Mid-Atlantic Round-Up
Playoffs?!? Yep, we’re talking about playoffs in our weekly roundup of games here in the mid-Atlantic region.
Mason-Dixon Soccer League “Slick” Cup final
Last week, Dale FC won their semifinal match in the Fall 2020 Mason-Dixon Soccer League playoffs. That win punched Dale FC’s ticket to the Robert C. Sleighter, Jr. “Slick” Cup final against West Virginia FC. As the winner of the Fall 2020 MDSL regular season, WVFC received a bye into the “Slick” Cup final which took place Sunday, November 22 at Oakdale High School in Ijamsville, Maryland.
As with the entire fall season, the match was another close one with West Virginia FC hoisting the cup on a 3-2 victory over Dale FC. That win gave WVFC the double taking home the Mason-Dixon Cup as regular-season champs along with the “Slick” Cup.
Washington Premier League Fall 2020 Week 11
The last full week of the Fall 2020 Washington Premier League season helped determine three of the four clubs heading to the Helge Boes Cup playoffs. All games were held on Sunday, November 22.
Yinz United kept their hold on the top spot by blanking Afghan Virginia F.C. 3-0 at Falls Church High School. The Conquistadores kept pace in second place with a 4-3 victory over the ASA Reds at Limerick Park in Alexandria, Virginia. At Fairfax High School, World Class Premier Elite’s 2-0 win over Doradus FC gave them third place for the regular season and a spot in the Boes Cup playoffs.
But, two clubs hoping to get into the playoffs stumbled at the end. Needing a victory to have a chance at the final playoff spot, Aegean Hawks F.C. lost to Capital City FC 1-6 at Falls Church High School. That loss kept the Hawks out of the playoffs.
DCFC only needed a draw to lock down a place in the playoffs but were beaten 1-5 by PRP-20 at Limerick Park. The loss didn’t completely knock DCFC out of the playoffs but put the club in a tenuous position with one final game remaining in the fall season.
PRP-20’s victory had playoff implications for them also. The final league match scheduled for Sunday, November 29 is between PRP-20 and the Conquistadores. PRP-20 will vault over DCFC for the final playoff spot if they win or draw that match. A draw for PRP-20 would give them 17 points and tie them with DCFC on points. But DCFC would drop to fifth place, and out of the playoffs, on goal differential.
The game also has meaning for the Conquistadors who can win the WPL Fall regular season with a victory over PRP-20. A draw in that final match wouldn’t change the final standings for the Conquistadores who would stay in second place by a point to Yinz United.
Maryland Major Soccer League Fall 2020 Week 11
Playoff races continue to come into sharper focus as the Maryland Major Soccer League winds down its Fall 2020 season.
With a game in hand, Christos FC widened its lead in the 1st Division with a 1-0 win over La Dolce Vita on Sunday, November 22 at Latrobe Park in Baltimore. Earlier that day at Latrobe Park, All Star United pulled a 2-1 upset over Steel Pulse FC. That victory solidified All Star’s third-place playoff position and kept Steel Pulse from staying level on points with Christos for the top spot.
Columbia FC’s 6-0 win over Baltimore Kickers Sunday morning at Latrobe Park put them in sole possession of the fourth and final 1st Divison playoff spot. Their high goal differential puts Columbia in a strong position to make the playoffs if they continue to play well. Columbia held a 1-0 at half time then scored five goals in the final 25 minutes to easily take the game. In the other 1st Division match, Maryland International FC blanked AFC DOBES 4-0 on Sunday at Latrobe Park.
The playoff picture is nearly settled in the 2nd Baltimore Metro. The top two clubs in the division, Sure Sports FC and IFK Maryland, were both idle in week 11. On Sunday at Hammond High School in Columbia, Maryland, Argyle FC kept hold of the third and final playoff spot by blanking Arundel County F.C. 5-0.
The only other club in the division that can move into that third position is Annapolis United 2 F.C. That club beat JA Raiders 6-2 on Sunday at Hammond High School. AnnaU2 has a chance to take the third spot if they win two games remaining on their schedule. The match between Annapolis United 2 and Meade United F.C. scheduled for Wednesday, November 18 at Troy Park in Elkridge, Maryland was postponed.
In the 2nd Capital Beltway, Dream Team FC could have made it difficult for other clubs to take away the top spot in which they currently sit, but Annapolis United F.C. beat Dream Team 2-1 on Wednesday at Troy Park. The club stayed at the top spot on goal differential over an idle DMV Rangers but, with games in hand, DMV has an excellent shot to win the regular season.
The clubs in the final two playoff spots did what they needed to do to stay in contention. On Sunday, at John Lewis High School in Springfield, Virginia, Fredericksburg City United beat Colombia F.C. 3-1 and Motorik FC edged Rockville S.C. 4-3. That left both teams at 19 points with only goal differential between them.
Annapolis United F.C. currently sits out of the 2nd Capital Beltway playoff picture by only one point and has multiple games in hand, including an unfinished match against Limitless FC held on Sunday at Hammond High School. It will be a fight at the end of the season between FCU, AnnaU, and Motorik for the final two playoff spots with Limitless and Maryland United FC playing possible spoilers (and even long-shot chances to make the playoffs themselves).
In the other 2nd Capital Beltway match, Frederick Spires FC beat Colombia District FC 5-0 at John Lewis High School on Sunday. Here’s the schedule for week twelve (subject to change):
