Eight MMSL clubs learn opponents for Maryland State Cups

Eight Maryland Major Soccer League teams learned their opponents for the Rowland and Stewart Cup on December, 21 2009 when the Maryland State Soccer Association and Cup Commissioner, Fran McGrath, unveiled the 2010 Maryland State Cup draws.

In the 2009 Stewart Cup, which crowns the amateur state champion, MMSL Champions League champions Baltimore Bays Chelsea drew Cosmopolitan Soccer League (CSL) champion DC Flames in the 1st round. MMSL Champions League side FC Allyance drew a rematch with MMSL 2nd Division & DiMarco Cup champion Portside Tavern.  A month ago, these two clubs battled in the MMSL Steffen Champions Cup semi-finals where FC Allyance needed overtime to prevail on their way to the Steffen Cup championship. 

In other matchups, Christos, the MMSL Champions League runners-up and reigning Rowland Cup champion drew U17 side Bethesda Juventos from the Maryland Youth Soccer Association. Bushwallers FC, a perennial power in the Mason-Dixon Soccer League (MDSL), drew Jilly\'s Bar & Grill (formerly Hangover Utd) of the MMSL Champions League. MMSL club Mundo FC, coming off a Bernie Reif Cup championship, faces off against CSL side Maryland Kicks who are looking to improve on their 2009 appearance in the Stewart Cup when they lost to the Baltimore Kickers 1-0.

The final MMSL/CSL matchup features Select FC of the MMSL Champions League versus Real Mex of the CSL. The final 1st round match up features MMSL Champions League side Charm City FC versus MMSL 2nd Division side AEK Baltimore.

In the 2009 Rowland Cup, the Maryland Open championship open to professional players, reigning champ on 2009 MMSL Champions League runner-up Christos SC will square off with DMV United who recently won the Fall 2009 Mason Dixon Soccer League regular season with a 8-1-1 record. In other matchups, Select FC - who finished 6th in the MMSL Champions League - will face 4 time Cosmopolitan League Champions DC Flames.

Portside Tavern, who stormed through the MMSL 2nd division with an undefeated 13-1-0, get an opportunity to face MMSL Champions League champ Baltimore Bays Chelsea. Tir Na Nog Mundo FC, who will be relegated from the MMSL Champions League to MMSL 1st Division in 2010, faces MMSL 2nd Division side AEK Baltimore.  The remaining match ups include Steffen Cup champions FC Allyance battling Real Mex from the Cosmopolitan Soccer League and U17 Bethesda Juventos facing MMSL Champions League side Jilly\'s Bar & Grill. 

Stewart Cup 1st round games will start January 10 at Western Regional Park in Howard County, Maryland.  Rowland Cup 1st round games will start January 17 at Western Regional Park.