By Ryan Makuch
As we gear up to host a live Zoom call featuring stars from the 2018 AFC Ann Arbor team, hosted by head coach Eric Rudland, there is no better time to reminisce about the season that was than now. We’re taking you through month-by-month so that you can remember all the brilliant moments from perhaps The Mighty Oak’s greatest side.
May:
5/5: @Milwaukee Torrent – 4-0, W
5/9: vs. Ocean City Nor’Easters – 0-3, L (USOC)
5/13: vs. Detroit City FC – 1-0, W
5/18: @Oakland County FC – 2-0, W (Michigan Milk Cup Quarter-finals, First Leg)
5/20: @FC Indiana – 6-0, W
5/25: @FC Kalamazoo – 0-0, D
5/28: vs. Oakland County FC – 2-1, W (Michigan Milk Cup Quarter-finals, Second Leg)
Following a successful preseason, the campaign started off with the traditional early-season away match against Milwaukee Torrent. It took 55 minutes for the first goal of what would become a free-scoring campaign, but once Yuri Farkas opened the flood gates, The Mighty Oak began to run roughshod, culminating in a 4-0 win in what was always a tricky opening fixture. AFCAA were not as fortunate in their U.S. Open Cup First Round match as the side hit the woodwork multiple times, forced some vital saves, but Ocean City Nor’Easters were just too much, winning 3-0 in Ypsilanti.
The Mighty Oak would not dwell on the negatives as they squared off with Detroit City FC on Mother’s Day in Ann Arbor. After a tension-packed initial 90 minutes, it took a deadball delivery from Jake Rosen that was met by Moco Watson in stoppage time to give AFCAA all three points. This match is one of the first of a serious of truly memorable moments from this season and inspired incredible scenes upon the final whistle as it seemed clear that something was positive was brewing in Ann Arbor.
The remainder of the month also saw the opening round of the Michigan Milk Cup, as The Mighty Oak toppled Oakland County FC 2-0 away from home, then 2-1 at Ann Arbor Skyline to clinch a bid to the semi-finals. Sandwiched between those two matches were a pair of games difficult for their own reasons. First was the away trip to FC Indiana. Always a tough drive to Lafayette, Yuri Farkas was up for the challenge as he notched four goals, a club-high that still stands today, in a 6-0 rout. After that, The Mighty Oak dropped their first points of the season in a 0-0 away match against FC Kalamazoo, a fixture that has consistently caused troubles for some of the best sides in AFCAA history, but a draw that The Mighty Oak would have the chance to redeem themselves from.
June:
6/1: vs. Grand Rapids FC – 2-0, W
6/3: @FC Columbus – 2-1, W
6/8: vs. Milwaukee Torrent – 1-1, D
6/10: @Detroit City FC – 1-0, W
6/15: vs. FC Kalamazoo – 4-0, W
6/22: @Grand Rapids FC – 0-2, L
6/26: @FC Kalamazoo – 1-0, W (Michigan Milk Cup Semi-finals)
6/29: vs. FC Columbus – 1-0, W
As the calendar turned to June, the challenges did not stop as AFCAA played four NPSL matches in ten days. The first of which was a 2-0 victory at home against Grand Rapids FC, capped by a brilliant two goals in five minutes from Jordan Montoya and Michael Shaikly. The Mighty Oak would then concede for the first time in the NPSL season away from home against FC Columbus, but the side would prove their resiliency as a game winner from Marc Ybarra in the 62nd minute was more than enough to win the day. The next match would see Milwaukee gain a measure of revenge in Ann Arbor as a late goal from Torrent cancelled out a brilliant Serge Gamwanya free kick, however The Mighty Oak would remain in first place in the division ahead of their biggest test yet.
The away trip to Detroit City FC is always anticipated, but with the two clubs sitting one and two atop the table, and the division’s pendulum hanging in the air, there was something extra in this match. This match would be known for a pair of things: first and foremost, the brilliant 1-0 victory spurred on by a total team effort and a Chris Odhiambo goal in the 54th minute. The second is the true breakout of Stanley Okumu in defense as he made the jump from Ann Arbor’s best kept secret, to continuing his brilliant performances on the brightest stage that the NPSL Great Lakes Division had to offer. The match would be Okumu’s final regular season match in the AFCAA starting eleven as he would ultimately go on trial with a professional side, however this would not be the last chapter for the Kenyan’s Ann Arbor career.
The good times continued to roll as AFCAA notched four goals in 13 minutes at the end of the first half to down FC Kalamazoo in Ann Arbor, gaining some measure of revenge for their earlier goalless draw. The next week, it was Grand Rapids’ turn to exact revenge, as they topped AFCAA 2-0 at Houseman Field, however with destiny still in their hands for earning another NPSL Great Lakes crown, they turned their attention to another away trip to Kalamazoo in the Michigan Milk Cup semi-finals. With time winding down, it seemed that another goalless draw in Kalamazoo and an extra time period that AFCAA’s legs did not need down the stretch was in the cards. But it was Brandon Katona to the rescue as the Michigan native scored a goal in second half stoppage time to win the match and send AFCAA back home happy. With that settled, it was time for The Mighty Oak to make another joyous memory.
FC Columbus entered Ann Arbor on June 29th looking to play spoiler. AFCAA, with two matches left, would clinch the division with a victory over the expansion side who were looking to make a huge statement and aid their late playoff push. AFCAA were given a huge breakthrough in the ninth minute as Columbus saw a man sent off. Columbus were able to apply pressure on The Mighty Oak, though, and the first half ended with the scoreline still level at zeroes. In the 60th minute, Jack Cawley would go down hard and get subbed off for Moco Watson. The magic man in defense would come up huge again in the 97th minute as Alec Lasinski whipped in a corner and Watson headed home the game-winning, division-clinching, goal with the last touch of the game. The Mighty Oak had done what had never been done before – win the NPSL Great Lakes Division in two straight seasons. The fans and the squad erupted in celebrations that made any other walk-off winners pale in comparison as AFCAA would wrap up the division a match early.
July:
7/4: vs. Lansing United – 2-3, L (Michigan Milk Cup Final)
7/7: vs. FC Indiana – 9-0, W
7/20: vs. Cleveland SC – 1-0, W (NPSL Midwest Regional Semi-final)
7/21: vs. Duluth FC – 3-3, L (PKs) (NPSL Midwest Regional Final)
On the Fourth of July, The Mighty Oak faced one of their toughest challenges of that season, as they squared off with Lansing United of the then-PDL, now-USL League Two. In a bizarre match that saw Lansing go down to nine men, three penalties given in three minutes, and ultimately saw AFCAA lose 3-2 in a match that was an ultimate thrill ride for neutrals. To boost spirits, AFCAA put FC Indiana away 9-0 in the final match of the NPSL regular season, a match that sits in AFCAA record books as the largest victory in club history and featured seven men on the scoresheet. The win clinched a bye for AFCAA and the number two seed in the six-team Midwest Regional, which would be hosted at Huron High School in Ann Arbor.
The Midwest Regional Semi-Finals were held on July 20th and AFCAA squared off with a tough Cleveland SC team that, despite a name change, held many of the same players from the 2016 AFC Cleveland side that won the NPSL National Postseason. The high-powered Cleveland attack would see a roadblock in their way, the return of Stanley Okumu for the 2018 NPSL Postseason. The Mighty Oak would find their winner in the second half through a brilliant bit of build-up play that was finished by Serge Gamwanya but helped along by Sercan Cihan and Yuri Farkas. The win pushed The Mighty Oak on to the Midwest Final the next day against Duluth FC.
In one of the NPSL instant classic matches, AFCAA saw their season come to an end in penalties against Duluth after another incredible match full of goals. The Mighty Oak were resilient, coming back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to get a goal back, then knot the match at three a piece thanks to AZ Liadi’s finish in the final minute of regular time. This was a match that saw AFCAA hit the post, get denied by some strong saves, and concede an unlucky goal or two, before losing in the coin flip that is penalty kicks. However, what can be taken away from the season even despite the loss to finish it is a summer’s worth of memories and some of the greatest players and moments in club history.
Historic Oaks:
The 2018 season was one not just for the memory bank, but also for the records books. The season saw AFC Ann Arbor finish with the best defense in the entire league, with just four goals conceded in their 12 regular season games (0.33 GAA)—the goals allowed and GAA both being AFCAA records. The defense also tallied nine clean sheets, another club-high and racked up a 488-minute scoreless streak in NPSL play from the start of the season to the FC Columbus match. These defensive accolades were helmed, of course, by the NPSL TopDrawerSoccer Player of the Year, Stanley Okumu, the first ever leaguewide player of the year for the club.
The defense was not the only area of the team breaking records. With an average of 2.5833 goals per game and 15 different scorers, the fire-powered offense saw new heights that have yet to be topped. Farkas, whose four goals at FC Indiana are a club-high in one game, led the way with six goals league goals in the regular season despite missing significant time due to the CONIFA World Cup with Matt Braem and Hector Morales. Jordan Montoya, Michael Shaikly, and AZ Liadi were both not too far behind with five, four, and four goals in the league, respectively. Liadi would also be the only man to play in all 14 league matches that season and he would chip in three assists.
The Mighty Oak have been fortunate to have a team in every season that has touched the hearts of the AFCAA faithful. However, when it comes to the 2018 team, many have a special spot reserved just for that team.