League Recap

Massimo Cipriano

The first trophy of the 2023 season was lifted by Inter Detroit on Tuesday night, clinching the Great Lakes East title after a 3-2 victory over Michigan Jaguars FC on the red turf at St. Mary’s.

Inter Detroit got the scoring started early, with an eight minute rebound off the post into the back of the net by Shady Omar.

Clinching the division wasn’t going to come that easy however, as Michigan Jaguars FC equalized in the 31st through a blistering Andrew Darakdjian run behind Inter Detroit’s back line that created a one-on-one with the keeper that was slotted into the back of the net.

It was all even at halftime, but Inter Detroit set the tone again early in the 50th. Jaguars FC was dispossessed in the defensive third and was quickly punished by a long-distance strike by Gavin Brose to the far corner.

But again, Darakdjian brought the Jaguars even, this time crashing the net on a low service across the face of the net.

With the match on level terms in its waning phases, it seemed like Inter Detroit’s party would have to wait until next week. However, DaVion Page had other plans.

A frantic 86th minute Inter Detroit corner bobbled around the box until it fell to the feet of Page, who took a touch and knocked the ball into the back of the net. Page ran to the touchline, where he was embraced by the onrushing bench.

This was soon followed by the final whistle, giving Inter Detroit the win and the Great Lakes East title.

This result punches the first ticket to the Great Lakes final on July 29, where Inter Detroit will face the winner of the Great Lakes West.

However, Inter Detroit has one more regular season match against Detroit Union on July 22. This presents Inter Detroit the opportunity to end the 2023 regular season undefeated, before its biggest match of the year.

The MWPL’s Heartland Conference title race was possibly the tightest of the season. Seven of the conference’s eleven clubs remained in contention for the top spot with just two matchweeks remaining.

Amidst this commotion, Czarni Jasło prevailed as the 2023 Heartland Conference Champion. The Chicago club made it to the top in its debut MWPL season, a remarkable feat when looking at many of the experienced and talented clubs that it stacked up against all season.

This includes a 3-0 win against 2022 Champion Bavarian United SC, who had lost an MWPL match since 2021. This was the beginning of an eight-game unbeaten streak that lasted from May 20 to the end of the season.

The biggest match of the season came on July 25 against Chicago City SC, who was in second place and in hot pursuit of the top spot. The match finished in a 3-3 draw, which preserved the distance that kept Czarni Jasło’s destiny in its hands entering the final matchweek.

Czarni Jasło conceded ten goals in 2023, the lowest in the Heartland Conference. This sturdy defense was supplemented by the scoring prowess Geoffroy Agboku, who finished third in Heartland scoring with seven goals.

With Bavarian United SC’s reign coming to an end, it will be interesting to witness a new era, and potentially a new MWPL dynasty.

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.