2018 League1 Ontario season explained

Competition:League1 Ontario
Men's Division
Season:2018
Winners:Vaughan Azzurri
Shield:Vaughan Azzurri
Shieldtitle:L1 Cup champions
Matches:136
Total Goals:488
League Topscorer:Anthony Novak
Best Goalkeeper:Lucas Birnstingl
Highest Scoring:


Nextseason:2019

The 2018 Men's League1 Ontario season was the fifth season of play for League1 Ontario, a Division 3 men's soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Vaughan Azzurri won the league championship and earned entry into the 2019 Canadian Championship; the top national tournament for men's soccer teams. Vaughan captured the league double for a second time by also winning the L1 Cup, a feat they first achieved in 2016. FC London finished the season with the best regular season record, earning 38 points in 16 games.

Changes from 2017

The men's division grew slightly to 17 teams for this season, with the addition of Darby FC, Unionville Milliken SC, and Alliance United FC (a joint partnership between Markham SC and Wexford SC).[1] Durham United FA and North Toronto Nitros did not return for this season.

During the off-season, Jim Brennan stepped down as head of Aurora FC to accept a position with York 9 FC in the Canadian Premier League.[2] FC London also announced the affiliation of its youth academy with professional side Toronto FC.[3]

This season saw expanded playoffs and a return to single-table competition for the men's division. The top eight teams overall from the men's division entered the playoffs, which consisted of a group stage and a final championship match between the winner of each group. The women's side saw a shorter season which ended in August, followed by a four-team elimination playoff for the league title.[4]

Teams

League1 Ontario Men's Division
TeamCityPrincipal stadiumFoundedFirst seasonHead coach
Alliance UnitedMarkhamCentennial Collegealign=center 2018align=center 2018 Ilya Orlov
Aurora FCAuroraStewart Burnett Parkalign=center 1964align=center 2016 Derek O'Keefe
Darby FCWhitbyWhitby Soccer Centrealign=center 2018align=center 2018 David Thorburn
FC LondonLondonGerman Canadian FC Stadiumalign=center 2008align=center 2016 Michael Marcoccia
Master's FutbolToronto (Scarborough)L'Amoreaux Parkalign=center 2012align=center 2014 Rick Titus
North Mississauga SCMississaugaHershey Centrealign=center 1982align=center 2016 Sam Medeiros[5]
Oakville Blue DevilsOakvilleSheridan Trafalgar Stadiumalign=center 1994align=center 2015 Duncan Wilde
Ottawa South United ForceOttawaQuinn's Pointealign=center 2017align=center 2017 Peter Mapendere
ProStars FCBramptonVictoria Park Stadiumalign=center 2015align=center 2015 Josef Komlodi
Sanjaxx LionsTorontoMonarch Park Stadiumalign=center 2012align=center 2015 Patrick Lowe
Sigma FCMississaugaHershey Centrealign=center 2005align=center 2014 Bobby Smyrniotis
Toronto FC IIIToronto (North York)KIA Training Groundalign=center 2008align=center 2014 Danny Dichio
Toronto Skillz FCToronto (Scarborough)Birchmount Stadiumalign=center 2008align=center 2016 Leslie Fitzpatrick
Unionville Milliken SCUnionvilleBill Crothers Parkalign=center 2018align=center 2018 Emanuele Ameltonis[6]
Vaughan AzzurriVaughan (Maple)McNaughton Parkalign=center 2014align=center 2014 Carmine Isacco
Windsor TFC StarsWindsorUniversity of Windsor Stadiumalign=center 2004align=center 2014 Zibby Piatkiewicz[7]
Woodbridge StrikersVaughan (Woodbridge)Vaughan Grovealign=center 1976align=center 2014 Peter Pinizzotto

Regular season

Each team played 16 matches as part of the season; one match against all other teams. The top eight teams competed in the league playoffs at the end of the season, the winner of which earned entry into the 2019 Canadian Championship.[8]

Playoffs

The top eight teams from the regular season were divided into two groups of four for the playoffs. Each team played three matches; one match against all other teams in their group. The top team from each group advanced to the league championship, the winner of which earned entry into the 2019 Canadian Championship.

Group stage

Group A
Group B

League Championship

The league champion was determined by a single match between the two group winners in the first round of the playoffs. The winner qualified for the 2019 Canadian Championship.

L1 Cup

The L1 Cup tournament is a separate contest from the rest of the season, in which all 17 teams from the men's division took part. It is not a form of playoffs at the end of the season (as is typically seen in North American sports), but is more like the EFL Cup, albeit only for League1 Ontario teams. All matches are separate from the regular season, and are not reflected in the season standings.

The cup tournament for the men's division is a single-match knockout tournament with a total of four rounds culminating in a final match in the start of August, with initial matches determined by random draw. Each match in the tournament must return a result; any match drawn after 90 minutes advanced directly to kicks from the penalty mark instead of extra time.[9]

Final

Statistics

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
align=center 1 Anthony NovakOakville Blue Devilsalign=center 18
align=center 2 Connor WilsonFC Londonalign=center 14
align=center rowspan=3 3 Zakaria AbdiToronto FC IIIalign=center 10
Jose De SousaMaster's Futbolalign=center 10
Dylan SacramentoVaughan Azzurrialign=center 10
align=center 6 Emmanuel IsaacWoodbridge Strikersalign=center 9
align=center 7 Steven FurlanoAlliance Unitedalign=center 8
align=center 8 Marcel ZajacSigma FCalign=center 7
align=center 9align=center colspan=2 (Ten players tied)align=center 6
Updated to matches played on August 18, 2018. Source: https://www.league1ontario.com/stats/league_instance/39720?order_by=soig&order_dir=DESC&stat_tab=soccer_individual&subseason=490480

Top goalkeepers

RankPlayerClubMinutesGAA
align=center 1 Lucas BirnstinglOakville / Unionville10800.42
align=center 2 Triston HenrySigma FC14400.56
align=center 3 Matt GeorgeOakville / Vaughan7200.75
align=center 4 Roberto StilloWoodbridge Strikers9000.90
align=center 5 Michael ArgyridesVaughan Azzurri2701.00
align=center 6 Anthony SokalskiFC London14401.19
align=center 7 Sebastien SgarbossaToronto FC III4501.20
align=center 8 Tayjon CampbellSanjaxx Lions8071.23
align=center 9 Karman SainiOakville Blue Devils3601.25
align=center 10 Mark RogalAlliance United11701.31
Updated to matches played on August 18, 2018. Minimum 270 minutes played. Source: https://www.league1ontario.com/stats/league_instance/55124?order_by=sogga&order_dir=ASC&stat_tab=soccer_goalkeeper&subseason=490480

Awards

The following players received honours in the 2018 season:[10]

AwardPlayer (Club)
Most Valuable PlayerDylan Sacramento (Vaughan Azzurri)
Golden BootAnthony Novak (Oakville Blue Devils)
Coach of the YearMike Marcoccia (FC London)
Young Players of the YearMarko Maletic (FC London)
Kunle Dada-Luke (Toronto FC III)
Defender of the YearDominic Samuel (Sigma FC)
Goalkeeper of the YearRobert Stillo (Woodbridge Strikers)
Fair Play AwardMatthew Arnone (Vaughan Azzurri)
Goal of the YearJack Sears (Darby FC)
First Team All-Stars
Second Team All-Stars
Third Team All-Stars

All-Star Game

The league announced that an All-Star Game between League1 Ontario and the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec (PLSQ) would once again take place this season. The game was hosted by the PLSQ and was played on June 30.

League1 Ontario All-Stars! Pos. !! Name !! Team
Starters
GK Sigma FC
D Woodbridge Strikers
D Sigma FC
D FC London
D Aurora FC
MF Woodbridge Strikers
MF Vaughan Azzurri
MF Masters FA
MF Sigma FC
F Vaughan Azzurri
F Oakville Blue Devils
Substitutes
GK Woodbridge Strikers
D Alliance United
D Alliance United
D Woodbridge Strikers
MF Alliance United
MF Darby FC
MF Sanjaxx Lions
F Unionville Milliken
F Sanjaxx Lions
F Sanjaxx Lions

Notes and References

  1. Web site: League1 expansion focus zooms in on Unionville, Markham entries. Markham Economist & Sun. John. Cudmore. December 21, 2017. 14 March 2018.
  2. Web site: Former TFC captain Jimmy Brennan steps down as Aurora FC executive director. Aurora Banner. December 30, 2017. John. Cudmore. 14 March 2018.
  3. Web site: FC London's academy changes look, adds programs with Toronto FC link. November 29, 2017. The London Free Press. Morris. Dalla Costa. 14 March 2018.
  4. Web site: 2018 League1 Ontario Season To Feature New Format, Divisional Configuration And Several Exciting New Additions. March 14, 2018. League1 Ontario. 14 March 2018.
  5. Web site: May 5, 2018 League 1 Ontario--North Mississauga Panthers vs Pro Stars FC game report (by Rocket Robin). Rocket Robin Soccer in Toronto. Robin. Glover. May 5, 2018. 2018-07-12.
  6. Web site: July 7, 2018 League 1 Ontario--Unionville Milliken FC vs Sigma FC game review (by Rocket Robin). Rocket Robin Soccer in Toronto. Robin. Glover. July 7, 2018. 2018-07-12.
  7. Web site: Windsor TFC finds new head coach. iHeartRadio. Ricardo. Vanza. April 15, 2017. CKLW. April 16, 2017.
  8. Web site: 2018 League1 Ontario Season To Feature New Format, Divisional Configuration And Several Exciting New Additions. League1 Ontario. March 14, 2018.
  9. Web site: Mens L1 Cup. League1 Ontario. 9 May 2018.
  10. Web site: Top 2018 Performers Recognized At Year-End Awards Gala. November 26, 2018. League1 Ontario.

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