2018 President Cup first round predictions

Ok I’ll give it a try....


I️ am posting this list because it is my best guesstimate of the two teams from each bracket from CAL South Presidents Cup. I️ have not seen every team and I️ am giving you my guesses for the tournament.


Of these 36 teams, four won’t make the second round. I️ based my selections in large part on Youth Soccer Rankings and my own eyes.


The 3 bracket which have only 3 teams (and two games) have the best opportunity to have two teams move forward (average points if 3 games were played). That being said, ties would change the dynamic of those brackets.


I️ believe 6 points should get you through, four will not guarantee a trip to the Round of 32.


I’m posting this to get feedback. I️ am positive I️ will not get all the teams right. There will be surprises and upsets.


Looking forward to seeing some games next weekend. I️ did not post past this round due to the uncertainty of wildcards. Good luck to everyone.


I️ would love to see Tech 72s thoughts. I️ have admired your insight for a couple years. Not sure if your DD even is doing President’s or National?





A-SD Force & FC Premier

B-Murietta Surf & Fullerton Slammers

C-Strikers South Bay & VC Fusion

D-IE Surf & NVSC Breakaway

E-WCSC & FC Premier

F-LAGSD Premier Bouchereau & PDSC

G-So Cal Blues & Fram Nunez

H-Liverpool & San Marcos

I️-Beach Soler & Fallbrook Villa

J-Fram Gidney & FC Valencia

K-Albion & Laguna United

L-NVSC Breakaway & Galaxy Premier

M-SD Real Madrid & LA Premier

N-Legends Gold & Galaxy CV

O-Ventura Premier & Canyon Football Club

P-CDA Slammers Whittier and Attack

Q-SD Surf Lowrey & Oceanside Breakers

R-CDA SLammers Trujillo & SD United
 
Looks pretty good but there can only be 32 teams that advance. Top 1 of each bracket and 14 wildcards. Makes it nearly impossible to make a prediction, other than maybe the top of each bracket.

Also the groups of 3 kind of get the raw end of the deal. Only the top team from each bracket move on.. So if you are in the group of 3, you will have zero chance to advance as a wildcard. For example:

Win - 3 points
Lost - 0 points
Total - 3 points

Then they take your average points per game and add that to total, changing the total to 4.5 points. You can see very quickly that you must finish first in those brackets to have any shot to advance.

Take a look at the Wildcards for the 2007 Governors to see how they did it.
 
A few things I noticed after the 1st round of play.


So 25 of the 32 winners (out of 36) were picked correct. The only group to have 3 from the group was G. Only two teams with 4 points made it through and both were from Group G. 8 teams with 4 points were sent home. All 3 of the 3 team groups sent two teams ( it is definitely an advantage to be in a 3 team group).

Some surprises for sure. Congrats to everyone who moved on. Well deserved.

Now on to my rant:
The fields in Lancaster are a joke. Goalkeepers were punting to and over the other teams goal. Speed was completely neutralized because there is no room. The physical teams were best served on this type of field.I know the allure of becoming a “State Champion” keeps everyone playing, but Cal South should care more about the quality of soccer being played.


The poor GKs this weekend were on high alert all weekend with the potential for a goal to be scored anywhere on the field. Add to that 30 mph winds and a shot can be taken from anywhere on the field. The 11 v 11 fields were split in half and the fields were across the touch lines. It was tiny. A 7 v 7 field at best.


So what do the 32 teams get who were lucky enough to advance (survive)? Another trip to Lancaster next weekend.


Good luck to all next weekend.
 
Wasabi said:
A few things I noticed after the 1st round of play.


So 25 of the 32 winners (out of 36) were picked correct. The only group to have 3 from the group was G. Only two teams with 4 points made it through and both were from Group G. 8 teams with 4 points were sent home. All 3 of the 3 team groups sent two teams ( it is definitely an advantage to be in a 3 team group).

Some surprises for sure. Congrats to everyone who moved on. Well deserved.

Now on to my rant:
The fields in Lancaster are a joke. Goalkeepers were punting to and over the other teams goal. Speed was completely neutralized because there is no room. The physical teams were best served on this type of field.I know the allure of becoming a “State Champion” keeps everyone playing, but Cal South should care more about the quality of soccer being played.


The poor GKs this weekend were on high alert all weekend with the potential for a goal to be scored anywhere on the field. Add to that 30 mph winds and a shot can be taken from anywhere on the field. The 11 v 11 fields were split in half and the fields were across the touch lines. It was tiny. A 7 v 7 field at best.


So what do the 32 teams get who were lucky enough to advance (survive)? Another trip to Lancaster next weekend.


Good luck to all next weekend.
Click to expand...

The 3 team brackets are BS.
04 had 2 of them.
Winning team in Bracket A had 6 points. The next 2 teams had 1 point each - a loss and a a tie for each. One team moved on due to goal differential tie breaker. With a 2nd place seeding. At the very least, they should have been seeded as a wild card.
I find it hard to believe that they couldn’t find 1 or 2 more teams to have everyone with a 4 team bracket. Or not let 2 teams in and have 1 less grouping.
Especially since National Cup appears to also have 2 groups with only 3 teams. Make some of the flight 1 Europa teams play in National and round it out for everyone.
 
Who are the favorite teams to make a deep run into Presidents cup from the 32 the are left??
Mine in no particular order are
1.Pateadores PYL
2.Surf Inland Empire
3.Fram Nunez
4.Ventura
 
elgranduke said:
Who are the favorite teams to make a deep run into Presidents cup from the 32 the are left??
Mine in no particular order are
1.Pateadores PYL
2.Surf Inland Empire
3.Fram Nunez
4.Ventura
Click to expand...

This is my best guess at quarterfinals. IE Surf and Ventura Premier appears to be the two strongest teams, though with those Lancaster fields, anything is possible.


QF#1

So Cal Blues

Inland Empire Surf


QF#2

Fram Nunez

West side Breakers


QF#3

FC Valencia

NVSC Breakaway


QF#4

Ventura Premier

Albion South Academy
 
Agree on Inland Surf Empire and Ventura but also you need to watch out for the dark horses one of the Slammers teams or a team from San Diego to play spoiler on the later rounds..
Hope the weather on Lancaster is better as far not being the windy for this weekend , fields are really small which make it hard for the teams to play a possession style game.
 
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