PDL Playoff Picture

USL News Release–Thursday, July 16, 2009- Tampa, Florida

Going into the final weekend of the Premier Development League season, 13 teams are still vying for seven coveted playoff spots, while the race for division titles and the Regular Season Championship reaches its ultimate conclusion.  Here is the playoff picture for the final weekend of the 2009 PDL Regular Season:

Central Conference

Great Lakes Division: Both the Michigan Bucks and Forest City London control their own destiny for the final playoff spot in the Great Lakes Division. The two teams face each other on Friday in London and the math is simple: With Michigan trailing first year FC London by five points, anything less than a win for the Bucks and Forest City claims the last spot in the Great Lakes Division. If the Bucks defeat FC London Friday night at TD Waterhouse Stadium, they still need to beat the Toronto Lynx on Sunday, July 19 to qualify for the postseason for an unprecedented 13 times in 14 years.

The Chicago Fire and Kalamazoo Outrage sit tied atop the Great Lakes Division with 32 points. In terms of clinching the division, Kalamazoo control their own destiny with a game in hand on Chicago. If they can get one win from their two-game road swing in the Hoosier state against Fort Wayne (July 17) and Indiana (July 19), they will clinch their first Division title as they hold the tie breaker over the Fire. Chicago closes out the season on July 18 at Fort Wayne.

Heartland Division: Though tied on points, first year Real Colorado hold the edge over the St. Louis Lions for the final playoff spot in the Heartland Division as they hold a game in hand over the Gateway City club. Colorado can clinch the final divisional playoff spot if they can take four points away from this weekend’s matches at Springfield (July 17) and Kansas City (July 18). St. Louis will have to hope the Foxes drop points in both matches and that they can defeat a Des Moines Menace club looking for the Division title on Saturday night.
The Menace control their own destiny for the Division title with a three point lead and a game in hand on 2008 PDL Champion Thunder Bay Chill. With a win or draw Thursday night at Kansas City, Des Moines can clinch their second divisional crown in team history.

Eastern Conference

Mid Atlantic Division: Reading, Cary and Carolina have claimed the three playoff spots in the Mid Atlantic already. The Reading Rage claimed the Division title on Wednesday night and are candidates for the Regular Season Championship as they have 35 points and two games left to play. The Cary Clarets currently sit in second but have finished the regular season on 30 points, while the Carolina Dynamo have 29 and still one match left to play against Fredericksburg on Friday night. If the Dynamo can get at least a draw against the Gunners, they will finish second in the division by virtue of the head-to-head tie breaker (Carolina won the season series with Cary 2-1).

Northeast Division: The Ottawa Fury and Long Island Rough Riders both clinched playoff berths on July 8. The final playoff spot is up for grabs between the Ocean City Barons and Brooklyn Knights. Ocean City could have clinched the final spot with a win or draw Wednesday night against Brooklyn, but the Knights had other ideas as they defeated the Barons 3-1. Both teams have a game left, but Ocean City sit three points ahead of Brooklyn and need only a draw on Sunday night against New Jersey to clinch the final spot. If Ocean City loses and Brooklyn defeat the Ottawa Fury on Sunday afternoon, the Knights would pip the Barons as they defeated Ocean City in both meetings this year.

Brooklyn’s scenario won’t be easy, as Ottawa need a tie to clinch their first division title. A victory would keep Ottawa in the hunt for the Regular Season Championship. The Fury currently sit on top of the entire PDL with 37 points. If Ottawa falls on Sunday and Long Island defeats New Hampshire the same day, the Long Island Rough Riders will clinch the Northeast Division.

Southern Conference

Mid South Division: A mess to say the least. Laredo, Austin, West Texas United, El Paso and Rio Grande Valley are all still alive. All three playoff berths are still up for grabs with just six points separating the first place Laredo Heat (26 points) from the fifth place Rio Grande Valley Bravos. Two matches that will go a long way in determining who clinches postseason berths are the West Texas-Laredo and El Paso-Austin games on Friday night. If Laredo and Austin win, both will clinch post season berths while West Texas could also clinch a spot with a win at Laredo combined with an Austin defeat of El Paso.

There are plenty more scenarios that could play out over the weekend, though suffice it to say, this division is complicated.

Southeast Division: The Bradenton Academics and Mississippi Brilla have clinched two of the three divisional spots.

Though the New Orleans Jesters currently sit in third with an undefeated 4-0-10 record (22 points), they could become the first team in the PDL to go undefeated and not make the playoffs. Both the Jesters and Panama City Pirates have two games left with the Pirates sitting two points back of New Orleans. What makes the race more intriguing is that the two clubs face each other on Sunday in the season finale. Simply put, New Orleans control their own destiny: a combination win and draw against Atlanta (on Friday night) and Panama City on Sunday will get the Jesters to the post season. A draw in the first match will make the waters murky for New Orleans and would open the door for Panama City. If the Pirates can defeat Nashville Friday night and win the head-to-head match with New Orleans, they’ll advance to the post season.

Bradenton currently sits on top of the division with 32 points but has completed their season. Brilla are two points back and can leapfrog the Academics for the Division title with a win against Central Florida on Saturday night.

Western Conference

Northwest Division: The Kitsap Pumas, Portland Timbers U23 and Seattle Wolves have locked up the three playoff spots in the Northwest. On top of the division with 36 points, Kitsap visits Victoria on Friday night before closing out the season at Tacoma on Sunday. If the Pumas win out, they will clinch the PDL Regular Season Championship.

Portland and Seattle both have one match left against the Abbotsford Mariners this weekend. The Timbers currently sit two points ahead of the Wolves in the Northwest. Seattle will host Abbotsford on Friday night, needing a win to have a chance at finishing second. If they defeat the Mariners, they’ll have to wait for the Abbotsford-Portland result on Saturday night. A win by the Timbers in that match gives them second place, though a tie, combined with a Seattle win the previous night would give the Wolves second place by virtue of Seattle’s 3-1 defeat of Portland back on May 20.

Southwest Division: Hollywood United, Los Angeles Legends and Ventura County Fusion have locked up the division’s three playoff spots, though all could finish in different places than they’re currently in. With two matches left, Hollywood controls its own destiny for the division title. If United can win out in their games at Southern California (Saturday) and Fresno (Sunday), they’ll clinch the Southwest title in their rookie PDL campaign.

Also with two games left, Los Angeles will hope to do the same and have Hollywood stumble in order to take the divisional crown. The Legends host Fresno on Friday night and visit Ventura County on Sunday. With only one match left, Ventura County’s best hope is for second place in the division. For that to happen, the Fusion will hope for Los Angeles to stumble against Fresno and then defeat the Legends in the season finale on Sunday.