The 2021 Men's League1 Ontario season was the seventh season of play (the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) 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.
Impact of COVID-19 After the 2020 League1 Ontario season was cancelled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league was optimistic that the 2021 season would be able to proceed. The league initially announced a projected start date of July 2, 2021, also announcing a 'drop-dead date' of June 7, 2021 that will confirm the start of the season on that date depending on restrictions in the province, otherwise the season would be cancelled. In mid-June, the league start date was later revised to July 29, 2021, in accordance with the local re-opening plans.
Format The league was divided into two divisions with the East Division having seven teams and the West division having eight teams. Each team played 12 games against teams in their own divisions (East played each opponent home and away, while West played five of the teams twice, and the remaining two teams once). The top two teams from each division advanced to the playoff semi-finals, with the winner of the championship final in November qualifying for the 2022 Canadian Championship.
Because the season began three months later than normal and with very short notice, some clubs have opted to delay their return to Premier Division competition until the 2022 season. As a large portion of the L1O player pool consisted of university and college student athletes, some sides would have limited squads after Labour Day. To combat these challenges, the league created a short-season ‘Summer Championship Series’ for 2021, which will conclude by Labour Day.
In addition, the Reserve Division will return, following a similar format to the Premier Division, featuring 21 teams in three division playing 12 matches, with the top teams advancing to the playoffs and featuring Championship Finals weekend on November 6-7.
Clubs The men's division consists of 21 teams, an increase from 17 teams in 2020. 1812 FC Barrie, Guelph United F.C., Scrosoppi FC, St. Catharines Roma Wolves, and Waterloo United are new entries, while Aurora FC will not be returning. Hamilton United, who joined in 2020, will also be debuting after their inaugural season was cancelled due to the pandemic. However, some teams opted out of the main division due to the delayed start, resulting in only 15 teams participating. Some of these clubs will still operate teams in the short-season Summer Championship or full length Reserve Division.
The following clubs are set to participate in the league.
Team City Principal stadium Main Division Summer Championship Reserve Division 1812 FC Barrie Barrie / Brampton Terry Fox Stadium (Brampton) Alliance United FC Toronto Mount Joy Blue Devils FC Oakville Bronte Park Darby FC Whitby Whitby Soccer Centre Guelph United F.C. Guelph Alumni Stadium Hamilton United Hamilton Redeemer Sports Complex FC London London Hellenic Community Centre Master's Futbol Toronto L'Amoreaux Park (2 teams) North Mississauga SC Mississauga Paramount Fine Foods Centre North Toronto Nitros Toronto Downsview Turf 1 Pickering FC Pickering Kinsmen Park ProStars FC Brampton Victoria Park Stadium Scrosoppi FC Milton Bishop Reding Catholic Secondary School Sigma FC Mississauga Paramount Fine Foods Centre St. Catharines Roma Wolves St. Catharines Club Roma Stadium Toronto Skillz FC Toronto Birchmount Stadium Unionville Milliken SC Markham Bill Crothers Turf (2 teams) Vaughan Azzurri Vaughan North Maple Regional Park Waterloo United Waterloo RIM Park Windsor TFC Windsor Libro Centre Woodbridge Strikers Vaughan Vaughan Grove
The following clubs, while not formally part of League1 Ontario are operating teams in the Summer Championship or Reserve Divisions:
Team City Principal stadium Main Division Summer Championship Reserve Division Tecumseh SC Tecumseh University of Windsor Stadium Athlete Institute Orangeville The Hill Academy Toronto FC III (U19) Toronto BMO Training Ground Toronto FC IV (U17) Toronto BMO Training Ground Whitecaps London London North London Stadium FC Durham Academy Oshawa Vaso Field Richmond Hill SC Richmond Hill Richmond Green Rush Canada Academy Oakville Bronte Athletic Park
Premier Division East Division
West Division
Playoffs
Semifinals
Final
Statistics
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerClubGoals 1 Jace Kotsopoulos Guelph United 15 2 Ethan Gopaul FC London 11 Reshon Phillip Master's FA 4 Tomasz Skublak Guelph United 10 5 Johnson Amoo 1812 FC Barrie 8 Kadiebue Kadiebue Woodbridge Strikers Alexander Zis Guelph United 8 Leaford Allen Blue Devils FC 7 Jevontae Layne ProStars FC Raheem Rose Vaughan Azzurri Jason Squeo Sigma FC Updated to matches played on October 28, 2021. Source:
Top goalkeepers
RankPlayerClubMinutesGAA 1 Christian Calabro Vaughan Azzurri 788 1.03 2 Lucas Birnstingl Blue Devils FC 810 1.22 3 Svyatik Artemenko Guelph United 1080 1.25 4 Spiridon Koskinas Master's FA 636 1.27 5 Alexander Pothemont Woodbridge Strikers 810 1.33 Updated to matches played on October 28, 2021. Minimum 450 minutes played. Source:
Honours The following awards and nominations were awarded for the 2021 season.
Awards
East Division Award Player TeamMost Valuable Player Reshon Phillip Master's FACoach of the Year Patrice Gheisar Vaughan AzzurriTop Goalkeeper Quillan Roberts 1812 FC BarrieTop Defender Terrell Spencer Master's FATop Midfielder Francis Ameyaw Master's FA
West Division Award Player TeamMost Valuable Player Jace Kotsopoulos Guelph United F.C.Coach of the Year Keith Mason & Justin Springer Guelph United F.C.Top Goalkeeper Svyatoslav Artemenko Guelph United F.C.Top Defender Amardo Oakley Guelph United F.C.Top Midfielder Alex Zis Guelph United F.C.
League All-Stars
East Division Player Position Quillan Roberts (1812 FC Barrie) Goalkeeper Terrell Spencer (Master's FA) Defender Reggie Laryea (Vaughan Azzurri) Defender Keegan Wilson (Woodbridge Strikers) Defender Jarred Phillips (Vaughan Azzurri) Defender Francis Ameyaw (Master's FA) Midfielder Raheem Rose (Vaughan Azzurri) Midfielder Dante Pavan (Woodbridge Strikers) Midfielder Ali El-Zeir (1812 FC Barrie) Forward Reshon Phillip (Master's FA) Forward Shaquille Agard (Master's FA) Forward
West Division Player Position Svyatoslav Artemenko (Guelph United FC) Goalkeeper Amardo Oakley (Guelph United FC) Defender Adam Czerkawski (Blue Devils FC) Defender Bradley Heath (FC London) Defender Kyle Walton (Sigma FC) Defender Brandon Duarte (Blue Devils FC) Midfielder Alex Zis (Guelph United FC) Midfielder Dion Stergiotis (Guelph United FC) Midfielder Jace Kotsopoulos (Guelph United FC) Forward Tomasz Skublak (Guelph United FC) Forward Ethan Gopaul (FC London) Forward
Summer Championship Division Due to the delayed start to the season, some teams were unable to commit to the full season for the Premier Division. For 2021, a short season "Summer Championship" (also called the 'University' Division) was created which will conclude by Labour Day and will include some of the teams that could not participate in the full season.
Reserve Division East Division
Central Division
West Division
Playoffs
Semi-finals
Final
References
External links