The inaugural season of the Gateway Conference is officially in the books, with 6 teams from Missouri and Iowa squaring off in the MWPL’s most recent expansion. As the conference took midseason form, there never seemed to be a doubt that Ajax St. Louis were en route to win the title.
And it did just that, securing first place with a 7-1-2 record (22 points). Ajax St. Louis, a returning MWPL club, had a battle-tested squad that was firing from the beginning, emerging from its first six matches undefeated.
What was smooth sailing for the returning MWPL side was slightly roughened by a 1-0 upset at the hands of fellow returner Cedar Rapids Inferno.
However, the club rebounded phenomenally with two consecutive wins on a combined 10-1 score, effectively clinching the title before its tenth and final match.
Ajax’s high powered offense provided the club a conference-high 30 goals, in pairing with only conceding 11. In a season that can be defined by its dominance, Ajax St. Louis maintained its status at the top throughout most of the season.