlos Morales. The final will be Sunday evening, 7:00 at Banner Field.
While we wrap up the cup season in the state, the Region I qualifiers begin this weekend. Stewart Cup champion Maryland Bays will host Hammers FC of Metro DC/Virginia in the USASA Amateur Cup. The Bays reached the regional final last season losing to eventual national champion NY Greek American Atlas. It was their second final of the day as they had earlier won the Open regional final. The Bays ended last year winning the Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup and look to add a second national trophy to their shelf. The quarterfinal match is Sunday afternoon, 3:00, at Troy Park, Field no. 4.
Maryland Over-30 Cup - Final
19 April - Baltimore, MD
Charm City New Champs
Head Out to Regionals for the O-30
Bays advance to Amateur semifinals. (24 April) Mando Ramos FC got the upset against three-time defending national champion Christos FC O-30 in the semifinals but it was a different story in the title match of the Maryland Over-30 Cup. A powerful ASA Charm City O-30 scored three first half goals on its way to a 5:1 rout to lift the trophy. Rob Layton hit a missile from about 20 yards out and sent it towards the right post to give Charm City the early lead at the 10-minute mark. Pat Crawford doubled it two minutes later putting away a pass from Ben Pardew. Mando Ramos captain Carlos Stein gave his side some hope converting a penalty in the 15th to cut the deficit in half. But a few minutes later, Pardew once again made it a 2-goal cushion. The half ended 3:1. The second half saw J.C. Cole with a brace, first on a penalty and the second with about five minutes left in the match. Charm City now move forward to the Region I qualifiers of the Gerhard Mengel USASA Over-30 Cup. Their opponent in May will be First German Sports Phoenix of Eastern Pennsylvania.
On Sunday in the USASA Amateur Cup qualifiers for Region I, the Maryland Bays earned their place in the semifinals with a 3:0 shutout of Hammers FC of Metro DC/Virginia. Chris Ports, Jon Ports and Marco Mangioni scored for the Bays. Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC will take on West Chester Majors of Eastern Pennsylvania this Sunday in the quarterfinal round of the Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup. The game will be this Sunday afternoon, 2:00, at Troy Park, Field no. 4.
With the final of the Maryland Over-30 Cup, we have concluded our state cup season. It began in January with the Morton Cup and also included the Rowland and Stewart Cups. It was a trying season with snow fall always hitting on the wrong day of the week and frigid temperatures keeping it on the ground. Our Cup Commissioner, Fran McGrath, showed all of us once again that he runs the best cup program in the country. His efforts of working with the various permit authorities to reschedule games allowed us to finish only a bit over the planned schedule. We are thankful to have Fran manage our cups. We also want to thank the folks at Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland Major Soccer League and Arundel Soccer Association for working with us in providing top fields to play these cups. Finally, thanks to all of our teams who took part in the cups and good luck to our champions as they move forward in regional play.
Bays Head Out to Reading
Lamar Hunt Match Moved North
Charm City to host Over-30 semifinal. (12 May) While cup play has concluded in the state, our Maryland teams are playing in regional and national competitions. The Maryland Bays are still battling on three fronts. The Bays qualified last summer for this season's Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by winning the Region I Open qualifier. Originally the Bays were scheduled to host Reading United AC (USLPDL) but stadium issues had the match moved to their opponent venue. It will be played Wednesday night, 7:00 at Don Thomas Stadium in Reading, PA. As the champion of the Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup, the Bays will contest for the US Soccer National Amateur Championship. They drew host Chattanooga FC (NPSL) while USASA Amateur Cup champion New York Greek American (ENY) will take on the Michigan Bucks (USLPDL). The championship will be played on 29 & 30 May. Upon their return, the Bays head out to Bayville, NJ in their USASA Amateur Cup semifinal against Jersey Shore Boca (NJ).
ASA Charm City O-30 avoided extra time in their 2:1 quarterfinal victory over First German Sports Phoenix (EPA) in the Gerhard Mengel USASA Over-30 Cup. Rob Layton gave Charm City the lead prior to halftime when he flicked his header past keeper Matt Rominger. Phoenix drew it even in the second half with a hammer from Bob Francis. While injury time was dwindling, Kevin Messadra's left footed strike proved to be the game winner when his deflected shot got past Rominger. Charm City will host the semifinal against United SC of Metro DC/Virginia at Old Mill High School on 31 May, 1:00.
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC fell short against West Chester Majors (EPA) in the Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup. West Chester scored two early goals to see the Hawks come back to tie it with strikes from Scott Larrabee and David Rosenbaum. The Eastern Penn side put it away late in the second extra time period to deny the Hawks from advancing.
Bays & Charm City Win Region
Head Out to Virginia Beach for USASA National Finals
Maryland sides look to retain O-30 title and bring home the Amateur as well. (26 June) Once again, Maryland has two of its teams heading out to the USASA National Cup Finals. The Maryland Bays return for the second straight year, albeit this time for the USASA Amateur Cup. ASA Charm City O-30 will make its first final appearance although a number of their players were part of the Christos FC O-30 team that won the Gerhard Mengel USASA Over-30 Cup in 2012 & 2013. Charm City looks to keep that Cup in Maryland for a fourth year running. Both clubs will travel to Virginia Beach with plenty of cup experience after winning Region I titles this past Sunday.
Charm City earned its place in the finals after a 2:0 shut out of Club Napoli of Connecticut. With 5 minutes remaining in the first half, Tony Taminini set up Ben Pardew whose shot made its way to the net to take the halftime lead. The two teams went back and forth in the second half and once again Charm City made its mark on the 40th minute. This time Kevin Mezzadra with the clincher. Mezzadra tallied in all three regional qualifiers for Charm City. They will head out to Viriginia Beach to face Region IV champion Olympic Club of California North in the semifinals.
The Bays played in the last final of the day against the Battery Park Gunners from Massachusetts in the USASA Amateur Cup. The Gunners won the national Amateur title in 2012 while the Bays were close to completing a regional cup double last summer on their way to winning the Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup, so it was two teams with cup final pedigree. The Bays went up 1:0 when Levi Houapeu bent his 15th minute free kick over the wall and underneath the Gunners crossbar. Both teams attacked the other's goal but the scoreline remained the same at the half. Collin Rome guaranteed the trip to Virginia Beach when he made good on a rebound from Elton Joe's shot in the 85th minute. The 2:0 victory sees the Bays heading out to their second straight USASA National Cup Finals, this time hoping to return with the Amateur Cup. Their semifinal opponent will be Region IV champion Olympic Club of California North.
Once again, Maryland has two of its teams heading out to the USASA National Cup Finals. The Maryland Bays return for the second straight year, albeit this time for the USASA Amateur Cup. ASA Charm City O-30 will make its first final appearance although a number of their players were part of the Christos FC O-30 team that won the Gerhard Mengel USASA Over-30 Cup in 2012 & 2013. Charm City looks to keep that Cup in Maryland for a fourth year running. Both clubs will travel to Virginia Beach with plenty of cup experience after winning Region I titles this past Sunday. Charm City earned its place in the finals after a 2:0 shut out of Club Napoli of Connecticut. With 5 minutes remaining in the first half, Tony Taminini set up Ben Pardew whose shot made its way to the net to take the halftime lead. The two teams went back and forth in the second half and once again Charm City made its mark on the 40th minute. This time Kevin Mezzadra with the clincher. Mezzadra tallied in all three regional qualifiers for Charm City. They will head out to Viriginia Beach to face Region IV champion Olympic Club of California North in the semifinals. The Bays played in the last final of the day against the Battery Park Gunners from Massachusetts in the USASA Amateur Cup. The Gunners won the national Amateur title in 2012 while the Bays were close to completing a regional cup double last summer on their way to winning the Werner Fricker USASA Open Cup, so it was two teams with cup final pedigree. The Bays went up 1:0 when Levi Houapeu bent his 15th minute free kick over the wall and underneath the Gunners crossbar. Both teams attacked the other's goal but the scoreline remained the same at the half. Collin Rome guaranteed the trip to Virginia Beach when he made good on a rebound from Elton Joe's shot in the 85th minute. The 2:0 victory sees the Bays heading out to their second straight USASA National Cup Finals, this time hoping to return with the Amateur Cup. Their semifinal opponent will be Region IV champion Olympic Club of California North.
We also had a few league finals this past Sunday. In the Maryland Major Soccer League, Pipeline SC won their second consecutive spring title defeating Catonsville FC 3:1 in a hard fought championship match at Banner Field at LaTrobe Park. Led by Luke Spencer, who had a goal and an assist, there was also Taylor Brummitt and Matteo Vertucci scoring for Pipeline. In the Mason-Dixon Soccer League final for its spring championship, Frederick Berserkers defeated Frederick City FC 2:1 to take the title.
