American Football Association Cup 1917 - Eastern Region
Burlington Green Mountainmen pulled off a huge upset in the first round over Old Nassau 1869. Otherwise, things typically followed the seedings, with the other Top 4 seeds – Kearny Caledonians, defending champion Philadelphia Sports Club, and Baltimore Bannerets - all making it to the regional semifinals.  Brooklyn Bridegrooms took the final spot and upset Kearny to reach the final.  Philadelphia Sports Club edged Baltimore Bannerets to return to the regional final. The game is scheduled to take place at Eastern Park in Brooklyn.

American Football Association Cup 1917 – Midwest Region

Upsets ruled the day in the Midwest Region of the AFA Cup.  Perennial powerhouse Milwaukee Brewmasters were dropped by St. Louis Crociati in the first round.  The Cleveland Longlegs might be getting promoted to the Ultimate Division, but they were knocked down by Madison Iceboats.  The Iceboats proceeded to take down Mound City before eventually falling to another big surprise, Muskegon Clearcutters.  The Clearcutters shocked the Indianapolis Speedsters, and they then followed with a victory of the Penultimate-demoted St. Paul Boreads.  Muskegon’s luck ran out when they faced Milwaukee Cream City in the Region Semi-Final.

On the other side of the bracket, the resurgent and newly-promoted Chicago West Side Kicks blazed their path to the Region Final.  The luck of the draw had most of the Buckeye State entrants grouped together.  The Mid-American Regional’s Toledo Glassmakers shocked the Ultimate Division’s Akron Vulcanites, then eked out a victory over the Penultimate’s Columbus Arches, before downing the Ultimate’s Cleveland Forest in the Region Semi-final.  The Cinderella run came to a halt in Chicago as the West Side Kicks triumphed 2-1.
 

American Football Association Cup 1917 – Western Region Final
In the Western Region, perennial powers Los Angeles Pumpjacks, Alameda Nightstalkers, and Tacoma Olympians all advanced to the Region semi-finals.  The young Phoenix Helios club made a surprising run to the semi-finals as well.  Both of the semi-finals were won by one-goal margins, setting up the final at the Oil Field in Los Angeles between the defending champion Pumpjacks and the Tacoma Olympians.
 
Hopes were high at the Oil Field for a repeat title for the Pumpjacks.  After having narrowly secured the Regional Division title, the Pumpjacks were looking to cement their unquestioned dominance of the west.  The Pumpjacks’ lethal center forward Ralph Noble opened up the scoring in the 19th minute with a dazzling display of footwork through the Olympians’ penalty area leading to a neatly placed ball inside of the far post.  Noble then set up Easton Christensen with a tricky heel pass which the Inside Right buried in the upper corner.
 
After the halftime pause, Tacoma came out pressing all over the pitch.  While Olympians’ intensity could not be doubted, their discipline could be questioned.  After overloading while the Pumpjacks worked the ball on the right side, they left a massive opening on the left side, into which a long ball from Right Fullback found an unmarked Left Halfback Marlon Pennington.  Nobody could catch the speedy Pennington as he dribbled unimpeded from the halfway line and swerved around the hapless Jim Simms for the third goal.
 
Hope rose in the hearts of the Tacoma supporters when Will Schaefer converted a penalty kick after being dragged down.  Fear formed in the hearts of the Pumpjacks fans when Sherman Dwyer headed in a corner kick to narrow the margin to a single goal.  Despite repeated assaults on the Pumpjacks’ goal, Tacoma could not get anything past Willy Rice for the remainder the match.

 

Last edited by Goldengoose05 (3/08/2024 9:21 am)

American Football Association Cup 1917 – South Region Final
The preliminary rounds went mostly as expected with the three of the top four seeds reaching the Region Semi-Finals.  The Chattanooga Switchmen were the only one of the top four to not advance, falling in a crushing 4-1 loss to Oklahoma City.  The Windstorms’ success was short-lived as Dallas trounced them in the Quarter-Finals.  Regional Division champion Nashville Athenians continued on their path towards a second title by then taking down the Cotton Bolls 4-2. 
 
On the other side of the bracket, Charlotte Coronets took down the defending Region titlist Memphis Americans in the first round and then trounced Tulsa Oilstrikers.   Birmingham only snuck by Houston Texian FC and Little Rock Arsenal by one-goal margins.  The Baronets’ luck ran out in the semi-final as they suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to the Coronets.
 
In the South Region Final, the Athenium was packed with Athenian fans, in either expectation of another title for the year.  The raucous crowd was quickly quieted when Brandon Huang opened the scoring with a left-footed strike in the first minute.  The lead doubled six minutes later after a Douglas Sullivan free kick.  The Athenians got over their shock and pulled a goal back when Brice Ross slotted a pinpoint pass from Willy Lewis into the Coronets’ net.  Hope was dashed when Art Roach responded nine minutes later with a thundering volley.  Hope was quashed when Roach struck again three minutes before halftime.  The second half saw the Coronets come out in an unyielding defensive pose in order to keep the scoreline unchanged.  It was a second consecutive Region Final loss for the Athenians and a denial of their attempt for a “title two-step.”

Last edited by Goldengoose05 (3/14/2024 9:58 pm)

American Football Association Cup 1917 – Finals: 1st Leg
The advantage of opening the finals at Oil Field did not prove out for the Los Angeles Pumpjacks.  The high-flying attack could not find a way to crack the Charlotte defense.  The Coronets took an ever more defensive pose with each passing minute, content in securing a draw.  While Los Angeles continued to send long balls forward, the Coronets were always in position to clear the ball from danger.  There were no true scoring opportunities, leaving a very dejected Pumpjacks squad and fanbase at the final whistle.



 
 American Football Association Cup 1917 – Finals: 2nd Leg
Confidence was strong in the air about Charlotte as the second leg began.  After holding the high-powered Pumpjacks to a draw in Los Angeles, the Coronets had high hopes of securing the AFA Cup.  Charlotte came out with a much more offensive mindset, and they were on the front foot from the opening minutes of the match.  Their dominance provided a few scoring opportunities, but Brice Ross’ touch failed him time and again.  The pain of the wasted opportunities increased even more when Buchanan’s powerful free kick found its way through a nervous Coronet wall.  Cooper Howard doubled the lead for Los Angeles after Davis Dyer set him up with a deft touch.  Outside Left Brandon Sheppard closed out the scoring shortly after halftime when he volleyed a line drive cross served up by his outside counterpart Rolando Hollaway.  The crowd at Wearn Field had to grudgingly admit that the Pumpjacks were the better team that team, and at the final whistle they politely applauded the visitors’ victory.