Solar is beatable for sure. I was only making reference to their current roster, number of players, and quality of those players vs the need to bring someone who doesn’t train with them regularly.
'23-'24 SoCal and National Forecast and Updates
- Thread starter MARsSPEED
- Start date
What age group are you all referring to?
I’m certainly not saying it’s a gimmie for Solar. I will say they have a chance just like 10 or more so other teams. Any of the top teams who leave the “me me me” attitude at home and play team ball with their own “stacked” roster has a chance to win. Plus a lucky bounce here and there.
I do have expectations for certain teams to do well as well as certain teams to do poorly.
I like Arizona Arsenal, PDA Blue, Penn Fusion, Solar, SLSG, KC Athletics, FC Dallas, and Beach.
My sleeper picks are VDA and FC Stars.
I do have expectations for certain teams to do well as well as certain teams to do poorly.
I like Arizona Arsenal, PDA Blue, Penn Fusion, Solar, SLSG, KC Athletics, FC Dallas, and Beach.
My sleeper picks are VDA and FC Stars.
rainbow_unicorn
PREMIER
Gotta throw San Juan and SD Surf in there. And Legends, HBK as sleepers.
HBK has a great chance to win their group with a weak one seed but they'd face the Group F (UFA/FC Dallas/Match Fit) winner and then the Group C (Solar/San Juan/Legends) winner before they even get to the semis. They made a great run last year and have the talent, but that's a gauntlet.
PDA, Surf and Solar have been in the semis both years so it's hard to bet against battle tested and talented teams who add top talent as they age up, but someone always gets hot at the right time and makes a run.
Orangeteam
SILVER ELITE
you can sort of narrow it down.. but thats about it. I went to watch a few players in VA last year so i know this was how they matched up the teams in the finals
This is how the round of 16 will look in Seattle.
Game 1: Group A vs. 2nd place team position 5
Game 2: Group B vs. 2nd place team position 4
Game 3: Group C vs. 2nd place team position 3
Game 4: Group D vs. 2nd place team position 2
Game 5: Group E vs. 2nd place team position 1
Game 6: Group F vs. Group K
Game 7: Group G vs. Group J
Game 8: Group H vs. Group I
Finals Game
Bracket 1:
Game 1 winner v Game 8 winner
Game 4 winner v Game 5 winner
Bracket 2:
3v6
2v7
ECNL will publish an actual bracket, but it always follows the same format.
Things from their playoff spreadsheet
Yes ECNL will publish an actual bracket but it always follows the same format.
This is directly from their National Finals Breakdown
U15 Champions League
Round of 16 Winner of Group A v. Wild Card #5
Round of 16 Winner of Group B v. Wild Card #4
Round of 16 Winner of Group C v. Wild Card #3
Round of 16 Winner of Group D v. Wild Card #2
Round of 16 Winner of Group E v. Wild Card #1
Round of 16 Winner of Group F v. Group K
Round of 16 Winner of Group G v. Group J
Round of 16 Winner of Group H v. Group I
Two other things I noticed. Koge got a great draw. Charlotte will test them but I don’t think they can pull out an upset.
Utah’s bracket is a complete toss up more so than any other.
All of the other brackets seem to have at least two or even three quality teams.
Koge and Real Colorado are the only two teams I feel confident in or would bet on making it out of group play.
I few games that I’d like to watch:
1. Beach vs Penn Fusion
2. PDA vs Arizona
3. Surf vs MVLA
4. Solar/SK/Legends
5. VDA vs FC Dallas
6. Real Colorado vs SUSA
Utah’s bracket is a complete toss up more so than any other.
All of the other brackets seem to have at least two or even three quality teams.
Koge and Real Colorado are the only two teams I feel confident in or would bet on making it out of group play.
I few games that I’d like to watch:
1. Beach vs Penn Fusion
2. PDA vs Arizona
3. Surf vs MVLA
4. Solar/SK/Legends
5. VDA vs FC Dallas
6. Real Colorado vs SUSA
KC Athletics will have no issues getting through.
Real Colorado has an easy path and SUSA is not what they once were, but they're bringing down a YNT pool player who has been playing on their 07 team this season after previously playing 09 so maybe that's what they were missing.
Charlotte is adding some girls for playoffs, but HBK won their group as a four seed last year so they know how to attack the bracket from that spot.
Real Colorado has an easy path and SUSA is not what they once were, but they're bringing down a YNT pool player who has been playing on their 07 team this season after previously playing 09 so maybe that's what they were missing.
Charlotte is adding some girls for playoffs, but HBK won their group as a four seed last year so they know how to attack the bracket from that spot.
FC Stars will give KC Athletics all they can handle. Like other teams, top 09s are back on age now. I think FC Stars is one of the most improved teams in the country this year. So no gimme for KC there.
Crazy that Blues was a top 8 Finals team last year and this year not even in the playoffs.
SW in this age group is brutal.
Shooting Star
SILVER
At the height they were eyeing first !! With injuries and departures blues couldn’t field a team last 2 games in AZ - played down bs AZ. They gave it up to slammers would have been 4th who lost to surf recently5-1!! Now most players have left blues across several teams I hear !
Life in the SW-eat or be eaten!
Orangeteam
SILVER ELITE
If KC moves their 09s down off the 08 team they will have more depth and bench strength.
Legends and San Juan will not pull down their 2009 girls who play for their older teams.
San Juan doesn't do well on set plays so taking advantage of their lack of organziation is key to beating them. It seems to be a club thing for them too.
Two of USYNT 09s came back from Germany with knee injuries.
The rest of those kids, plus the ones in Mexico (as of yesterday) will show up to Seattle with zero time off which isn't ideal for the team, of the individual player. I'd guess that most of these kids probably entered those camps overtrained and exited camp more overtrained as well.
There are a handful of other kids who are recently out due to knees. Surf, San Juan recently had players injured.
Legends and San Juan will not pull down their 2009 girls who play for their older teams.
San Juan doesn't do well on set plays so taking advantage of their lack of organziation is key to beating them. It seems to be a club thing for them too.
Two of USYNT 09s came back from Germany with knee injuries.
The rest of those kids, plus the ones in Mexico (as of yesterday) will show up to Seattle with zero time off which isn't ideal for the team, of the individual player. I'd guess that most of these kids probably entered those camps overtrained and exited camp more overtrained as well.
There are a handful of other kids who are recently out due to knees. Surf, San Juan recently had players injured.