Dan Vaughn

UPSL

Sporting NTX vs Bell County FC

Saturday, April 17th

Craig Ranch Soccer Complex

Still early days in the UPSL Spring season, but this matchup will place one of these clubs in the top spot of the Central Conference - North. Currently Bell County sits on the throne, after its 4-2 win last week over Arlington FC. Sporting also won in week 1 in a 1-0 squeaker over I and I FC. The win for Bell County is a big one as the Fall 2021 season was one to forget, losing 12 of 13 matches. Would be nice for the club to see some sustained success.

This match up is one of a series of tough ones against the top of the table for Sporting. Next week they’ll take on the other club in the top 3, Kenrow Storm FC. A win against Bell County sets them up for success. However, getting that win may be easier said than done.

Dan Creel

Werner Fricker Cup (USASA’s Amateur Open Championship)

USASA Region I, First Round

Christos FC at Vereinigung Erzgebirge

Sunday, April 18th

Maryland powerhouse, Christos FC, travels up to Warminster, Penn. to face fellow EPSL club, Vereinigung Erzgebirge, in the Region I First Round of the USASA Werner Fricker Cup. These clubs are both in the NESL and are looking to add more hardware to their trophy cases.

Christos FC has already won the Maryland State Amateur, Over-30 and Over-40 Cups, but were upset in the final of the Maryland State Open Cup. Adding a third Werner Fricker Cup would go a long way in putting that loss behind them. VE has won the Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Association’s Open Cup and is looking to hoist the Werner Fricker trophy for the first time. It’s a huge match in the first round and the winner could go far in the competition.

John Howard-Fusco

Long Island Soccer Football League

New York Irish Rovers v Port Jefferson

Sunday, April 18th, 8PM ET

Veterans Park, Selden NY

Having pretty much left the rest of the Premier Division in the dust, Port Jefferson has a chance to finish with a perfect record for the 2020-21 season. Sitting at 11 straight wins from the start of the season, and with a ridiculous goal differential of +36, they have been the class of the league right from the drop. But second place Irish Rovers get one more swing at them this Sunday night. Port Jeff beat Irish Rovers 2-0 back in November, one of the few games where they did not win by a margin of three or more goals. Oh, and the league leaders currently have a streak of three straight clean sheets. Can anyone stop Port Jeff?

Josh Duder

Western Washington Premier League

Lacey Pocket Gophers vs Harbor Force

Saturday, April 17th, 6:00 pm

Seattle Sound Stadium

The drive down from the Kitsap Peninsula, for league leaders Harbor Force, to the home of the Lacey Pocket Gophers at South Sound Stadium, is a little over an hour. The WWPL season is young and Harbor are only 2-0, but have a +9 goal differential with a 6-0 win over Federal Way and beating Grays Harbor Gulls 3-0 just last weekend. This one could get out of hand in less time than it took them to get there if the Gophers, 0-1 with a -4 GD can figure out a way to stay in the game.

Of note, second in the standings is Nido Seattle, also with a +9 GD and have the weekend off - they host Harbor next week for what is looking like a tasty early season clash.