This week's R1 premier

[Unregistered]

If Stars posts it won then they are arrogant. If Scorpions posts they won or tied then they are arrogant.

You negative posters made the rules - now you can wait a bit. Someone will give in before the end of the night.

[Unregistered]

Wow, now it's a big secret. You have got to be kidding. We can't handle the truth? I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep tonight unless I know!!!!!!

[Unregistered]

Wow, now it's a big secret. You have got to be kidding. We can't handle the truth? I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep tonight unless I know!!!!!!

We're being punished. Someone very important and stern is teaching us a valuable lesson and attempting to appear magnanimous as a bonus.

[Unregistered]

Exactly - I won!

[Unregistered]

We're being punished. Someone very important and stern is teaching us a valuable lesson and attempting to appear magnanimous as a bonus.

Are we talking about Stars u13 again?

[Mammadicalcio]

The Stars won 2-1. Good game: players for both teams played hard, Stars and Scorpions both held possession and pressured at different times/and rather evenly. Stars had more shots in the first half; Scorpions had more in the second half. Both of the Stars goals were in the first half of the game. The Scorpions also scored in the first half, but the goal was called back as a player was called offside. The weather held out, personally the only disappointing part of the game was the ref’ing. The players were too fast for two of the three referees to keep up with, and the center referee appeared frustrated and misguided. Though both teams were evenly abused by the ref’s calls.

[Unregistered]

The Stars won 2-1. Good game: players for both teams played hard, Stars and Scorpions both held possession and pressured at different times/and rather evenly. Stars had more shots in the first half; Scorpions had more in the second half. Both of the Stars goals were in the first half of the game. The Scorpions also scored in the first half, but the goal was called back as a player was called offside. The weather held out, personally the only disappointing part of the game was the ref’ing. The players were too fast for two of the three referees to keep up with, and the center referee appeared frustrated and misguided. Though both teams were evenly abused by the ref’s calls.

This is a pretty fair assessment of the game. I watched a few games yesterday and was most impressed with these two teams. The pace of the game was fantastic. Reading through earlier posts I saw a lot that questioned the Stars defense. I did not see it as a weakness. One of their outside defenders was perhaps the most consistent player on the field and all four of their defenders had strong games. I also thought the Scorpions keeper played a solid game. She helped keep the Scorps in the first half with a couple of excellent saves. As for the referees. I'll agree that they did not keep up with the pace or intensity of the match. However, I don't think they were a real factor in the outcome. The off-side call was a phantom but the inconsistency was pretty even in both directions. I also saw at least one clear take down of a Stars player in the box that probably should have resulted in a PK. I also agree that the sideline behavior was subdued for such a big game. My instinct is that these parents are seasoned veterans of big games and they behaved accordingly. One final observation. It was a larger than average club crowd, but I didn't see any college coaches. This, based on some other posts and threads, surprised me.

[Unregistered]

So this means that the U16 North Playoff entrants are set with PDA earning the top seed and the Stars getting #2. The south is a huge jumble. Albertson sits with the clubhouse lead at 13 points. But the teams chasing them: Frederick, Bethesda, Gaels and Montclair - all still have plenty of soccer to play. Although they all have matches amongst each other, I doubt that the 13 points will land a play-off spot. My guess is that you will need at least 14, but it should be close. Bethesda is almost assured a spot with 12 points, 3 to play and a game against a weak Twin County. Next weekends Gaels/Montclair game is huge. A win by the Gaels will likely secure them a spot but Montclair still has 5 games to play, three are against teams they have to move past but it starts with the Gaels. A loss would hurt but not kill their chances. Frederick basically has to win out and that will mean beating both Bethesda and Montclair - a very tough task. I'm betting on Bethesda and the winner of next weeks Gaels/Montclair tilt to be 1 & 2. The question is whether the rigors of the next two weeks in the south will help these teams as they approach the play-offs? The Stars and PDA both have three weeks off to prepare while their opponents battle it out for survival.

[Unregistered]

This is a pretty fair assessment of the game. I watched a few games yesterday and was most impressed with these two teams. The pace of the game was fantastic. Reading through earlier posts I saw a lot that questioned the Stars defense. I did not see it as a weakness. One of their outside defenders was perhaps the most consistent player on the field and all four of their defenders had strong games. I also thought the Scorpions keeper played a solid game. She helped keep the Scorps in the first half with a couple of excellent saves. As for the referees. I'll agree that they did not keep up with the pace or intensity of the match. However, I don't think they were a real factor in the outcome. The off-side call was a phantom but the inconsistency was pretty even in both directions. I also saw at least one clear take down of a Stars player in the box that probably should have resulted in a PK. I also agree that the sideline behavior was subdued for such a big game. My instinct is that these parents are seasoned veterans of big games and they behaved accordingly. One final observation. It was a larger than average club crowd, but I didn't see any college coaches. This, based on some other posts and threads, surprised me.

How would you know about the college coaches?

[Unregistered]

This is a pretty fair assessment of the game. I watched a few games yesterday and was most impressed with these two teams. The pace of the game was fantastic. Reading through earlier posts I saw a lot that questioned the Stars defense. I did not see it as a weakness. One of their outside defenders was perhaps the most consistent player on the field and all four of their defenders had strong games. I also thought the Scorpions keeper played a solid game. She helped keep the Scorps in the first half with a couple of excellent saves. As for the referees. I'll agree that they did not keep up with the pace or intensity of the match. However, I don't think they were a real factor in the outcome. The off-side call was a phantom but the inconsistency was pretty even in both directions. I also saw at least one clear take down of a Stars player in the box that probably should have resulted in a PK. I also agree that the sideline behavior was subdued for such a big game. My instinct is that these parents are seasoned veterans of big games and they behaved accordingly. One final observation. It was a larger than average club crowd, but I didn't see any college coaches. This, based on some other posts and threads, surprised me.

Congratulations to Stars United. Writing them off after week #1 obviously was a huge error. No demise yet. Congratulations also to the Scorpions squad. A very solid performance in Region 1. These teams should have another great game at SC with Rovers lurking and capable of beating United or Scorps.

[Unregistered]

How would you know about the college coaches?

I'll admit that I didn't survey every spectator about their allegiances, but having been to a couple of showcases, I can tell you that college coaches generally don't try to hide their affiliation. They almost always sit away from the crowd, in folding chairs, study their clip-boards and on a frigid/ misty afternoon will wear a nice warm jacket with their school's name emblazened across it. I didn't see any of these characters, although I may have missed them.

[Unregistered]

Congratulations to Stars United. Writing them off after week #1 obviously was a huge error. No demise yet. Congratulations also to the Scorpions squad. A very solid performance in Region 1. These teams should have another great game at SC with Rovers lurking and capable of beating United or Scorps.

The difficulty for the Rovers is that they would need to beat both the Stras United and Scorpions to win the State Cup. Beating one is possible but I am not sure they are capable of beating both - especially on consecutive days. They have traditionally fared better against the Scorpions and would certainly love to emerge from the RR as the #1 and let the United and Scorps duke it out in the semis (yes I am saying that the United will win their RR group). But that would still require a couple of wins against the top two to win the SC. Remember that the Rovers have never beaten either the United or Scorpions and that it has been years since either has lost to any other team from within Massachusetts. The competition may be improving in Massachusetts but I don't think anybody has caught the United or Scorpions. Rovers are the one team capable of implementing a game plan to keep things close and pull out a win, but I'm not sure if any other team could. We shall see in about 6 weeks!!

[Unregistered]

Don't write off WU.

[Unregistered]

I'll admit that I didn't survey every spectator about their allegiances, but having been to a couple of showcases, I can tell you that college coaches generally don't try to hide their affiliation. They almost always sit away from the crowd, in folding chairs, study their clip-boards and on a frigid/ misty afternoon will wear a nice warm jacket with their school's name emblazened across it. I didn't see any of these characters, although I may have missed them.

The new BC assistant coach was there in all his regalia - standing BETWEEN the two teams on the sidelines. He actually grabbed the ball once on one of the plays.

[Unregistered]

Don't write off WU.

They are less than a 50/50 chance to get into the RR. I'll admit that if they can get past the Aztecs then they will have a good chance to get into the semis because the Stars United group is weaker than the Scorps/Rovers group, but that is as far as they go.