Maryland Bobcats FC

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Maryland Bobcats FC
Maryland Bobcats FC logo.svg
Full nameMaryland Bobcats Football Club
Founded2016; 6 years ago (2016)
StadiumMaryland SoccerPlex
Boyds, Maryland
Capacity5,000
PresidentJay Saba
ManagerIdrissa Sesay
Head coachSamuel Okpodu
LeagueNational Independent Soccer Association
Fall 20219th Place
WebsiteClub website
Alternate colors
Current season

Maryland Bobcats FC, formerly World Class Premier Elite (WCPE), are an American soccer team and academy based in Montgomery County, Maryland, which was founded in 2016. The organization's professional team competes within the National Independent Soccer Association in the third division of U.S. Soccer. The Bobcats also field teams in both the United Premier Soccer League and Eastern Premier Soccer League.

History[]

Local and national amateur leagues[]

The club began as a men's amateur team as a way for friends to continue to stay in touch and for players to stay match fit when looking for potential professional playing opportunities. It went through name multiple name changes, settling on World Class Premier Elite as the club was gaining prominence. The club ended up having two men's teams playing in separate areas of the metro Washington D.C. area. WCP were the 2018 Spring Season champions in both the Washington Premier League (WPL) and Maryland Major Soccer League (MMSL).[1][2] Both leagues are affiliated with the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).

In fall of 2018, World Class Premier took part in the 2019 U.S. Open Cup qualification tournament and reached the final round before falling to Virginia United FC in a shootout.[3]

WCP were announced as the United Premier Soccer League's newest expansion into Maryland on November 30, 2018.[4] The team competes in the Northeast Conference and plays its UPSL home games at Montgomery Blair High School's football stadium, in Silver Spring, Maryland in compliance with UPSL's Minimum Standards.

During the 2019 Spring season, the team went nearly undefeated in the Mid-Atlantic Division North (9-0-1) and finished the regular season in first place. It went on to win the Division playoffs, beating San Lee FC and eventually in the final. WCP fell to eventual champions Florida Tropics SC in the National Quarterfinals on July 13.[5]

The following season, WCP (which later changed its name to Maryland Bobcats FC mid-season) finished the regular season undefeated. In the playoffs, the team won five straight games to win the UPSL's Mid-Atlantic Division, Northeast Conference, and eventually the Fall 2019 National Championship. The final, which was played at Barry University's Buccaneer Field in Miami Shores, Florida, saw the Bobcats defeat Santa Ana Winds FC, 3–1, in extra time.

On September 26, 2019, it was announced that the club would join the National Premier Soccer League as an expansion team. The Bobcats, originally accepted as WCP, were set to begin play in the Northeast Region's Mid-Atlantic Conference in 2020 with home matches being played at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland.[6] However, in March 2020, the league announced the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

In late 2019, the club announced it would be rebranding to Maryland Bobcats FC.

The club announced the a restructuring in the spring of 2020, which sees the Professional team on top, the Reserve Team (Maryland Bobcats FC II) underneath, and youth teams beneath the men's teams. The youth teams will have access to the men's teams and vice versa, and identified players will be brought up to potentially train and travel with the men's teams.

On August 6, 2020, Maryland Bobcats were announced as a new member of the Eastern Premier Soccer League.[8]

Jump to professional play[]

In mid July 2020, the Bobcats were announced as a participant in the inaugural NISA Independent Cup, a regional tournament held by the National Independent Soccer Association, a USSF sanctioned Division 3 league, between its professional members and independent pro / amateur teams.[9][10] The Bobcats were set the host the event's Mid-Atlantic Region which included FC Baltimore Christos, New Amsterdam FC, and the New York Cosmos at Maryland SoccerPlex before a surge in COVID-19 cases forced its postponement and relocation.[11] Following multiple weather delays, the Bobcats won the Mid-Atlantic region on Saturday, October 10.[12]

On July 27, 2020, the Bobcats announced it had applied to join NISA.[13][14] If accepted, it would be the state's first professional outdoor soccer team since Crystal Palace Baltimore. Maryland was officially announced as a new league member on October 13, 2020 with plans to begin play in Fall 2021.[15][16]

Players and staff[]

Current roster[]

As of May 27, 2021
No. Position Player Nation
1 GK  Nigeria
2 DF Philip Blystone  United States
3 DF Morian Moussi  United States
4 DF Dylan Ogletree  England
5 DF Javon Dawkins  United States
6 MF Pilawe Patrick Pato  Togo
7 MF Mohamed Jawara  France
8 MF Sammy Kahsai  Ethiopia
9 FW Tunde Akinlosotu  United States
10 FW Kay Banjo  United States
11 MF Bryce Orsini  United States
12 MF Bryan Argueta  El Salvador
13 MF Emilio Torres  United States
14 FW Elton Joe  Liberia
15 DF Richard Forka  United States
16 DF Davey Mason  United States
17 FW Adam Yingling  United States
18 MF Tony Tchani  Cameroon
19 DF Luis Galo Osorio  Honduras
20 GK Christian Caulker  Sierra Leone
21 MF Yaya Fane  Ivory Coast
22 MF Alex Kao  France
23 FW Levi Houapeu  Ivory Coast
24 MF Andy Alvarado  United States
25 DF Jake Dengler  United States
26 MF Josselin Possian  Ivory Coast
27 FW Khalid Balogun  United States
28 GK Daniel Olofinsua  United States
29 MF Samuel Edoung-Biyo  Cameroon
47 FW Taylor Gray  United States
70 FW Molley Karpeh Jr.  Liberia
77 MF Nico Brown  Jamaica
94 DF Trey Cooper  United States
99 FW James Sesay  Sierra Leone
— DF Medo Wilfred  United States
— MF Eduardo Jiménez  Panama

Year-by-year[]

Year League Regular Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Notes
2019 Spring UPSL 1st, Mid-Atlantic Division National Quarterfinals Forth Qualifying Round Lost to Florida Tropics SC in the National Quarterfinal
2019 Fall 1st, Beltway Division[17] National Champions Third Qualifying Round Defeated Santa Ana Winds FC in the National Final[18][19]
2020 Spring No league season due to COVID
2020 Fall Sat out season due to COVID-19 pandemic[20]

Honors[]

National Independent Soccer Association

  • NISA Independent Cup
    • Mid-Atlantic Region

United Premier Soccer League

  • National
    • Champion (1): Fall 2019
  • Conference
    • Northeast Champion (1): Fall 2019
  • Division
    • Mid-Atlantic
    • Beltway
      • Regular Season (1): Fall 2019
      • Playoffs (1): Fall 2019

References[]

  1. ^ Communications, MMSL (28 June 2018). "World Class Premier Elite win Maryland Majors Spring Championship". Maryland Major Soccer League. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  2. ^ ""Congratulations to @Worldclassprem , your Spring 2018 Helge Boes Cup (& regular season) champs!! 2-1 victors in 2nd stanza of AET over @YinzUnited to claim their 1st WPL championship"". Twitter. Washington Premier League. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  3. ^ Jones, Dillon. "2019 US Open Cup Qualifying: Virginia United rally twice to earn club its first USOC berth". TheCup.us. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  4. ^ "UPSL Announces Marylands World Class Premier Elite as Expansion Team". www.afchearts.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  5. ^ Alfaro, Carlos. "World Class Premier Elite excels in inaugural UPSL season". thesentinel.com. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  6. ^ "WORLD CLASS PREMIER ELITE JOINS THE NPSL FOR THE 2020 SEASON". NPSL. September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  7. ^ Prince-Wright, Joe (26 March 2020). "2020 NPSL season cancelled". ProSoccerTalk. NBC Sports. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  8. ^ "EPSL Welcomes the Maryland Bobcats FC". Eastern Premier Soccer League. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  9. ^ "NISA Independent Cup". www.nisaofficial.com. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  10. ^ Andrews, Kyle J. "FC Baltimore Christos set to return to play in Mid-Atlantic NISA Independent Cup". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  11. ^ "NISA Independent Cup Mid-Atlantic Region Update". www.nisaofficial.com. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  12. ^ FC, Maryland Bobcats (12 October 2020). "Maryland Bobcats FC Win 2020 NISA Independent Cup Mid-Atlantic Region". Maryland Bobcats FC. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Maryland Bobcats FC Apply to Join NISA". Maryland Bobcats FC. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  14. ^ Byck, Daniella (27 July 2020). "Maryland Is Getting a Professional Soccer Team". Washingtonian. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  15. ^ "NISA Officially Welcomes Maryland Bobcats FC". nisaofficial.com. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  16. ^ "Maryland Bobcats FC Announce hummel as Official Technical Apparel Partner". Maryland Bobcats FC Homepage. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  17. ^ "UPSL Northeast Conference - Beltway Division Regular Season Champions!". Maryland Bobcats FC. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  18. ^ "Fall 2019 UPSL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS". Maryland Bobcats FC. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  19. ^ Queen, Michelle (10 March 2020). "Council Recognizes National Champion Maryland Bobcats Soccer Team". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Update on club's decision on our @UPSLsoccer Fall 2020 season". Twitter. Maryland Bobcats FC. Retrieved 31 August 2020.

External links[]

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