MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Risers’ indoor squad will be playing for more than a chance to keep its season alive when it hosts a playoff game on April 2.
The Risers will also be playing for the opportunity to compete in yet another home game, during the Major Arena Soccer League 2 “Championship Weekend,” which they learned on Tuesday will also be in Muskegon.
The Risers’ bid to host the four-team Championship Weekend has been accepted by the league, which means the four finalists for the MASL 2 league title will converge on Mercy Health Arena on Friday, April 8 for a pair of semifinal games at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., and the two survivors will play in the league championship game on Sunday, April 10 at 3 p.m.
Three-game tickets, covering the entire weekend, will be $25 for adults and $20 for children. Individual tickets for any of the three games will be $14 for adults and $12 for kids.
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Thus far only one team has earned a bid to the league’s Final Four – the undefeated Cleveland Crunch, who won the Great Lakes Division championship and received a bye to the semifinals by having the league’s best record.
The Risers and host another division rival, the Chicago Mustangs on April 2 at 7 p.m., with the winner earning a bid to the championship tournament.
Several teams around the league are still competing to determine the other participants in the Championship Weekend. The San Diego Sockers will play the RGV Barracudas on April 3 to determine the West Division representative, while the Wichita Wings, Amarillo Bombers and Omaha Kings are currently vying to represent the Midwest Division.
Muskegon won the right to host the Championship Weekend by impressing the league with a great fan base and facility, according to a statement from the MASL 2.
“Muskegon is one of the model members in all of M2 and has one of the best facilities in the league as well, so we’re thrilled to be able to bring our best teams to Michigan,” said MASL 2 Commissioner Chris Economides. “They are one of the best supported and best run teams in the league, so they have more than earned the right to host our marquee weekend. We can’t thank Matthew Schmitt and his staff, the Risers fans, and all of Muskegon enough for stepping forward to be part of these special three days.”
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Matt Schmitt, the Risers’ director of operations, said Muskegon beat four other league cities that put in bids to host the Championship Weekend – San Diego, Wichita, Kansas and Amarillo, Texas.
Schmitt said he wasn’t stunned that the league chose Muskegon, because the commissioner and deputy commissioner visited last spring, when the Risers hosted a series of exhibition games and impressed the officials.
“That gave us a chance to showcase the arena and our ability to put on an event,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt said he’s excited about the prospect of the Risers being one of the four teams competing for the league title, but thinks the Championship Weekend will draw its share of fans, either way, for several reasons.
Cleveland is already in, and if the Risers don’t make it, Chicago will. Both Cleveland and Chicago are close enough for fans to make the trek to Muskegon for the big games, Schmitt said.
The weekend will also provide a lot of fun for local sports fans, because there will be soccer on Friday night at Mercy Health Arena, a West Michigan Ironmen game the following night, and then the league soccer final on Sunday, Schmitt said.
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“With Cleveland and either Muskegon or Chicago in, two of the four teams will be close enough for fans to travel here, and we know local fans will be interested in checking out the games, regardless,” Schmitt said. “But we would love nothing more than to have a semifinal game with the Risers.”
The Risers qualified for the league playoffs by finishing the regular season with a 6-6 record and taking second place in the Great Lakes Division, behind Cleveland. Chicago finished third in the division.
Muskegon and Chicago have split four games this season, with the Risers winning both games at home and the Mustangs winning both in the Windy City.
When the four finalists for the Championship Weekend are determined, Cleveland will get to choose its semifinal opponent, while the other two teams will play in the other semifinal.
While there is no way to tell what team Cleveland might choose to play, the Risers would certainly be a candidate. The two teams have played four times this season, with Cleveland winning each matchup. Several of the games were close, but the last one, in Muskegon on March 5, went pretty badly for the Risers, with the Crunch claiming a 16-4 victory.
“(The Crunch) were firing on all cylinders that night, so now we know what not to do, and how not to approach Cleveland,” Schmitt said.