2021 League1 Ontario season (women) explained

Competition:League1 Ontario
Women's Division
Dates:July 2, 2021 - November 7, 2021
Season:2021
Winners:Woodbridge Strikers
Shield:FC London
Shieldtitle:Regular Season Champions
Matches:42
Total Goals:180
League Topscorer:Jade Kovacevic (16)
Prevseason:2020
Nextseason:2022

The 2021 League1 Ontario season was the sixth season of play (the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) for the Women's Division of League1 Ontario, a Division 3 women's soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario.

The league 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.[1] [2]

Format

The league will be played in a single table of 7 teams, playing a total of 12 matches, with the top four clubs advancing to the playoffs.[3]

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 begin for the first time (after the inaugural women's reserve division was cancelled along with the rest of the league in 2020, following a similar format to the Premier Division, featuring 10 teams playing 12 matches, with the top teams advancing to the playoffs and featuring Championship Finals weekend on November 6-7.

Clubs

The women's division consists of 15 teams, an increase from 13 teams in 2020. Guelph Union, Tecumseh SC, and Waterloo United are new addition, while Aurora FC did not return.[4] North Toronto Nitros will also be making their official debut, after their inaugural season was cancelled due to the pandemic.

The following clubs are set to participate in the league:

TeamCityPrincipal stadiumMain DivisionSummer Championship DivisionReserve Division
Alliance United FCMount Joy & Centennial CollegeWithdrewDid not enterParticipating
Blue Devils FCOakvilleSheridan Trafalgar StadiumParticipatingParticipating (Two teams)Withdrew
Darby FCWhitbyWhitby Soccer Centre & Darlington FieldWithdrewParticipatingWithdrew
Hamilton UnitedHamiltonRon Joyce Stadium & Tim Hortons FieldParticipatingDid not enterWithdrew
FC LondonLondonGerman Canadian ClubParticipatingDid not enterParticipating
FC OshawaOshawaCivic StadiumWithdrewDid not enterWithdrew
Guelph UnionGuelphAlumni StadiumWithdrewParticipatingWithdrew
North Mississauga SCMississaugaParamount Fine Foods CentreWithdrewDid not enterParticipating
North Toronto NitrosTorontoDownsview TurfParticipatingDid not enterWithdrew
Pickering FCPickeringKinsmen ParkWithdrewDid not enterParticipating
Tecumseh SCTecumsehUniversity of Windsor StadiumParticipatingDid not enterParticipating
Unionville Milliken SCMarkhamAzzurri Village & Mount JoyWithdrewParticipatingParticipating
Vaughan AzzurriVaughanNorth Maple Regional ParkParticipatingParticipatingParticipating
Waterloo UnitedWaterlooWarrior Field, University of WaterlooWithdrewParticipatingWithdrew
Woodbridge StrikersVaughanVaughan GroveParticipatingDid not enterParticipating

The following clubs, while not formally part of the League1 Ontario women's division are operating teams in the Reserve Division (both clubs operate teams in the men's division):

Team City Principal stadium Main Division Summer Championship Division Reserve Division
Master's Futbol L'Amoreaux Park N/A N/A Participating
ProStars FC N/A N/A Participating

Main Division

Playoffs

Semi-finals

Final

Statistics

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
align=center 1Jade KovacevicFC Londonalign=center 16
align=center 2Miranda BadovinacHamilton Unitedalign=center 9
align=center 3Kennedi HerrmannWoodbridge Strikersalign=center 7
align=center 4Laura TwidleBlue Devils FCalign=center 6
4Jenny WoleverHamilton United5
Nia Fleming-ThompsonVaughan Azzurri
Source: https://www.league1ontario.com/stats/league_instance/146828?subseason=760204

Top goalkeepers

RankPlayerClubMinutesGAA
align=center rowspan=21Marilena SpagnoloHamilton United2700.67
Patricia KoutoulasNorth Toronto Nitros2700.67
align=center 3Breanne CarreiroFC London3410.79
align=center 4Vanessa FioreDarby FC8560.84
align=center 5Emily GilletWoodbridge Strikers7390.85
Minimum 270 minutes played. Source: https://www.league1ontario.com/stats/league_instance/146828?subseason=760204

Honours

The following awards and nominations were awarded for the 2021 season.[5]

Awards

Award Player Team
Most Valuable PlayerBlue Devils FC
Golden Boot FC London
Coach of the Year Woodbridge Strikers
Top Goalkeeper Vanessa Fiore Woodbridge Strikers
Top Defender FC London
Top Midfielder FC London

League All-Stars

First Team

Player Position
Vanessa Fiore (Woodbridge Strikers) Goalkeeper
Meghan Scott (FC London) Defender
Christina White (Woodbridge Strikers) Defender
Teniola Odetoyinho (Vaughan Azzurri) Defender
Talia Merino-Sierra (Blue Devils FC) Defender
Julia Benati (FC London) Midfielder
April Syme (Woodbridge Strikers) Midfielder
Lidia Bradau (Blue Devils FC) Midfielder
Jade Kovacevic (FC London) Forward
Laura Twidle (Blue Devils FC) Forward
Jenny Wolever (Hamilton United) Forward
Second Team
Player Position
Emily Gillet (FC London) Goalkeeper
Olivia Mancini (North Toronto Nitros) Defender
Ariana Mouratidis (Woodbridge Strikers) Defender
Lorena Marcone (Hamilton United) Defender
Brooke MacLeod (Tecumseh SC) Defender
Hannah Anderson (Hamilton United) Midfielder
Brianne Desa (Vaughan Azzurri) Midfielder
Angelika Mihalopoulos (FC London) Midfielder
Jessie De Boer (North Toronto Nitros) Midfielder
Miranda Badovinac (Hamilton United) Forward
Kennedi Herrmann (Woodbridge Strikers) Forward

Summer Championship Division

The league is operating a short-season division called the Summer Championship in 2021.

Reserve Division

The league is set to operate a Reserve division this season as well.

Playoffs

Semi-finals

Final

Notes and References

  1. Web site: League1 Ontario shifts potential 2021 start date to July 2nd. May 7, 2021. League1 Ontario.
  2. Web site: John. Jacques. Northern Tribune. May 7, 2021. League1 Ontario Reveals 2021 Season Start Date.
  3. Web site: League1 Ontario Set To Kick Off Seventh Season With Late July Fixtures. July 22, 2021. League1 Ontario.
  4. Web site: League1 Ontario adds three women's teams for 2021. February 3, 2021. League1 Ontario.
  5. Web site: 2021 L1O Women's Premier Division Awards: Twidle Earns MVP, FC London Dominate Again. Marty. Thompson. December 21, 2021. League1 Ontario.