Heading into the final weekend of the season, six of the 10 clubs that participated in the 2011 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup have already locked up tickets to the Premier Development League postseason. Three of the other four have the opportunity to claim a berth this weekend with action beginning Friday evening.
Breakdown by Conference…
Central Conference
The Great Lakes Division sends three sides to the playoffs with the top seed advancing to the conference tournament while the next two playoff for the second spot in the next round. The Michigan Bucks topped the Open Cup side Chicago Fire midweek to secure the top the division on tiebreakers, leaving the Fire development team in a match-up with Forest City in the opening round.
In the other half of the conference bracket, it is a three-way race for two berths. Open Cup side Real Colorado Foxes lead the way with 35 points with Thunder Bay Chill one point back. The Des Moines Menace, who qualified for the Open Cup via the USASA, are on 30 with all three clubs set to play two games on the weekend. The Foxes and Chill will square off Friday and Saturday north of the border, leaving the Menace, home to Kansas City Saturday and at St Louis Sunday, hoping that the two sides do not split the weekend double dip and that their fellow Cup-mates sweep on the road – a tough task.
Eastern Conference
With three divisions, the conference will send the top side in each and a wild card. The Mid Atlantic is all set as the Long Island Rough Riders and Open Cup side Reading United AC have both secured at worst the wild card. Long Island is up one point with each playing a match. The Rough Riders visit Westchester Saturday and Reading is at Central Jersey Sunday.
In the Northeast Division Open Cup side Western Mass Pioneers need some help. They trail MPS Portland by four points with both clubs playing twice on the weekend. The Pioneers travel to Vermont Friday and visit the Maine club Saturday in hopes of giving themselves the lead over the Phoenix, who wrap up the campaign at New Hampshire Sunday.
In the South Atlantic the Open Cup side Carolina Dynamo are in control for the division title with a three point lead over the Northern Virginia Royals with a game remaining for each. Carolina hosts Real Maryland Saturday while the Royals, who hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with a 2-0-1 record against Carolina, are at Virginia Beach. Both games are Saturday.
Southern Conference
All four teams are set already. In the Southeast Mississippi Brilla are three points up on Open Cup side Central Florida Kraze. Brilla finish versus Nashville Saturday while the Kraze host Fort Lauderdale.
In the Mid South, the race for first is up for grabs in a head-to-head showdown as the Laredo Heat visit Chivas El Paso Patriots. Laredo leads by two points heading into the season finale for the two sides.
Western Conference
In the Northwest Division the Open Cup side Kitsap Pumas ran away with the division title despite a four-point deduction sustained during the season, leaving a three-way race for second between three Canadian clubs. Vancouver Whitecaps Residency and Victoria Highlanders are level at 24 points with Abbotsford three points back. Victoria has two matches left compared to the other two, hosting Kitsap Saturday and Abbotsford Sunday. Vancouver is at Washington Sunday.
In the Southwest Division the Open Cup side Ventura County Fusion have secured a berth and are in the running for the top spot with its game versus Los Angeles Saturday. Fresno Fuego have a one-point lead, but two games remaining with road matches against Southern California Saturday and LA Sunday.
LINKS: Standings | Schedule
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