“At the end of the day, the players want to play on the biggest stage as possible. That match against Forward Madison, we want to play on a stage that big every week.” Shannon Seymour, Chicago House midfielder, reflected back on the club’s comeback win over Forward Madison in the second round of the US Open Cup.

While Chicago House was formerly a professional club, playing in NISA, the club has retooled and returned as an amateur club, playing in the Midwest Premier League. Led by a lethal combination of Chicago-based players, the team has excelled as an amateur side and is set to play against the Chicago Fire this evening in the third round of the Cup.

When House, currently the last remaining amateur side in the competition, fell behind early against the USL League One side in round two, it would have been easy to give up against a roster of professionals. At the half, down one goal against Forward Madison (and soon to be down a second), the coaches rallied the players. Shannon talked about how the coaches focused on the players and their Chicago roots. “It’s that Chicago House mentality, that Chicago grinder quality. At the end of the day, it’s 90 minutes and let the results fall where they may, as long as we don’t walk off this field knowing we gave anything less than our best. It just sparked something in the team.”

Shannon before the round two matchup with Forward Madison.

It wasn’t an easy battle back, but after the first goal from Adam Mann, House began to believe it had a chance. The final two goals would come from team leader A.R. Smith, who would score the equalizer in the dying minutes of the match, then score the winning goal in extra time. Shannon spoke glowingly of Smith and credits the goal scorer with inviting him to play on the squad.

Now, on the cusp of a the biggest match in Chicago House history, Seymour looks forward to playing against Chicago soccer royalty, the Fire. As a kid, he played FIFA and used the Chicago Fire. “I knew they had championships, but I didn’t realize until later, those were Open Cup Championships…Peter Wilt has walked into training with those four rings on his fingers.” Those four rings have served as a motivator for the club and for the midfielder personally. “It’s so unreal to go from where I was three years ago to now, playing a team that plays in MLS and has won this tournament.”

Seymour is excited to face an MLS side, one he grew up watching and played in their development programs. Can that excitement translate into a result against an obviously superior side? We’ll all find out tonight. But Seymour and the rest of his Chicago House teammates will put in 90 minutes of blue collar work hoping for a pay off at the end of the work day.

- Dan Vaughn