Meadow Cup Musings / Week One
Zino Stiles-Johnson – Correspondent for TSS
2025 Meadow Cup – ROUND ONE
ALPS BRACKET
Aggsbach 3, Anras 17 v Eisenerz 11, Sölden 28
Vaduz 4, Pontarlier 20 v Zurich 26, Lyss 20
Chur 13, Lucerne 14 v Munich 27, Sonthofen 21
Passau 13, Lörrach 0 v Spittal 18, Lienz 14
CASTLES BRACKET
Salzburg 24, Landeck 12 v Chambéry 7, Grenoble 5
Mulhouse 6, Ebensee 0 v Cortina 21, Varese 11
Interlaken 10, Basel 2 v Oberammergau 16, Altötting 3
Lugano 23, Mettmenstetter 26 (OT / 23-23) v Scheibbs 6, Kitzbühel 4
FARMS BRACKET
Vienna 4, Brixlegg 1 v Leoben 22, Axams 8
Brenta 23, Ivres 20 v Bergamo 29, Borgomanero 7
Biel/Bienne 4, Bülach 14 v Trento 2, Moena 9
Bern 19, Aarau 12 v Klagenfurt 20, Fulpmes 29
VALLEYS BRACKET
Innsbruck 9, Steyr 1 v Imst 16, Kochel 8
Bad Ischl 28, Mannedorf 23 v Füssen 19, Ulm 12
Zillertal 3, Besançon 14 v Matterhorn 18, Sankt Moritz 25
Chamonix 25, Voiron 23 v Villach 14, Schwaz 9
Imagine the excitement your Correspondent felt at being part of the TSS team sent out to cover the opening week of the 2025 Meadow Cup, the 150th year since the Salzburg Edelweiss won the initial Meadow Cup in 1876 (and won the first Parzer Pair, coupling this new title with their Tyrol Cup). I stepped off the train into the thin, cool air of Sankt Moritz, Switzerland on Thursday, May 28, giving myself two days to get a sense of the excitement that was building in this resort town for their Pioneers’ opening match in this year’s Meadow Cup competition against the Matterhorn Black Eagles, who hail from Zermatt, Switzerland’s other most renowned and prestigious ski resort.
Understand, these two communities have a serious rivalry: Saint Moritz is one of only three towns in the world to have hosted the Winter Olympics twice (we see you, too, Innsbruck!), and their Wiesespiel legacy includes the Ice Match and a recent surge that has resulted in this feisty squad rising from the Barrel League to the Wheat League this year. The Pioneers’ spectacular uniforms have a subtle double Olympics rings emblem on their sleeve; Zermatt has never hosted the great spectacle of the Winter Games (though it does have the iconic Matterhorn standing sentinel nearby).
But, of course, today’s subject is not skiing and figure skating: it’s the Meadow Game, and Matterhorn looms powerfully over Swiss Wiesespiel like the image of their Black Eagle itself: the great enterprise from Zermatt has won 17 Tyrol Cups and 10 titles in this summertime competition. Sankt Moritz’s answer to those staggering totals: zero Tyrol Cups, 2 Meadow Cups.
But, while Matterhorn dropped into the Alpine League for the season beginning in November, Sankt Moritz has charted a different and very promising course in the past decade: in 2015, the Pioneers languished in the Barrel League. Every three years or so since, they have ascended to the next level up, and will battle in the Wheat League this year, facing Original Eight teams: this town is excited about their Pioneers.
On Friday morning, I strolled the Via Serlas, passing on the Gucci store and budget-busting Swiss watches and dropping in, instead, into KaffeeSchokolade, a cafe buzzing with activity. While some tourists were unaware of the event taking place a day later, the local Swiss were eager to tout their team’s chances against the giants from Zermatt. One man, a transplanted Scotsman named Dirk Liddell who has lived here for 30 years, promised a victory for Sankt Moritz, imploring me in his still-evident Scottish burr: “Write this down, my dear girl.” He tapped my pad and pen for emphasis: “Pioneers 25, those arrogant Eagles 14.” I wrote it down, nodding, but thinking, “We’ll see about that, Mr. Liddell.”
The entire population of the Upper Engadine region seemed to have crowded itself into stands that seemed built for 5,000 people, and Manager Elia Berge played the showman as the teams readied themselves for the match to start, waving his arms to stir the fans to a frenzy.
And the hometown Pioneers played in a frenzy, clearly meaning to keep the momentum from their recent promotion alive and, even more, determined to beat the Black Eagles, whom they have not beaten in any Wiesespiel match since 1987.
Well, until Saturday. Forward Emil Mannerlich scored two skots to lead an unrelenting attack that yielded a score close to the Scotman’s prediction: Sankt Moritz 25, Matterhorn 18.
Some teams tend to sit their stars for the Meadow Cup, but this was not the case for either team in this First Round match: Sankt Moritz was simply better on this day. If Zermatt weren’t at a mile in elevation, I’d suggest that the Eagles were thrown by the 6000’ elevation of the Pioneers’ meadow, for they looked exhausted after the 43.
A glorious few days hobnobbing with the elite villagers of Sankt Moritz, who, kidding aside, seem as giddy and unaffected as fans anywhere who feel kinship with the men representing their town on the field of athletic battle. Now, on to Round Two and the tough Besançon Artisans.
MATCH OF THE WEEK:
The Match of the Week – without question – occurred in eastern France as two other local rival teams, separated by only 25 kilometers, met. The geography is all that Grenoble and Chambéry have in common: a city of 700,000, Grenoble is no small mountain village, and the Gantiers have won 7 Tyrol Cups (tied for 7th most all-time) and reside, most of the time including currently, in the Tyrol League. And Chambéry? Zero Tyrol Cups. Currently, and all too often, in the Barrel League.
But … this unit has won two Meadow Cups in the last 20 years, and while they no longer have Martin Clerc, this team’s greatest player ever, who Captained those Meadow Cup winners in 2005 and 2007, they do have his son, Jean-Paul Clerc, and, with Henri Tissier not playing this match, it was Clerc who was the fastest, most likely man on the meadow, and it was he who deservedly punched in the only skot of the match, saving it until late, and delighting a raucous hometown crowd who helped will the Elephants to a 7—5 win.
Call this the Match of the Week, yes, but also label it as the UPSET of the YEAR: Barrel League minnows do not beat Tyrol League titans. Except that sometimes, in the wild landscape of the Meadow Cup, they do. Up next: just a routine match-up with the Salzburg Edelweiss and a man named Paul Lackner.
MEN OF THE WEEK:
3] Paul Lackner, Center, Salzburg Edleweiss.
The Field Mouse has added, over the past 4 months, about 10 pounds of muscle to his already powerful frame, and he played half of the Edelweiss’ 24—12 win over the Barrel League-dwelling Landeck Traders. Lackner got some exercise, scored 3 skots, exchanged his jersey with a star-struck Trader defenseman, and then, after the match, spent 45 minutes signing autographs and – remarkably – displaying proper tackling technique to several of the rapt Landeck players.
2] Laurent Petit, Gate, Mulhouse Railmen.
This publication has told its readers that “the Locomotive is coming,” and we haven’t meant only that Mulhouse has some of the most beautiful kit any team can boast: the “Old Horse” was 17—0—1 to stroll into the Wheat League, and their defense make them one of the betting favorites to continue northward and earn promotion into the Alpine very soon. Petit, who is anything but petite, led a Railmen back line that seemed offended that Ebensee would even think about scoring; the Salters cannot be delighted to know they’ll face Mulhouse twice in the Wheat League this coming season. Mulhouse’s 6—0 win sets up a match against the equally stingy Cortina Riflers in a game that may end up 1-0.
1] Jurgen Hawksteader, Munich Forward. Munich’s 27—21 win over Sonthofen was proof that the
Lederhosen have not fixed the many leaks and loose parts that sank their season last year and saw them relegated to the Alpine League (and it wasn’t close: with a 4—14—0 record, they were 9 points out of 8th place). The Barrel League Dairymen challenged the German giants for every yard on the meadow, and it was only the insertion of Jurgen Hawksteader that secured the victory. The power of the German forward was palpable. “The Wunderkind” finished the 2022-2023 season with 101 points and trailed only Lackner for the Klammer Medal, and he seems bent on pulling his team back into the Tyrol League and not letting his career languish.
NEXT WEEK – ROUND TWO ATTRACTIONS:
3] Passau v Spittal
The Wolfsmiths’ 13—0 stifling of Lörrach showed the professional approach they are taking to all they do; their leadership spent the month of April in Bern trying to see how Manager Luke Bossard and his assistants go about building a championship-winning group. Spittal, too, has a new Manager and has been public in its pledge to the Schuhplattlers’ legions of faithful fans to climb back into the Tyrol League.
2] Bern v Fulpmes
Fulpmes handled Klagenfurt comfortably, 29—20, and are a lively, fast team. Bern will play several starters from its virtual All-Star team, but I say, watch this match, for I am predicting the Hammers and Anvils – all commitment and want-to, will knock out the best team in the Austrian League.
1] Füssen v Bad Ischl
The Triskelions are becoming “must-see” viewing; the dynamic Bingo Allerspach rocketed into the public eye last season and will, one day, win a Klammer Medal or two and keep Füssen in the Tyrol League for many seasons. And Bad Ischl are no one’s idea of a good time: the Salzkammer are one of my choices to promote to the Alpine League from the Wheat this season (I can’t decide between the Founders – Klagenfurt – and Mulhouse for the team that will accompany Bad Ischl upward). Thank you, readers. For more coverage, visit TSS.com or find our print version at every kiosk and news outlet in the Austrian League realm.