Midwest Premier League, Week 8: Preview
Saturday:
West Michigan Bearings vs Inter Detroit: 1 PM - South Christian High School, Byron Center, MI - No Stream Announced
West Michigan is just three points back from East Division leaders the Michigan Stars, a win tonight will put the Bearings even with the Stars U23 side in the Division. And for a league without playoffs this is big. Inter Detroit however is fighting to get out of the mid-table and up to the top. After a 1-1 draw last weekend with the Stars U23 a win is not out of the question.
Livonia City FC vs BiH Grand Rapids: 4 PM - Total Sports Wixom, Wixom, MI - No Stream Announced
After a win 10 days ago against the Bearings, BiH will play their third match of 2021 and look for their second win to get on a winning streak. The only other team they played? It was this Livonia City side who they drew 0-0 with back in May. LCFC on the other hand defeated LK St. Clair last week after coming off a 5-0 loss to the Detroit City U23 side, and look for Livonia City to do everything possible to get on a win streak.
Chicago Athletic vs RWB Adria: 5 PM - Redmond Park, Bensenville, IL - Eleven Sports
A regular battle of Chicagoland sides takes place, though this one for the first time and a bit different. Chicago Athletic sits with 0 points at the bottom of the table right next to Rockford FC and has to face RWB Adria, who are at this time, running away with the West Division title. Adria should be able to heavily dominate tonight and jump to 7-0-0 with 21 points.
Chicago Mustangs vs Rockford FC: 7 PM - The MAC Sports Center, Crystal Lake, IL - No Stream Announced
The other team sitting with 0 points on the season heads to the Chicagoland area to face the Mustangs outdoor senior squad. However Rockford has had some tight contests with some of the best sides in the Midwest Premier League. This is a sleeper pick for a match to watch but Rockford just might be able to sneak out their first win of 2021.
Bavarian Soccer Club vs Steel City FC: 8 PM - Heartland Value Fund Stadium, Glendale, WI - Eleven Sports
While the BSC Women are away in Suburban Chicago over in the WPSL, the Men are at home against a side from Suburban Chicago. The visiting Steel City FC have drawn their last two matches, a tough look in the West Division that only plays 11 matches. On the other hand the Bavarians are going to come in off a MWPL bye week but will be taking all their anger from last weeks National Amateur Cup loss to FC Minneapolis on the visitors from Joliet.
Edgewater Castle vs Union Dubuque: 8:15 PM* - CIBC FirePitch, Chicago, IL - Twitch
Union Dubuque comes off a bye week which was preceded by their first win of 2021. That win was their first in the MWPL and first league win for manager Mike Paye. Edgewater has drawn their last two matches with their last win coming in Mid-May against Berber City FC. And while that is the case Union Dubuque will need to shape after looking gassed two weeks ago in the second half in order to defeat Edgewater in the Castle Derby.
*As note while the kickoff time on the MWPL Website is 8:15, Edgewater Castle are advertising it as 8:15 gates and 8:45 kickoff
*Note – All Times CDT-
Midwest Premier League, Week 8: Where to Watch
Tuesday:
West Michigan Bearings, 1 vs BiH Grand Rapids, 2 : 7:30 PM - Midwest United FC Soccer Complex, Grand Rapids, MI - No Stream Announced
Thursday:
Michigan Stars U23, 3 vs LK St. Clair, 0 : 7 PM - Michigan Stars Sports Center, Washington, MI - Eleven Sports
Saturday:
Detroit City U23, 3 vs West Michigan Bearings, 0 : 3 PM - Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI - No Stream Announced
Cedar Rapids Inferno, 1 vs RWB Adria, 3 : 5 PM - Fairfax City Sports & Park Complex, Fairfax, IA - No Stream Announced
Berber City FC, 3 vs Chicago Athletic, 2 : 7 PM - Lions for Hope Sports Complex, Chicago, IL - Eleven Sports
Chicago Mustangs, 5 vs DeKalb County United, 1 : 7 PM - The MAC Sports Center, Crystal Lake, IL - No Stream Announced
Edgewater Castle, 2 vs Steel City FC, 2 : 8:15 PM - CIBC Fire Pitch, Chicago, IL - Twitch
Sunday:
LK St. Clair vs Livonia City: 3 PM - Mount Clemens High School Stadium, Mount Clemens, MI - Eleven Sports
Michigan Stars U23 vs Inter Detroit: 3 PM - Michigan Stars Sports Center, Washington, MI - Eleven Sports
Illinois State Cup Begins
The Illinois State Soccer Association's Open Cup begins play this week. In 2021 the Tony Dallas Cup will feature a total of 14 sides will competing for the trophy. The tournament begins tonight with two matches featuring a few Midwest Premier League clubs. Edgewater Castle will travel to Buffalo Grove and face Schwaben AC at 7:30. The other match will see DeKalb County United head to Bensenville to play Wisloka Chicago at 8 PM.
State Open Cup?
The Tony Dallas Cup is one of many open cups inside the State of Illinois. Others played are Men's Over-30, Over-40, Over-48, Under-23, and Women's tournaments. In fact many states across the country have their own open cups which serve to supplement lower league seasons from smaller city leagues to state leagues to regional ones. Most states that have one Cup usually have a few, which we will also be covering.
Cup History
The Tony Dallas Cup itself has only been awarded the past three seasons, however the tournament dates back to 1909. From 1909-1970 the Peter J Peel Cup was awarded to the champions. During the Peel Cup era Sparta would win the title 12 times. From 1971-1977 the trophy awarded was the Illinois Governors Cup, which saw the Lions win three titles. Since 1978 the trophy has taken the names of the Fred W Netto Cup (78-83), George E Fishwick Cup (84-87), William P Hemmings Cup (88-93), Alfredo V Arias Cup (94-03), George L Chazaro Cup (04-07), and Frank Mariani Cup (07-16).
RWB Adria has won the title a total of 14 times, most in cup history, including the last time it was awarded in 2019.
2021 Format
The 2021 format of the Tony Dallas Cup is a straight forward 14 team knockout tournament. All rounds will be single elimination with two teams gaining a first round bye. Those sides being AAC Eagles of the Metropolitan Soccer League and Gazelle Chicago of the National Soccer League. All clubs in this years tournament hail from Chicago or it's immediate surroundings.
MWPL Week 7, Where to Watch
Wednesday:
Michigan Stars U23 vs Livonia City: 6 PM - Michigan Stars Sports Center, Washington, MI - MyCujoo
RWB Adria vs Steel City FC: 8 PM - Hales Franciscan High School, Chicago, IL - Facebook
Friday:
Inter Detroit vs Lansing Common: 4 PM - Evolution Sportsplex, Auburn Hills, MI - MyCujoo
Saturday:
Union Dubuque vs Rockford FC: 3:30 PM - Dubuque Soccer Complex, Dubuque, IA - MyCujoo
Livonia City vs Detroit City U23: 6 PM - St. Joe's Sports Complex, Livonia, MI - MyCujoo
Berber City vs Steel City FC: 7 PM - Lions for Hope Sports Complex, Chicago, IL - MyCujoo
Sunday:
Edgewater Castle vs Chicago Mustangs: 3 PM - CIBC FirePitch, Chicago, IL - Twitch
*Note – All Times CDT
Midwest Premier League Scores - Weekend of May 15th, 2021
This past weekend the Midwest Premier League played a total of 7 matches between it's East and West Divisions. The two Eastern matches in Michigan saw LK St. Clair host Inter Detroit in one match while Livonia City played host to the Michigan Stars U23 side. Out West between Illinois and Iowa there were a total of five matches played with Rockford FC hosting RWB Adria, Chicago Athletic battling Edgewater Castle in an all Chicago matchup, Bavarians headed from Milwaukee to Normal to face FC Diablos, and Berber City FC hosted DeKalb County United all on Saturday. Then on Sunday, Steel City FC traveled from Joliet, IL to Dubuque, IA to face Union Dubuque FC.
