Commonwealth of Baker Park Sports News

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Weekend 2020
NT players reflect on Scott
by Mindy Cartwright, National Soccer Editor

In the immediate aftermath of the celebrations at the FSFB Stadium marking the first ever National League Championship for New Bremen FC, two of the club's long time stalwarts checked their mobile phones to find an avalanche of well wishes and congratulatory messages. But for both of them, it was one of the earliest received texts that brought the moment full circle.
"I hope there's room on the bandwagon for an old hometown girl! Congrats to you!! PS"

Unless you have memorized the the official bios of the various top people at the FAC, it would probably surprise most fans to learn that Pam Scott spent 12 years of her early life in New Bremen, before moving with her parents & siblings to Ezriquay. But she always had a sense of humor when Eddie Wagner would kid her about secretly being a NewBrem supporter.
"Oh, Pam would just go on & on with her contempt of everything that were worst stereotypes of Brem, but at the end of day, she gave you that wink that meant she hoped you were in on the joke."
The longtime NB striker credits his success in the waning years of his career to Scott, and her faith in him by call-ups for NT training camps. "She didn't need me, I wasn't going to make the squad for the World Cup. But she would tell me she wanted someone to set a good example for the younger players, and of course she included me in the squad for the AOCAF. She didn't owe me a thing, but I might've packed in a couple of years ago if not for her."

A similar story could be told by a more recent addition to the club, winger Trent Yeomans; he was on the first mixed-gender squad for the BOF, getting an early introduction to Scott's style. "I spent a couple of weeks during that camp thinking she didn't like me, and I actually thought I might get left off the final roster. We were doing a drill in training, and she walked past me and said 'you have lazy habits, Trent', which just stunned me. After another day or two, I asked Kate (Di Marini, former NT assistant) to be honest with me about why Pam didn't like me. I'll never forget the rest of that conversation, because she said that one has to earn Pam's trust, and if she believes in you, she will always believe in you."

Yeomans obviously changed Scott's mind, as all but 1 of his 49 senior caps came playing for squads she was in charge of.
"I think you can look through squads and see who Pam always wanted playing for her, and not just the obvious choices. You know, people said she had no confidence in Kyle (Moyer) by the time we got to the Cup, but there's no evidence of that. She could've started Danni in the Vilita match if she lost confidence in him."

A discussion with Moyer underscores Yeomans's point. "We had our professional differences, Pam & I, in the moment. She could've dropped me from the Finals squad if she felt that was the best decision for the team. Even on the night before the Opening Match, she took me aside and explained why I wasn't starting, and it didn't have anything to do with her lack of confidence in me. I took her at her word, because in all the time I've known her, she was always true to it. I called--not texted--her when the announcement came out that she was leaving, and I thanked her for her friendship and honesty between us as pros."

Another player who couldn't say enough about the impact Scott had on their career was Annabeth Westmoreland. The Hondo FC star said she was "absolutely devastated" by the news of Scott's departure.

"She gave me a cap in the starting XI on the (women's) senior side before I'd even played in the 21's. I remember coming into the camp and all the older players giving me looks in the dressing room. She pulled me aside and said, 'keep your head down, your mouth shut and play like hell. I'll take care of the rest' and she did. Even after that, when we went coed, she kept in touch, saying be patient and keep playing well, your time is coming sooner than you think."

NT captain Derick Briggs praised his former boss, and offered a word of advice to the members of the Farfadillis World Cup Champions.
"Pam will always have my utmost respect and goodwill. She is a superb coach, man-manager and motivator. She's also as tough as they come, and I have a scar to prove it. I hope the playing squad there won't get lured into a sense of false security because they think that as a woman she won't be ruthless in terms of selection, or dropping people from the NT pool. She won't be overly concerned with medals you have won before she showed up."

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Weekend 2020
Who's that **stard?--Foreign Players in BP, Part 1
by Mindy Cartwright, National Soccer Editor


As the Commonwealth has become a net importer of overseas talent for its clubs the last few years, it's a good time to review of the impact of foreign imports; we'll start with a look at the players in the National League from Xanneria:

Championship
Shaun Brady-Hopkins, Learfield
Brady-Hopkins was brought in to add depth to the squad for the campaign as they battled on the domestic & international fronts. Although they struggled to defend the title, it couldn't be laid at the feet of the defense. Brady-Hopkins made 20 appearances, 16 in the league and 4 in IFCF play. Expected to be a much larger contributor next season.

Women's League
Leonetta Walters, Brentford Ladies
Walters was brought in to understudy NT stalwart Caroline Gordon, and made 11 starts in league play, as well as 2 wins in the Women's FAC Cup. Expect her to push Gordon for the #1 shirt next seaason.
Franchesca Bonchak, Hamilton Wanderers Ladies
Bonchak made an impression when she was in the lineup, developing a good partnership with NT star Veronica Navarro; she should see much more playing time next season, as Navarro is expected to miss at least the first half while on maternity leave. Scored 4 goals and had 6 assists in 26 matches.

Conference
Lane Steagal, Castleford
Although the club slipped back to midtable in the second year of mixed gender play, Steagal showed enormous improvement over his first season at the County Stadium. Played in 41 of the club's 48 matches, including all 6 in the FAC Cup, where he scored goals in consecutive rounds, to go along with 7 in league play and provided 9 assists. A mainstay in the lineup who'll be offered a new contract in the offseason.
Vaught Carmen, Haskins Blues
Followed up a superb rookie season with another productive campaign for Blues. Tallied 17 goals alongside Jessica LeClair, and if the BP international moves abroad, as is expected, Carmen will become even more important in attack.
Hank Del Jux, Hannover United
Struggled at the beginning of the season with an ankle problem, but came on strong over the final 2/3 with 3 goals and 12 assists. The side looked far more threatening once he re-established his place in the lineup.
Rollie Bringler, Broadview AFC
Fit into the squad better than some expected, as some questioned whether he would adapt to the wide open style of the Conference. Had 14 assists—5th in the league—along with 6 goals.
Jim Pettit, Lima City United
Pettit was a solid rotational player for LCU, appearing in half of the league matches. Even managed to knock in a goal. Certainly should see more playing time than the bench next season.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Weekend 2020
Foreign Review, Part 2
by Mindy Cartwright, National Soccer Editor

Another review of foreign imports in the National League, this time looking at the players who are their nation's sole representative currently plying their trade in the Commonwealth.

Felix Lucanis, North Lima (Darmen)
Along with the Brenecian Nathan Ward and the Banijan Nega Bezin, Vikings had one of the oldest forward lines in the 2nd Division last year. But the "Three Wise Men", as they were dubbed when Lucanis signed last off-season, gave North Lima enough firepower to get the club back to the Championship for next year. Has said he plans to play at least one more year, and with Ward's contract up, the Darmeni may find more chances to improve upon his goal tally of 9 in all competitons.

Bogdan Garan, Coolville United (Pridnestrovia)
He's become an integral part of the United's attack during his four seasons, with his 33 goals last season leading the 3rd Division. His total is more impressive when one considers he doesn't take penalties for the club, but he may have found a confidence at the spot, as he slotted home the final kick in the shootout of the Divisional Championship playoff against Carlisle.

Daniel Myers, Richmond Station (Equestria)
There was a worry that RichStay's relegation would see Myers opt to leave the club, which would've put a huge dent in their hope of making a quick return to the top flight. With leading scorer Tim Blair opting not to re-sign, Myers was offered a new contract, with the option of renegotiation if they make it back to the Championship. Expect him to thrive in the 2nd Division.

Garret Ramsey, Ezriquay United (Euran Oceania Territories)
Donald York's retirement at United brought up questions about the future of Ramsey, who was a big money signing for the club at the insistence of York. But new boss Mark Albert said he thinks he can get Ramsey into a better role in his system, which should make better chances possible.

Katerina Hagen, Leiderkranz Ladies (Freeport Isles)
Hagen was having an average season until the last month, where her form coincided with Leiderkranz's late season surge from the depths of the table. She'll need to start off at some level similar to that, as will the rest of the squad.

Alundra, Meadowdale Ladies (Dainer)
The defender has shown remarkable consistency for the Lions during her tenure, earning her the honor of the captain's armband. If she chooses to stay on the country after this year, she would certainly be a coveted free agent.

Abby Amaya, Ravens Ladies (Quincy)
Amaya didn't need long to get settled into her new club & league; she scored on her debut against neighbors Greenlea on opening day. A slight dip in form in February was not alarming to the staff, as she started in every match save the first round of the Cup, and after holding her out of back to back matches, she picked up again, finishing with 9 assists and a 86% pass completion.

Claire Randall, Clayton City Ladies (Happilopper)
she came into her own after a rough first season, and scored 7 times in her 25 appearances. Still learning and has unlimited growth potential. Season 3 will probably be a breakout for her.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

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[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Weekend 2020
Foreign Review--How BP players fared abroad
by Mindy Cartwright, National Soccer Editor

We looked at a few of the imports who made an impact in the NSL, but what about our exports? Are the men and women who earn their living in the sport outside of the Commonwealth putting the country's best soccer boot forward?

Sabrina Patton, Chenoworth Rovers (NPH)--It makes sense to start off with the striker, who had a season that objectively could be considered the greatest single performance by a BP woman in history. Following a season for Rovers that saw the club relegated and her battle with injury and inconsistency on top of that, there were whispers in the Nepharim media about her talent and commitment. All she did was score 34 goals to win the First Division Iron Boot, lead the club straight back to the Premiership and, oh yeah, stepped into goal late in a match when Rovers had used all their subs, and made a save.

Kelly O'Connell, South Laithland (NPH)--Her $3 million transfer from J-City caught many by surprise in Nephara, but she provided solid, steady play for the newly promoted club, who surprised by finishing in mid table.

Tiffany Moss, Vermillion Wanders (NPH)--She's considered one of the best center-halves in the Nepharim First Division, and it's a shame that she's never really gotten back in the NT pool after mixed gender came in. Wanderers will join Patton's Rovers in the top flight next season.

Annabeth Westmoreland, Hondo FC (VAL)--AB had a good year when viewed in context to most players. But she was coming off a season where she became the first player in the Commonwealth to ever be recognized as a Galactico, but she unfortunately mirrored her club's season long malaise.

Daisy Callum, Southern Star (BRE)--another ex-MiddCity star representing. Callum helped the club reach the IFCF spots in her first season, earning adulation from the supporters for her hard work and big game sensibilities.

(to be continued)

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Daily 2020
FAC ratifies biggest change in 65 years
by Fiona Devlin, National Soccer Writer

The Football Association of the Commonwealth concluded it's 120th General Conference after having approved the biggest program of changes to the structure of the sport in Baker Park in nearly six decades.

The biggest item on the agenda was the increase in the number of full member clubs for the upcoming season by a net total of four, brought about by the merger of Old Fort SC and Hills & Dales FC, who will compete as Tri-Village United FC.
As both clubs were required to surrender their membership, a minimum of four full member clubs were required to sponsor a new entity with no previous associate membership; 74 submitted proposals in support, and Bob Rupert, Chairman of Bergholz Caledonia FC--the club in closest proximity to the applicants--introduced the motion that the new club be admitted to full membership without probationary qualifications.

The next item of change was the proposal to expand the FAC Shield to 40 clubs, comprised of two divisions of 20. This was a precursor to the eventual nomination of five Associate Member clubs--Georgetown Athletic Club, New Richmond FC, Mel-Wood FC, Wagnerfield Kickers FC and Spring Valley FC--to Full Membership and admission the FAC Shield competition.

All the votes on these changes were nearly unaninmous, as were two minor amendments to the FAC constitution. The business then shifted to presentations by Executive Director David Carlson, Associate Executive Director Allison LeFleur, and Sporting Director Trevor Richmond, who presented new National Team manager Ichi Tuzzio to a thunderous ovation from the crowd at the Fairgrounds Expo Center in Springfield.

FAC Chairwoman Cheryl Livingston was re-elected on a voice vote, as she was unopposed, and gave the keynote speech of the Conference on a message that the sport in Baker Park had never been healthier. She referenced LeFleur's report on the financial situation--the FAC's share of the net profit from World Cup 84 had been CBP$47.7 million, on top of the 5th straight year of increased normal revenues, mainly from sponsorships and overseas media rights.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Benton named new UC grid boss
Teresa Bramlage
Daily News Football Writer

College Hill--Ryan Benton was introduced as the new Head Football Coach of the University of the Commonwealth yesterday, replacing the retiring Scott Newell, who won 269 games at the helm of the Warriors over 28 seasons (included in the total are the 44 victories in NSCF play).

The 49 year old Benton, who in nine seasons at Ezra State won 70 of 111 games, which includes 3 appearances in the post season, was a senior running back on the University of Middletown team that defeated UC in Newell's debut season, gaining 86 yards on 13 carries and scoring a touchdown at Gleason Field.

"He shook hands with me and said 'well played, good luck' and 20 years later, the first time I coached against him was here, and I asked if he remembered me from that day. He said 'of course I do, you scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a 2nd and goal from the 5' and when I thought about it later, I wondered if I would ever have that kind memory of opposing players in games that we lost."

UC Athletic Director Melissa Sweeney-Allen commented on the process that led to Benton being the choice to lead the Warriors into the future.

"It should probably surprise no one in this room that we had enormous interest expressed in consideration for the position. We would've expected a strong number of inquiries from coaches here in the country, but the success of the program in the NSCF brought an entire other flood of applications from other nations as well. But after all of the initial vetting, the interviews, the second interviews, I made the recommendation to the search committee, and insisted on my choice being approved. If I end up being wrong in my decision, I'm sorry."

Chancellor Dr Robert Delgado also spoke about the decision to offer the position to Benton. "I've known Ryan for some 20 years now, as he was an assistant coach at the University of St Leon when I was President there. When Melissa spoke with me prior to offering the Regents her recommendation, I had a good feeling that she had made the right choice. Ryan, come and accept your first piece of Black & Gold apparel." Delgado presented Benton with a baseball cap with the rounded 'C' on the front.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Daily 2020
New places. new faces on horizon for Shield
by James Pettiford, Senior NSL Writer

The competition in the FAC Shield is about to get a bit more intense following the addition of six new clubs into full membership of the governing body. This will bring the total number of competitors in the Shield to 40, and there has been overwhelming approval from clubs and supporters alike about the two division configuration, which will now be expanded to 20 in each half.

The additional home fixtures and development of new rivalries have driven interest in the Shield to record heights; television ratings were up 21% last season, attendances have exploded, and the battles for promotion to the Third Division have brought a freshness to the league over the past few years.

All of this change was spurred by the decision of Old Fort SC and Hills & Dales FC to combine into a single club, which created a domino effect that solved several longtime problems that the FAC had faced for sometime; with 9-12 non-league clubs making more persistent inquiries into gaining full membership, the desire of the National League to get several of those clubs included to fill in gaps where professional soccer was a bit thin, and the timing in the aftermath of the World Cup seemingly right to change some old traditions--i.e., the '124' membership cap that has been treated as nearly inviolate--the significant proposal to correct those issues really couldn't be ignored.

In the wake of the FAC General Conference, where do things stand at present? A look at the new clubs:

Tri-Village United FC--the result of the Old Fort-H&D merger is a completely new club, which was voted full membership after gaining the backing of 74 other clubs. Many of the petty details you would imagine would be contentious in an equal merger ended up not being problematic at all; Tony Blevins & Richard Cox, the erstwhile chairmen of the two clubs, agreed to stand for places on the board but jointly supported another candidate for the chairmanship, Monica Jerome.
Jerome was elected by a nearly unanimous vote, as she fit the bill for what a merged club should have as a leader--she was born in South-West Township, was married to an Old Fort supporter, and had been on the initial steering committee when the talks got serious 16 months ago.

Nearly all of the other considerations had worked themselves out through a spirit of compromise: the name--the third 'village' in question is Lambert, which is located in SWT, and a drawn line connects the three places in roughly a triangle--as well the agreement to continue to play at Town Lane in Baker's Fort, while looking to sell the property at Beechtree Common, and exploring options to build a new ground somewhere centrally located, and club colors--all white with a candy apple red trim (about halfway between Old Fort's Claret and H&D's orange).

New Richmond FC--New Richmond is the oldest club in the Commonwealth that has never been a full member of the FAC; they've played more fixtures in the FAC Cup than 21 other full members & have been the club held up as the example of the unfairness of the 124 club cap for about 50 years.
But they've finally made the big time, and there's been no time wasted feeling sorry for themselves; along with their tenants Endover State, Lytle Five Points Rd has seen all four stands redeveloped over the past 15 years, so they will have one of the better facilities in the Shield. Whether they will be able to attract enough talent to contend right away (or wait around for a bit to see if a spot in the Conference opens up) will be the only real barrier to success.

Georgetown AC--All of a sudden, the oceans parted and GAC have found their way into the Shield. With Haskins, Mooresville and Jennings all in the conference, that left only Indies in the west of BP state to carry the banner in the men's game. Like New Richmond, GAC might have ambitions to swallow up one of their rivals and earn a place in the Conference, but they will fit in well in the part of the Western Division of the Shield that is pretty wide open now that West Chester have gone to the Third Division.

Mel-Wood FC--The other club that had to be an automatic choice to be invited for full membership, they have a similar chip on their shoulder that New Richmond has--they pre-date their local rival Kellerville by 3 years--but they've never had the same resources or potential fanbase to flex their muscles. Another non-league club with a sold women's team and academy.

Wagnerfield Kickers FC--Kickers have developed a cult following over many decades among fans of other clubs because they are the epitome of amateur kick & run soccer; they are the only club in FAC history who have both won and lost matches in the FAC Cup by double digit margins--and they've done both Twice!
Of course, they've built up a more sensible profile over the last 10 years, they have a comfortable, welcoming ground (seriously, the only club who acts like they are Kicker's rivals are near neighbors Frankenburg, and it's mainly a just a pantomime between the supporters) and a pretty solid financial base to operate from; they have no academy, no debt, and no real ambition other than continuing on from season to season. In other words, they will be the Shield's most popular addition.

Spring Valley FC--Another club that nostalgia buffs of a certain age will appreciate getting a chance in the Shield. The original incarnation, Spring Valley SC, were the first--and to date, only--club in history forced into liquidation, in 1977 after 40 years of existence.

In 1980, the new club was established and there was a strong level of financial support from across the Commonwealth; 88 clubs contributed CBP$112,000 from a one time supplementary contribution, which ended up being 37% of the initial membership subscription.

As the area in Spring Valley, Blackstone, and Elk Valley Boroughs continues to experience growth, it shouldn't be long before the locals push their club beyond the Shield into the National League; Valley have made reasonable investments in improving their facilities at the Club House Ground, and a decent haul of players from other Shield clubs will probably see a respectable finish.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

PFD Preview

The Professional Football Division heads into its 82nd season facing what some would describe as a widening gap between the 12 clubs in the league; the top six seem to have a pronounced advantage over the bottom 6 clubs, exclusive of major injury problems, or short term personnel exchanges.

The upper quarter of the league remains consistent:

Coolville Bruins: Bruins are the dominant force in the PFD at present--4 consecutive appearances in the Final, the best regular season record over that span, stability on the roster that still has 77% of the players under 29.

Endborough Eagles: The Double E's have built a pretty solid foundation on their way back to the upper echelon of the league; they've followed Coolville's blueprint by bringing in the best available talent straight out of the UAC and sticking with them through the building process. Upsetting Ezriquay in the Wild Card round gave the team a benchmark to improve upon, and it's hard to see the Black Rhinos maintaining a playoff spot under the current conditions.

Belle Haven Cardinals: They seem to only be a year behind Coolville in the composition of their roster and the move away from players 31 years or older. Getting past Lima and pushing Newport to the limit in the semi final seems to predict a further improvement, but are they ready to trust rookies, or will they fill in gaps with vets for a quick jump over Lima and Ezriquay in the short term?

The other top contenders seem to be in various states of rethinking their situations, relative to the rest.

Lima Lumberjacks: The Jacks bet the farm on pushing through to ultimate glory 2 seasons ago, in both instances, they stumbled at the first hurdle. So, now they have a new GM, Coaching staff, but no feasible path to rebuilding the roster for at least the next two seasons. Their entire ability to bring in talent is via out of contract free agents.

Ezriquay Black Rhinos: Rhinos could not have been more unlucky, or unhappy, when they ended up having to face Endborough in the Wild Card round: the teams had met on 9 previous occasions in the PFD playoff, and Eagles had been the winners every time.
In a strange development, they have looked to the NSCF for an untapped source of talent that might provide an advantage.

Oceana Tigers: The club that has made signing out of contract free agents, waived roster players and non-professional free agents. as their general acquisition policy for the past 5-8 years, has found themselves right in the perfect storm of the PFD personnel revolution. It won't be a shock if they beat Newport out for a Top 6 spot.

The bottom half of the league are not separated by much, which makes the right combination of players vital to success.

Newport Broncos: The loss in the Final had all the makings of the end of an era for Broncos; they have one one of the oldest rosters in the PFD, and all around them, other teams are getting younger and building up experience. Their near decade of consistent top four finishes looks like it will come to an end this year.

Shirley Dragons: Dragons followed Lima's example by turning over their entire front office & coaching staff, however they have a clearer and easier path to getting upgrades to the roster, which make them a true darkhorse among the midfield.

Jacksonville Wolves: Jax made a huge leap from last place to 8th in just one season of rebuilding. They are also taking an especially close look at players from various NSCF competitor schools. Still seem to have a few too many holes to make another gigantic leap up the standings, but next season...?

Fairport Titans: It seems to be a two step forward, one step back program going on at Anson Stadium; while many though Titans would challenge for a top 6 spot, they faded badly down the final 3 games to drop into 10th. Another year of building could be just the ticket that sees them break into the upper half of the league.

Mansfield Marauders: The bottom dropped out at Mansfield last year--16 players on the opening day roster ended up on the 65 day injured reserve list at some point, meaning that there was a constant revolving door of new signings--but there is optimism that keeping players healthier will see more wins and a chance to be a factor in the playoff spots come year end.

Marshallton Stallions: While improving from a single win to three doesn't appear to be a huge improvement, at Marshallton it represented a major step in the right direction. Stallions cut their league-worst points allowed tally by nearly a touchdown per game from 2 seasons ago to last year. They are excited about the development of their younger signings, so it would be foolish to underestimate them. They could win 6-7 just with some lucky breaks.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Weekend 2020
Academy competition to go national
by Fiona Devlin, National Soccer Writer

One of the less publicized measures adopted at the FAC General Conference was the organization of a structure for an all-Commonwealth youth academy league for clubs to vie for a place in the IFCF Rising Stars Cup.

Academy competition has traditionally been a loosely organized regional affair, where larger professional clubs were often scheduled for matches against smaller club academies, where the differences in talent level made for uncompetitive fixtures that hindered youth development rather than advancing it.

Under the new format, there will be a pyramid with relegation/promotion to ensure clubs are getting a chance to face other academy sides of a similar professional level.

The inaugural season will consist of a 14 team Premier League, with a Second Division of four other 14 team sections, and a Third Division of four 12 team sections. The bottom four teams from the Premier Division will be relegated, to be replaced by 1 team from each of the four Second Division sections, to be determined by a playoff from the top 2 finishers in each section; the bottom two sides from each of the Second Division sections will replaced by the top two sides from the four Third Division sections.

Men's, Women's and mixed gender academies will compete in the competition on an equal basis, with the initial Premier Division made up of 4 entries from each of the three league set-ups, plus two other wild cards. The remaining divisions will be determined on the basis of the nomination of the individual clubs themselves and the recommendation of a panel of FAC youth development staffers.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Gary Sexton: "Welcome to the Weekend Sports Show, I'm Gary Sexton; Leslie Van Horn is still goofing off on the CBC's dime at the AOCAF in Farfadillis, and since the National Radio said I couldn't be alone in the studio while on the air--because I don't know how to operate the controls (laughter)--they offered me a guest co-host, and I'm happy to welcome Tiffany Sweeney, anchor of the Morning Report here on the National Radio."

Tiffany Sweeney: "I'm happy to be here, Gary. They asked around on the regular staff if anyone wanted to do a guest spot here, and I jumped right up. Then...that's when they said that Leslie would be gone, but I'd already made the commitment."

GS: "So far on the scorecard--making friends, nil. (laughter) So let's get down to brass tacks, Tiff--tell us about your sports background, your prejudices."

[Gary Sexton always labelled sport fandom as 'prejudices"--it was a matter of likes, dislikes, love, hatred, indifference--and he'd developed his on-air persona as an abrasive & cynical critic of most sports in concert with his usual co-host, Leslie Van Horn, with whom he had a close, personal trust in their working relationship; in reality, he was a knowledgeable, passionate fan who loved talking about sports.
He was the 'main star' of the show, but was always a champion for the staff who worked alongside: Van Horn was paid at a level that was just marginally less than his own (about $1200-2000 difference); the producer, engineer, and researcher--all basic scale employees of the National Radio Corporation, ostensibly--were paid a premium at his direction, out of his own pocket really, as he accepted smaller annual raises to pay the others on the show,]

TS: "I hope that regular listeners of the Morning Report know that I am a hockey fanatic. That was the major sport at our house growing up, as both my brothers played in midgets and bantams."

GS: "So were you older, younger...?"
TS: "In between. Almost exactly 2 years between each of us. Although my older brother had a bit of a delayed growth curve, so there was a period when I was about 9-10 that people thought I was older than them." (laughter)

GS: "Do you skate?"
TS: "Of course, I learned when I was about 4 or 5. I would've played if they'd let girls into midgets at that time. So I ended up having to play in goal for my brothers in our backyard."

GS: "and you grew up in Hamilton..."
TS: "Yeah, so Hamilton Stormers were like a religion in our house; my dad had season tickets and took us to games all the time."

GS: "Did you have any aptitude for other sports growing up?"
TS: "I swam for the neighborhood club for about 4 years between 8 -12, then I got the running bug around 8th grade and was on the track & cross country teams in junior high. But that was the extent of my athletic career."

GS: "What about other sports? Any other rooting interests?"
TS: "I developed a preference for the Caps about the same time I was swimming, which made me an outcast at home. (laughs) When it came time to choose a uni, I had offers for scholarships from about 5 or 6 places, and my parents were really supportive about letting me go for visits, but I just felt really positive about my trip to O-Cap (Osheana Capital University, in Oceana), so I took their offer."

GS: "Let's leave it there for a minute while we take a break, and we'll pick up when we come back. This is the Weekend Sports Show on National Radio Overnight"

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Gary Sexton: "back on the Weekend Sports Show. So Tiff, now we know a little bit about you, we thought it might to a good opportunity to have some fun & play the Commonwealth's favorite radio game show, a little thing we like to call 'Line in the Sand'."

Tiffany Sweeney: "are you sure it's not you're favorite radio game show?"

GS: "that's just about enough from you newsgirl (laughter). Did you talk to Les on the phone, or did she email this material?"

TS: "I'm a professional Gary, I can write my own copy." (more laughter)

GS: "So let's review the rules; we'll ask Tiff to consider a number of scenarios, based upon her particular prejudices. She'll have to decide which Line in the Sand she's willing or not willing to cross, with the Secret Special Judging Panel weighing her answers & awarding a score. I'm duty bound by honor, as the host to remind the listening audience that the Defending Champion & High Score Record Holder is (he turns away from the mic and covers his mouth while saying Leslie Van Horn's name in a nearly undecipherable tone.)"

TS: "Larry Vorhees, who played for St Warren, Endborough, Comets and Middletown over a 14 year career where he had 209 goals & 203 assists in 798 career regular season and playoff games?"

GS: "Show-off. (still more laughter) So now come the legal disclaimers we're required to inform the audience of before we commence: 'All of the opinions, commentary and discussion expressed during this program are solely the personally held views of the individuals participating, and do not reflect the policy, editorial opinion or beliefs of the National Radio Corporation; it's management, employees, sponsors or contractors. Furthermore, this program is an exhibition intended for the entertainment of the listeners of the National Radio Corporation, and as such, we ask--for the love of all that is considered sacred, holy, & decent---Please, please...Tiff?"

TS: "No wagering" (laughter)

GS: "Think about the kids, for God's sake! (more laughter) Alright, here we go. We'll give you option between two equally unpalatable choices as a fan. You must decide which Line in the Sand you will not cross & which one you'd do reluctantly; there is no abstaining or not choosing. And we will bring in listeners to try convince you which choice you should make. Do you understand the rules as I have explained to you?"

TS: No, but let's just go crazy. (laughter)

[Sexton & Van Horn developed the format of the Weekend Sports Show from scratch; much of it was the result of Saturday evening dinners among the two families, which alternated between their homes, then carried over to the studio without filter or refinement. It was a hit or miss process for the first 4-6 months, but they settled on a formula that they both were comfortable with, and that the management of the National Radio were prepared to allow; the fact it was in a late night window gave them the leeway to push certain boundaries as long there was no objectionable language or content.]

GS: You can be part of the game by calling, toll-free from anywhere in the Commonwealth, 95-0505-111, and if you're listening in via satellite or online from outside of the Commonwealth, remember to add the international code 304 before the the number. One quick message and we'll be right back on the National Radio Overnight"

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Gary Sexton: "Let's dive right into the game, Tiff. You have the following options to choose from, for your first scenario, as you can see before you--number one is, 'The Things We Do For Love'; number two is, 'Dead To Me'; number three is, 'Hell to The Naw'; number four is, 'Chile, Please'; and number five is, 'Someone Better Come Get this Fool'. (background laughter) "What's your choice?"

Tiffany Sweeney: "I choose number... 3."

GS: "The lines drawn are: a repudiation of everyone and thing related to your support of the Stormers for an entire year, which means no contact with your extended family, disposal of all paraphernalia related to the team, no information via media about any result; or a complete and immediate cessation of use of any product containing caffeine for the same period."

TS: "well...(laughs) that's not an area where I thought we be treading at all."

GS: "In short, a year without coffee, tea, soda or anything else stimulative, or a year without your parents, family--other than your husband and kids--or knowing anything about the results of Hamilton Stormers."

TS: "You said I get the benefit of callers to help me decide?"
GS: "Oh. Yeah, I guess I did say that. Damn! (laughter) 95-0505-111, outside of the Commonwealth remember to add 304 at the beginning. Rob in Newmarket, welcome to the Weekend Sports Show."

Caller: "Hi sis! You can do this either way."
TS: "(laughter) Hello big brother! Gary, my older brother, Rob."

GS: "Rob, thanks for calling in. Tell us a bit about Tiff growing up, was she a good goalie?"

Caller: "Like she said earlier, she had a growth spurt, which kind of intimidated us for about 5-6 months, and she understood how to cut down the angles. I thought she was as good as most of the keepers we played against in bantams, which I'm not just saying now to brag, I told her the same thing when we were growing up."

TS: "True. One of the best days of my life at that point when he told me that."

GS: "So obviously the two of you and your brother had a good relationship?"

Caller: "She came to all of our matches, and the three of us went with our dad to games or watched on TV. We had the usual sibling conflicts, but I adore her."
GS: "Thanks for calling in and sharing a bit of your memories of Tiff with all of us, Rob."
TS: "Love ya, bruv!"

GS: "Let's go to...Esther. In. Durham. Where we seem to have a huge audience."

Caller: "Hello, I'd like to put in a request for Clarinet Quintet in A Major, by Mozart."

GS: "I'm sure you would Les, how's things in Farfadillis?"

[Leslie Van Horn's maternal grandmother was named Esther, and she was born in Durham Township, the most northern part of Baker Park State. The song was the one played at her funeral, which Gary & his family had attended.]

TS: "Hi Les, how are you?"

Leslie Van Horn: "You two sound so natural together, except for the fact that Gary hasn't been left speechless yet."
TS: "We're saving that for the second hour." (laughs along with laughter from the others in the studio)

LVH: "We're obviously having quite the experience here so far, as the team are all over the back pages of the papers, and we're being asked to fill in blanks about Pam Scott by the local media."

GS: "Les, hold tight for a minute while we break here for messages on the National Radio Overnight."

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Gary Sexton: "welcome back for the second hour of the Weekend Sports Show on the National Radio Overnight, with our guest co-host, Tiffany Sweeney, anchor of the Morning Report. OK, we've covered two scenarios on 'Line in the Sand', and there are three left choose from. So far she's chosen not to cross the line in the sand regarding her Hamilton Stormers support, and in doing so, she's also chosen not to disown her offspring, her own flesh & blood, if they themselves chose to forsake the Stormers. So that leaves us with the following categories--'The Things we do for Love', 'Chile, Please', and 'Someone better come get this fool'. So, your next choice, newsgirl?"

Tiffany Sweeney: "Let's go with 'The things We Do for Love'."

GS: "We're going to go back in the time machine, back to before you met your husband, and we're going to take another fork in the road of your life. You told our crack research staff that you didn't meet your husband until after you had left Osheana Capital, so we'll operate on the premise that you never met him, but did find another suitor who ticked all the boxes, fell in love, and progressed to a stage where marriage was on the table. But--and we're coming to the point--you are stunned to learn, from a third party, that your betrothed has in the past expressed misgivings about any & all persons who count O-Cap as their alma mater, and immediate family members also hold the same view.
So, the line in the sand which you choose to cross or not cross--continue with the relationship, or break it off? For the purpose of this scenario, he is otherwise totally acceptable in every other way."

TS: "hmmm...I don't really think this is a difficult choice. Obviously if it's just coming out now, which means he's been concealing it, then that's a sign of some deeper issue. So I'm sure I would break it off."

GS: "this one was sort of a gimme, because we couldn't make every scenario about Hamilton, and we had a hard time thinking up something less complicated."

TS: "it still was an interesting idea. It seems like it had more to do with snobbery than sport, but I'm sure you could make the case, Gary, that the two things are not that far apart."

GS: "Indeed. The Secret Special Judging panel should feel free to award additional bonus points based on that observation. (laughter) OK, last one, you have two categories left."

TS: (adopts an accent) "Someone betta come git this fool!"
(studio laughter)

GS: "Annnddd...finally. There's a lot of discussion about what should be done in regards to the home venue for the O-Cap football team; should they abandon the on-campus Mann Stevens Ewing Stadium and move to Collins Park, or should they rebuild or replace the structure to keep the games accessible to those students who live in the residence halls.
Your line in the sand is, insistence on preserving the on-campus tradition, or acceptance of the advantages of moving to Park Stadium?"

TS: "Strangely enough, there isn't as much controversy among alums as some people want to lead the public to believe. On a strictly financial basis, moving to Collins Park would a be a huge windfall for the school. Yes, MSE has the history and the memories, but I don't think it's the best use of $60-70 million to replace it unless the money was coming from some magical money faucet. So, I guess I'm crossing the line of staying with the status quo."

GS: "And that's the game! We'll be back a few minutes with the results, stay tuned to the National Radio Overnight."

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Weekend 2020
National League Preview, Part 1
by James Pettiford, Senior NSL Writer

Last season marked a rite of passage for the National Soccer League, as several feelgood stories from the end of the campaign lifted the visibility of the league and paved the way for the largest changes to the structure of the sport since 1955.

New Bremen's first ever Championship title was quietly appreciated by supporters of other medium sized clubs in outlying areas away from the major cities, giving hope that narrowing of the financial gap would continue to allow provincial sides to keep pace with the Major Seven clubs.

The return of Llewellyn Turnpike to the Championship after a 60 year hiatus, alongside North Lima's record defensive season was another source of satisfaction for the purist and the neutral fan alike; the promotion of Coolville United back to the Second Division was another reassuring sign of an earlier time, while their fellow promotion partner, Carlisle FC, will set a record when they step onto the pitch for the opening match of the season--having played in four different divisions while only being relegated once in their history.

In the Third Division, the questions will involve whether the Eastern clubs will continue their dominance over the West section in crossover play; the strongest returning clubs on paper are Greenlea, Ravens and Kellerville in one half, with Trinity, Principia and Leiderkranz carry the banner in the other. The newcomers--Brentwood returns after just a single campaign, and Fairport City have made a double drop; Dragons, Valley View, West Chester & Shiloh come up from the Shield--should create some trepidation among the middle of the pack squads that haven't looked to upgrade.

The National Conference was the league to watch if you liked high scoring; for the second season running, 3 clubs went over the 100 goal plateau & 3 others broke 90. Crusaders took their second consecutive title, but the competition at the top has gotten much closer, and several clubs in the chasing pack made foreign signings in hopes of getting the final push to dethrone the champs. There were also several sides that made huge leaps from the debut of the league to the second year, and there's optimism that 3-5 other clubs will see a major improvement in year 3 of mixed gender squads.

In part 2, we'll look at the NWSL and the FAC Shield, along with a primer on the FAC Youth Academy League which will get underway this season.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Daily 2020
National League Preview, Part 2
by James Pettiford, Senior NSL Writer

Any discussion about the Women's National League has to begin with Brentford Ladies, who failed to defend their 3rd title in four seasons, finishing a distant 10 points behind Greenlea United. They gave away points late in matches during the second half of the campaign, an alarming trend for a defense that could use an injection of youth. The Stews kept the field at arms' length in winning their first ever title, while their arch-rivals unwittingly provided a rear guard action; Ravens are another club that needs a bit of a freshening up of their squad depth, although it's entirely possible that they can maintain a top 4 spot for one more run.

The FAC Shield will undergo another major adjustment to the format of the league, as six new clubs will create a 2 division setup of 20 teams each. In just 3 seasons, the number of fixtures have increased by 50%, a boost to the bottom line, but a detriment to the continuing employment of part-time pros. How long it will be until there is a day of reckoning for community clubs, like the one that Old Fort and Hills & Dales faced last season, seems closer now than ever.

The National League and the FAC have finally brokered a peace agreement which will see the establishment of a new league competition for youth academy sides, which will see the start of regular match play featuring sides that are made up of mixed gender squads against opponents from academies that remain all male. There's a lot of interest in how the combining of men and women on U19 academy squads at clubs where separate men's & women's side co-exist side by side (Hamilton, Clayton, Metros, Riverside to name four examples) will factor into the development cycle.
There will be a top tier Premier League, which will start off with all coed sides, with second & third tiers that will be broken down geographically, and partly with a mix of single & mixed gender members; one section of the second tier will consist of sides from the Championship & 2nd Division clubs where there is no women's department.

The longer term aim is to identify players who are at different points on the development curve, and whether increased exposure to better quality opposition raises a player's overall improvement.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Season Review--National League 3rd Division

The move to a four team playoff proved to be unfortunate for the two sectional champions, as Ravens & Leiderkranz eliminated East Endborough & Maineville to earn promotion to the 2nd Division. The leap from the FAC Shield to the 3rd Division seems to be too large of a gap as three of the four promoted sides from a year ago will return to the Shield, with record point differentials from the top finishers.

East Section
 1 East Endborough AFC	     40   24   9   7   105   63  +42	81	
 2 Ravens FC      	     40   25   6   9   105   69  +36	81
 3 Fairport City FC 	     40   22  12   6    84   42  +42    78	
 4 St Pat's AC		     40   22   9   9    82   50  +32    75
 5 Fairport Harbor FC	     40   20   8  12    74   56  +18    68
 6 Kellerville AFC	     40   19   6  15    80   76   +4    63
 7 Greenlea United FC	     40   18   9  13    73   65   +8    63
 8 Jamestown Rovers FC	     40   15  13  12    84   80   +4    58
 9 Lewiston Town FC	     40   15  10  15    57   58   -1    55 
10 Eastview SC		     40   14   8  18    75   78   -3    50
11 Forresters FC	     40   14   8  18    44   54  -10    50
12 Valley View SC	     40   13   5  22    60   86  -26    44
13 Dragons FC		     40    9   8  23    62   99  -37    35
14 West Liberty Rovers FC    40    4   7  29    16   69  -53    19

West Section
 1 Maineville Marauders      40   27   6   7    98   46  +52    87
 2 SK Leiderkranz-Turner     40   26   7   7   108   65  +43    85 
 3 Trinity FC		     40   23   5  12    81   61  +20    74
 4 Brentwood Borough FC      40   21   7  12    92   61  +31    70
 5 Andover Borough SC	     40   20   6  14    79   71   +8    66
 6 ROCK Utd		     40   15  13  12    65   65    0    58
 7 Maritime Athletic SC      40   15  12  13    80   73   +7    57
 8 Springfield City FC	     40   15   9  16    50   46   +4    54
 9 Principia SC		     40   13  13  14    58   69  -11    52
10 Sherwood Forest FC	     40   12   9  19    47   62  -15    45
11 Westphalia County FC      40   11   8  21    62   71   -9    41
12 Shiloh FC		     40    5   8  27    50   97  -47    23
13 West Chester FC	     40    5   6  29    59  126  -67    21
14 Blacksburg Area FC	     40    3   3  34    13   75  -62    12

promoted
relegated

Playoff Semi-Finals
1st Leg
Ravens FC 4–1 Maineville Marauders
SK Leiderkranz-Turner 2–2 East Endinborough AFC

2nd Leg
Maineville Marauders 2–1 Ravens FC (Ravens win 5-3)
East Endinborough AFC 3–3 SK Leiderkranz-Turner (tied 5-5, Leiderkranz win on away goals)

Playoff Final (both teams promoted to 2nd Division)

Ravens FC 3–1 SK Leiderkranz-Turner (at BBP National Stadium, att—62,270)

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Season Review--National Conference

The third season of mixed gender competition saw a changing of the guard, as Great Northern RR FC dethroned the two-time defending champions Crusaders FC to win the club's first professional Divisional crown on the occasion of their 125th anniversary; charter members of the FAC, the National League 2nd Division and the Conference, GNRR will take the second FAC slot in the IFCF Liga B Challengers Cup alongside Newmarket Ladies.

Pld    
 1 Great Northern         42   29   6   7   108   65  +43    93
 2 Broadview AFC          42   25  10   7    94   55  +39    85
 3 Far Hills              42   25  10   7    91   63  +28    85
 4 Castleford             42   24   9   9    65   42  +23    81
 5 Bergholz Caledonian    42   24   5  13    97   78  +19    77
 6 Haskins Blues          42   23   7  12   101   73  +28    76
 7 Ellesmere Woods        42   22  10  10   104   76  +28    76
 8 Crusaders FC           42   20  12  10   116   71  +45    72
 9 Forest Park            42   18  17   7   102   81  +21    71
10 Lima City United       42   20  10  12    85   64  +21    70
11 Jacksonville City      42   19  12  11    79   59  +20    69
12 Sorenberg Park         42   19   9  14    85   68  +17    66
13 Hannover United        42   19   9  14    84   69  +15    66
14 Pembroke St David's    42   15  11  16    72   89  −17    56
15 Hardun AC              42   11  11  20    66   77  −11    44
16 Greenville Twp         42    9   8  25    54   91  −37    35
17 Jennings Borough       42    7  13  22    58   92  −34    34
18 Dalton United          42    6  16  20    27   60  −33    34
19 Liberty FC             42    7   8  27    35   75  −40    29
20 Paintersville FC       42    7   7  28    43   97  −54    28
21 Lower Valley Lions     42    4   7  31    34   90  −56    19
22 Mooresville Celtic     42    1   9  32    36  101  −65    12

Liga B Challenge Cup

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Season Review--Women's National League

Newmarket Ladies ran away from the rest of the division, finishing 11 points ahead of second place Sherwood Forest Ladies and 17 points ahead of defending champions Greenlea United Ladies to claim their fourth title, the first in 20 years.

1 Newmarket Ladies SC             38   28   5   5    91   53  +38    89
 2 Sherwood Forest Ladies FC       38   24   6   8   100   65  +35    78
 3 Brentford Ladies FC             38   22   9   7    90   55  +35    75
 4 Greenlea United Ladies SC       38   21   9   8   105   73  +32    72
 5 Hamiliton Wanderers Ladies SC   38   19  10   9    64   50  +14    67
 6 Middletown City FC Women        38   18  12   8    84   60  +24    66
 7 Ravens FC Ladies                38   17  11  10    58   50   +8    62
 8 Clayton City Ladies FC          38   18   7  13    91   81  +10    61
 9 Leiderkranz Ladies SC           38   15  10  13    81   73   +8    55
10 Jamestown City Ladies FC        38   15  10  13    73   72   +1    55
11 Southend AC Ladies              38   14   7  17    57   74  −17    49
12 Shirley Metros Ladies FC        38   14   6  18    65   71   −6    48
13 Westwood Sprites Ladies FC      38   12  11  15    68   70   −2    47
14 Shiloh FC Ladies                38   12   8  18    79   82   −3    44
15 Meadowdale Ladies FC            38   12   7  19    60   67   −7    43
16 Ridge Raiders Ladies FC         38    9   9  20    50   71  −21    36
17 Linden Ladies FC                38    9   5  24    56   89  −33    32
18 Riverside City Ladies FC        38    6  12  20    50   78  −28    30
19 Llewellyn Turnpike Ladies FC    38    7   8  23    53   96  −43    29
20 E Endborough Ladies FC          38    5   4  29    52   97  −45    19

Liga B Challengers Cup

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Season Review--National League 2nd Division

Two of the country's most successful and best supported clubs--Victoria & Albert SC and Monmouth Park FC--claimed promotion back to the Championship after having spent time in exile in the lower tier. Westwood Sprites, Nor-Dale, Richmond Station and Salisbury City could only rue their misfortune in dropping points at crucial stages that kept them out of a return to the top flight.

Spare a thought for Carlisle FC, after having spent their entire history outside of the National League, were finally promoted to the Conference in 1977, only to be relegated two seasons later; it wasn't until 2006 that they got a second chance, winning the FAC Shield, then sustaining an 11 season run in the Conference, earning a promotion for the first time to the 3rd Division in 2018. Six years there culminated in their finishing runner-up to Coolville United in the 3rd Division playoff, which meant that they would play in the second tier of the League for the first time in the club's history, less than 20 years after they played in the Shield. But the 2nd was a step too far for the "C's", which sees them relegated for only the second time in their history.

1 Monmouth Park FC 	    38   20   9   9    80   54  +26    69
 2 Victoria & Albert SC     38   19  10   9    86   66  +20    67
 3 Westwood Sprites         38   19   8  11    89   63  +26    65
 4 Nor-Dale AFC             38   19   7  12    73   64   +9    64
 5 Richmond Station FC      38   18  10  10    62   45  +17    64
 6 Salisbury City FC        38   19   6  13    85   77   +8    63
 7 Corinthians              38   18   7  13    78   74   +4    61
 8 Middletown City FC       38   17  10  11    85   82   +3    61
 9 Jamestown City FC        38   18   5  15    78   75   +3    59
10 Middlebourne City AFC    38   17   7  14    91   80  +11    58
11 Newmarket Saxons FC      38   17   7  14    76   71   +5    58
12 Meadowdale FC            38   16   8  14    61   57   +4    56
13 Brentford FC             38   16   6  16    74   77   −3    54
14 North Royalton Town FC   38    9  17  12    67   70   −3    44
15 Bridgend Metros FC       38   13   4  21    60   80  −20    43
16 Mansfield C&W FC         38   12   7  19    52   69  −17    43
17 Linden Woods FC          38   11  10  17    77   78   −1    43
18 Coolville United         38   11   7  20    72   87  −15    40
19 Alton Athletic Club      38    8   8  22    56   87  −31    32
20 Carlisle FC              38    3   7  28    21   67  −46    16

promoted
relegated

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Season Review--FAC Youth Academy Premier Division

The first centrally organized national competition for youth academy sides was deemed a huge success, as competition across all three levels and the individual divisions showed the strength of player development across the Commonwealth.

1 Southend AC Coed            26   13   7   6    45   34  +11    46
 2 Newmarket Coed              26   13   6   7    41   34   +7    45
 3 Riverside City Coed         26   13   4   9    40   36   +4    43
 4 Jamestown City Coed         26   12   6   8    42   39   +3    42
 5 Middletown City Coed        26   11   8   7    45   40   +5    41
 6 Lima City United Coed       26   11   6   9    37   34   +3    39
 7 Clayton City Coed           26   11   5  10    41   31  +10    38
 8 Westwood Sprites Coed       26   10   6  10    29   37   −8    36
 9 Shirley Metros Coed         26    9   6  11    33   38   −5    33
10 Forest Park Coed            26    8   7  11    45   41   +4    31
11 Broadview AFC Coed          26    8   5  13    31   41  −10    29
12 Crusaders Coed              26    7   8  11    31   36   −5    29
13 Llewellyn Turnpike Coed     26    7   7  12    43   51   −8    28
14 Hamilton Wanderers Coed     26    5   7  14    37   48  −11    22

IFCF Rising Stars Cup

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Season Review--FAC Shield

The FAC Shield welcomed half a dozen new clubs for a milestone campaign, which pushed overall attendance in the league to a new record based on average per match.
Jeromesville win the 70th FAC Shield, becoming the 48th different club to have its name engraved on the trophy. The crowd was the largest ever to witness two members of the Shield in competition, due to the proximity of both clubs.

East
1 Lynchana Borderers AC      38   25   5   8    93   60  +33    80
 2 Patterson Park FC          38   23   8   7    91   60  +31    77
 3 Center Point FC & RFC      38   21   9   8    86   62  +24    72
 4 East Liverpool SC          38   20  10   8    57   36  +21    70
   Mansfield County SC        38   20  10   8    79   58  +21    70
 6 Engineers Club             38   20   9   9    86   64  +22    69
 7 McIlroy Station FC         38   18  13   7    42   27  +15    67
 8 Union Miners FC            38   18   8  12    71   63   +8    62
 9 New Harmony FC             38   17  10  11    57   38  +19    61
10 St John's SC               38   15  11  12    58   50   +8    56
11 Red Wing FC                38   15   7  16    75   80   −5    52
12 Charter Twp FC             38   12  13  13    70   71   −1    49
13 Meadowlarks SC             38   12  11  15    50   44   +6    47
14 Milton AFC                 38   12   6  20    60   69   −9    42
15 Mel-Wood FC                38    8  12  18    49   74  −25    36
16 Maplewood AFC              38    9   4  25    61   88  −27    31
17 New Richmond FC            38    6  11  21    51   83  −32    29
18 Riverdale United FC        38    6  10  22    41   75  −34    28
19 Spring Valley FC           38    7   6  25    30   74  −44    27
20 Tri-Village United FC      38    5   9  24    46   77  −31    24

West
1 Western & Southern RR FC   38   27   6   5   101   53  +48    87
 2 Jeromesville FC            38   26   4   8    83   39  +44    82
 3 State Univ FC              38   25   6   7    82   45  +37    81
 4 Collinsville United FC     38   23   8   7   104   60  +44    77
 5 Berwick Rangers FC         38   22   9   7    61   36  +25    75
 6 Ridge Raiders SC           38   21   9   8    96   69  +27    72
 7 Linden Lions FC            38   19  10   9    79   59  +20    67
 8 Blue Aces SC               38   19   7  12    56   44  +12    64
 9 Hampton SC                 38   15  12  11    43   43    0    57
10 West Alden United FC       38   15   9  14    54   47   +7    54
11 Edgewood Eagles SC         38   14   8  16    43   44   −1    50
12 East Linden SC             38   13   6  19    54   60   −6    45
13 Brecon Borough FC          38   12   8  18    54   64  −10    44
14 Battenberg Bruins SC       38   11   9  18    63   86  −23    42
15 FC Monroe Central          38    8  13  17    27   50  −23    37
16 RFCP AC                    38    9   4  25    26   64  −38    31
17 Independent Laborers AC    38    5  14  19    51   84  −33    29
18 Georgetown Athletic Club   38    6   8  24    60  103  −43    26
19 Jaynesville SC             38    5  10  23    40   74  −34    25
20 Wagnerfield Kickers SC     38    2   6  30    41   94  −53    12

Playoffs (all four clubs promoted to the Third Division)
Semi-Finals
1st Leg
Jeromesville FC 4–0 Lynchana Borderers AC
Patterson Park FC 8–1 Western & Southern RR FC

2nd Leg
Lynchana Borderers AC 4–5 Jeromesville FC (Jeromesville win 9-4)
Western & Southern RR FC 2–1 Patterson Park FC (Patterson Park win 9-3)

Final
Jeromesville FC 1–0 Patterson Park FC (at BBP Stadium, Belle Haven att—65,616)

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

FAC Trophy Review

First Round
Hartley Community Club 0–1 Milton AFC
Frankenburg AC 1–1 Griffith Borough Amateurs FC (1–2 AET)
Linden Lions FC 1–1 White River Twp FC (1–2 AET)
Ralston United FC 2–5 Maplewood AFC
Jeromeville FC 2–1 Tri-Village United FC
Berwick Rangers FC 0–0 FC Monroe Central (1–0 AET)
Cloppenburg Township SC 0–1 Brecon Borough FC
RFCP AC 0–2 Riverdale United FC
Alexandria Borough AFC 0–3 Lake County FC
Georgetown Athletic Club 3–1 Albion Borough SC
Bowling Green FC 0–1 Deptford AC
Battenberg Bruins SC 5–4 Salisbury County FC
Wagnerfield Kickers SC 4–4 Center Point FC & RFC (4–4 AET) (3–4 pen.)
Lynchana Borderers AC 1–1 West Alden United FC (1–2 AET)
St John's SC 3–1 New Richmond FC
Ridge Raiders SC 1–3 Red Wing FC
Edgewood Eagles SC 1–4 McIlroy Station FC
Jaynesville SC 2–0 Queens Park FC
Independent Laborers AC 0–0 Meadowlarks SC (2–0 AET)
Charter Twp FC 1–0 East Linden SC
New Harmony FC 1–1 Mel-Wood FC (1–1 AET) (3–4 pen.)
West Oceana Athletic FC 1–1 Spring Valley FC (2–2 AET) (6–7 pen.)

Second Round
Jaynesville SC 0–0 Union Miners FC (1–1 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Red Wing FC 0–1 Patterson Park FC
Blue Aces SC 3–2 Western & Southern RR FC
Brecon Borough FC 4–0 White River Twp FC
McIlroy Station FC 2–0 Mel-Wood FC
Deptford AC 0–0 Hampton SC (0–0 AET) (3–1 pen.)
Berwick Rangers FC 0–0 Independent Laborers AC (1–1 AET) (5–4 pen.)
Riverdale United FC 2–7 Mansfield County SC
Center Point FC & RFC 3–1 West Alden United FC
Battenberg Bruins SC 3–1 Georgetown Athletic Club
Charter Twp FC 4–6 State Univ FC
Maplewood AFC 0–0 Griffith Borough Amateurs FC (0–0 AET) (2–4 pen.)
Collinsville United FC 1–0 East Liverpool SC
Lake County FC 1–4 Spring Valley FC
Milton AFC 2–5 Jeromeville FC
Engineers Club 1–0 St John's SC

Third Round
Patterson Park FC 1–0 Spring Valley FC
Engineers Club 3–1 Berwick Rangers FC
State Univ FC 2–1 McIlroy Station FC
Center Point FC & RFC 3–0 Brecon Borough FC
Battenberg Bruins SC 3–2 Jaynesville SC
Griffith Borough Amateurs FC 1–1 Mansfield County SC (2–3 AET)
Blue Aces SC 1–1 Collinsville United FC (2–1 AET)
Jeromeville FC 2–2 Deptford AC (2–4 AET)

Quarterfinals
Blue Aces SC 3–4 Patterson Park FC
Engineers Club 3–0 Deptford AC
State Univ FC 2–1 Battenberg Bruins SC
Mansfield County SC 2–3 Center Point FC & RFC

Semi-Finals
Center Point FC & RFC 2–1 State Univ FC (at FSFB Stadium, New Bremen)
Engineers Club 3–4 Patterson Park FC (at Fritz Schafer Stadium, Hannover)

Final (at BBP Stadium, Belle Haven)

Patterson Park FC 0–1 Center Point FC & RFC

Center Point FC won the club's first ever soccer trophy in its 102 year history as they downed the favorites from Patterson Park to win the 99th FAC Trophy in front of 24,529.

The Pointers are one of the most successful rugby clubs in the Commonwealth, having won the Montieth Shield on eight occasions and the CRU Challenge Cup 5 times; although it has been questioned for over 10 years by members why the soccer section of the club still remains relevant in this day and age, there has never been an organized effort to spin the soccer side off on its own or to merge it with one their nearby rivals.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Season Review--National League Championship

Asbury Park won their second ever Championship title--10 years after their first trophy--holding off Dalton, Southend, and defending champions New Bremen in a four team fight.

At the bottom of the table, North Lima found a scoring touch after languishing in 18th for most of the first 2/3 of the season, while Riverside City and Sanborn Borough couldn't prevent a return to the 2nd Division, wracked by injuries and inconsistency throughout the campaign.

1 Asbury Park FC            34   23   6   5    71   45  +26    75
 2 Dalton Town FC            34   22   7   5    69   46  +23    73
 3 Southend AC               34   22   6   6    82   53  +29    72
 4 New Bremen FC             34   22   5   7    49   26  +23    71
 5 Clayton City SC           34   15  10   9    76   61  +15    55
 6 Learfield FC              34   15   9  10    56   44  +12    54
 7 Ezriquay United FC        34   14  10  10    70   53  +17    52
 8 Llewellyn Turnpike SC     34   14   8  12    75   72   +3    50
 9 Shirley Metros FC         34   13  10  11    62   48  +14    49
10 Midtown Athletic Club     34   14   6  14    76   69   +7    48
11 Hillsborough FC           34   12  11  11    61   58   +3    47
12 St Warren City FC         34   13   5  16    62   60   +2    44
13 Hamilton Wanderers FC     34    7  11  16    37   53  −16    32
14 Newport City FC           34    7   9  18    55   72  −17    30
15 Marshallton Athletic SC   34    7   8  19    58   84  −26    29
16 North Lima SC             34    6   8  20    19   45  −26    26
17 Riverside City FC         34    4   7  23    35   76  −41    19
18 Sanborn Borough SC        34    3  10  21    42   90  −48    19

IFCF Champions League
IFCF Challengers Cup
IFCF Cup Winners Cup

relegated

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

FAC Cup Review

Preliminary & Qualifying Rounds
they happened.

First Round
Carlisle FC 2–3 Valley View SC
Meadowdale FC 1–0 Alton Athletic Club
Haskins Blues 2–0 Bridgend Metros FC
Ravens FC 1–1 Coolville United FC
Maineville Marauders 3–3 Springfield City FC
Kellerville AFC 1–3 Far Hills
Lower Valley Lions 3–4 St Pat's AC
East Endborough AFC 2–5 Newmarket Saxons Fc
Hardun AC 4–3 Forest Park
Greenville Twp 2–2 Lynchana Borderers AC
Liberty FC 0–0 Westphalia County FC
Crusaders FC 2–0 Dalton United
Hannover United 0–0 North Royalton Town FC
Salisbury City FC 3–3 Jacksonville City

Replays
Coolville United FC 3–1 Ravens FC
Springfield City FC 0–3 Maineville Marauders
Lynchana Borderers AC 1–2 Greenville Twp
Westphalia County FC 0–0 Liberty FC (0–0 AET) (4–5 pen.)
North Royalton Town FC 2–0 Hannover United
Jacksonville City 4–5 Salisbury City FC

Second Round
Mansfield C&W FC 1–1 Haskins Blues
Meadowdale FC 1–1 Far Hills
Valley View SC 3–4 Jamestown City FC
Westwood Sprites FC 1–0 Liberty FC
Linden Woods FC 4–4 Victoria & Albert SC
Salisbury City FC 6–2 St Pats AC
Hardun AC 3–6 Monmouth Park FC
Nor-Dale AFC 2–0 Brentford FC
Crusaders FC 1–0 Maineville Marauders
Greenville Twp 1–5 North Royalton Town FC
Newmarket Saxons FC 1–2 Middletown City FC
Middlebourne City AFC 5–1 Coolville United FC

Replays
Haskins Blues 2–3 Mansfield C&W FC
Far Hills 4–4 Meadowdale FC (6–5 AET)
Victoria & Albert SC 3–2 Linden Woods FC

Third Round
St Warren City FC 1–3 New Bremen FC
Asbury Park FC 2–0 Hillsborough FC
Mansfield C&W FC 2–2 Dalton Town FC
Shirley Metros FC 0–0 Riverside City FC
Middletown City FC 5–1 Jamestown City FC
North Lima SC 1–1 Learfield FC
Midtown Athletic Club 2–1 Victoria & Albert SC
Richmond Station FC 1–0 Eqriquay United FC
Hamilton Wanderers FC 3–4 Sanborn Borough SC
Nor-Dale AFC 2–1 Westwood Sprites FC
Salisbury City FC 5–1 Far Hills SC
Middlebourne City AFC 3–2 Crusaders FC
North Royalton Town FC 1–1 Monmouth Park FC
Corinthians FC 1–2 Clayton City SC
Llewellyn Turnpike SC 3–2 Southend AC
Marshallton Athletic SC 1–0 Newport City FC

Replays
Dalton Town FC 1–0 Mansfield C&W FC
Riverside City FC 0–2 Shirley Metros FC
Learfield FC 3–0 North Lima SC
Monmouth Park FC 5–1 North Royalton Town FC

Fourth Round
Middlebourne City AFC 1–0 Midtown Athletic Club
Asbury Park FC 4–1 Nor-Dale AFC
Learfield FC 4–1 Llewellyn Turnpike SC
New Bremen FC 3–5 Clayton City SC
Shirley Metros FC 1–2 Sanborn Borough SC
Monmouth Park FC 2–0 Salisbury City FC
Middletown City FC 1–1 Marshallton Athletic SC
Richmond Station FC 2–1 Dalton Town FC

Replay
Marshallton Athletic SC 2–1 Middletown City FC

Quarterfinals
Sanborn Borough SC 0–2 Middlebourne City AFC
Learfield FC 1–0 Richmond Station FC
Marshallton Athletic SC 2–2 Monmouth Park FC
Clayton City SC 4–4 Asbury Park FC

Replays
Monmouth Park FC 2–0 Marshallton Athletic SC
Asbury Park FC 0–4 Clayton City SC

Semi Finals (@ BBP Stadium, Belle Haven)
Clayton City SC 4–2 Middlebourne City AFC
Monmouth Park FC 2–1 Learfield FC

Final (@ BBP Stadium, Belle Haven)

Clayton City SC 4–1 Monmouth Park FC

Clayton City captured their fourth title in the 116th FAC Cup Final, denying Monmouth Park a rare double of 2nd Division/Cup victories.
It also marked the first time a club had won both major domestic Cup competitions, following the CC Ladies winning the Women's FAC Cup.