2011 Region III Championship Brackets & Schedules

I agree with everything Socrocks has said. Both their players and parents showed extreme class not only during but after the game. I have friends on the Sting team team and they were very compassionate not only to me but to all of our parents and players.

I think Sting is a very deserving champion and this year could be their time to win the whole thing. Like us, they need some serious healing time on their roster. Unfortunately, with Colorado in a couple of weeks and Nationals right after that, the healing time will be short.

Good luck to Sting and their road to Phoenix. We will send you off with a little DFeeters Swag that carried us through Regionals!!!

Good luck to Sting. I hope the player at Feet with the injury has a good recovery and only needs rest.

As far as teams playing short handed. I think that allows the team to play thru some rough times and only makes the team stronger. See Dallas Mavericks.

96 & Soc:

I would be remiss to not say that the feeling is mutual. Your Coach, parents and players showed the utmost in class and character throughout the Regional competition. It has been a real pleasure to get to know you guys in a competitive sports environment and I look forward to our spirited matches in the future. Frankly, the outcome of this game could have gone either way. After watching two games wherein certain players and parents made a travesty of the Beautiful Game, it was fun to watch a real soccer match where I did not witness one cheap foul or unnecessary flop. A number of clubs in our Region could take a lesson from the Feet on how to win and lose gracefully. Enough said.

Thanks for the well wishes for Nationals. If they can keep all of the California teams out of the final six, we may stand a chance. Otherwise, not so sure.......

SI

Suddenimpact wrote:96 & Soc:

I would be remiss to not say that the feeling is mutual. Your Coach, parents and players showed the utmost in class and character throughout the Regional competition. It has been a real pleasure to get to know you guys in a competitive sports environment and I look forward to our spirited matches in the future. Frankly, the outcome of this game could have gone either way. After watching two games wherein certain players and parents made a travesty of the Beautiful Game, it was fun to watch a real soccer match where I did not witness one cheap foul or unnecessary flop. A number of clubs in our Region could take a lesson from the Feet on how to win and lose gracefully. Enough said.

Thanks for the well wishes for Nationals. If they can keep all of the California teams out of the final six, we may stand a chance. Otherwise, not so sure.......

SI

Thanks SI...we feel the same about the Sting group. Your girls just seem to (quietly) keep getting it done.

I guess someone is listening to your requests...things are lining up pretty well for you in the Nationals group.

Out west, yesterday the 2 probable favorites lost in the quarters....MVLA lost to Eastside (WA) and Sereno (AZ) lost to So Cal Blues. IMO, this means that none of Region IV's top 6 teams will be representing them at Nationals (MVLA, Mustang Fury, Surf, Sereno, WCFC, Arsenal). This bodes well for Sting.

National League reps will be SAC United (MD) and Match Fit Chelsea Beat (NJ). Texans beat SAC in May (NJ).

I think Region 2 plays this weekend and Region 1 plays next weekend.

socrocks wrote:

Suddenimpact wrote:96 & Soc:

I would be remiss to not say that the feeling is mutual. Your Coach, parents and players showed the utmost in class and character throughout the Regional competition. It has been a real pleasure to get to know you guys in a competitive sports environment and I look forward to our spirited matches in the future. Frankly, the outcome of this game could have gone either way. After watching two games wherein certain players and parents made a travesty of the Beautiful Game, it was fun to watch a real soccer match where I did not witness one cheap foul or unnecessary flop. A number of clubs in our Region could take a lesson from the Feet on how to win and lose gracefully. Enough said.

Thanks for the well wishes for Nationals. If they can keep all of the California teams out of the final six, we may stand a chance. Otherwise, not so sure.......

SI

Thanks SI...we feel the same about the Sting group. Your girls just seem to (quietly) keep getting it done.

I guess someone is listening to your requests...things are lining up pretty well for you in the Nationals group.

Out west, yesterday the 2 probable favorites lost in the quarters....MVLA lost to Eastside (WA) and Sereno (AZ) lost to So Cal Blues. IMO, this means that none of Region IV's top 6 teams will be representing them at Nationals (MVLA, Mustang Fury, Surf, Sereno, WCFC, Arsenal). This bodes well for Sting.

National League reps will be SAC United (MD) and Match Fit Chelsea Beat (NJ). Texans beat SAC in May (NJ).

I think Region 2 plays this weekend and Region 1 plays next weekend.

You might want to rethink this one. Slammers are the reigning Surf Cup champion, they finished 6th in ECNL (ie they will play for the ECNL National Championship next month), they also won SoCal State Cup and now Regionals as well. That's a pretty impressive 12 months and more than proves they are as good, if not better, than any group in Region IV.

OK, I'll reconsider.

The Far West region is defintely deep (especially the Cal teams). And maybe I should give Slammers a bit more credit based on their recent body of work. They did win over a solid field at Surf Cup (last year)....and winning CalSouth State Cup and Region 4 (this year) is nothing to sneeze at.

We played them a couple of years ago and beat them soundly. They were easily the weakest of the 4 teams we faced (Surf, So Cal Blues, Real So Cal). I think they finished in 7th or 8th place last year in their local league play (CSL). Their finish in ECNL (technically 7th place) is commendable but 12GF and 12GA isnt all that impressive. Even in ECNL they finished behind 3 of the teams I mentioned (Surf, WCFC, Mustang). They just lost to WCFC recently 4-0....and also to Arsenal.

I have seen them play a few times...they were athletic but not overly technical. I know they won't roll over but I just don't feel they're as strong as a number of teams from Region 4. I still like Sting's chances....certainly vs. Slammers.

socrocks wrote:OK, I'll reconsider.

The Far West region is defintely deep (especially the Cal teams). Abd naybe I should give Slammers a bit more credit based on their recent body of work. They did win over a solid field at Surf Cup (last year)....and winning CalSouth State Cup and Region 4 (this year) is nothing to sneeze at.

We played them a couple of years ago and beat them soundly. They were easily the weakest of the 4 teams we faced (Surf, So Cal Blues, Real So Cal). I think they finished in 7th or 8th place last year in their local league play (CSL). Their finish in ECNL (technically 7th place) is commendable but 12GF and 12GA isnt all that impressive. Even in ECNL they finished behind 3 of the teams I mentioned (Surf, WCFC, Mustang). They just lost to WCFC recently 4-0....and also to Arsenal.

I have seen them play a few times...they were athletic but not overly technical. I know they won't roll over but I just don't feel they're as strong as a number of teams from Region 4. I still like Sting's chances....certainly vs. Slammers.

This, we can agree on. Sting should be the favorite no matter who comes from Region 1 or 2.

All slots for Nationals filled

Region 1 = PDA Slammers (NJ)
Region 2 = Eclipse Select (IL)
Region 3 = Sting
Region 4 = Slammers (Cal-S)
National League = SAC United (MD0 and Match Fit Chelsea (NJ)

Playing in Phoenix should prove to be a nice advantage for Sting. Once you get on the other side of the Mason/Dixon line, I don't think the thermometers even go up to 90 degrees....115 is going to be brutal.

Congrats to both Sting and Feet. Sounds like the girls left everything on the field. Good luck to Sting at Nationals.

socrocks wrote:All slots for Nationals filled

Region 1 = PDA Slammers (NJ)
Region 2 = Eclipse Select (IL)
Region 3 = Sting
Region 4 = Slammers (Cal-S)
National League = SAC United (MD0 and Match Fit Chelsea (NJ)

Playing in Phoenix should prove to be a nice advantage for Sting. Once you get on the other side of the Mason/Dixon line, I don't think the thermometers even go up to 90 degrees....115 is going to be brutal.

Very interesting results at this morning's ECNL National Championships. PDA, who was top seed, lost to #8 seed Carmel United 0-1; Slammers (#7 Seed) slipped by SD Surf (#2) 2-1; Lonestar (#3) escaped Eclipse Select ((#6) 3-2; West Coast (#5) beat Mustang (#4) 2-1. I do not know if any of the 1 goal differences went to OT or PKs as I am not there...but find it interesting that both PDA and Eclipse Select lost. Slammers are still alive...but Sting should get a good gauge of where they are at this point since they play Lonestar tomorrow in the Semi-finals.

Congrats to Sting for a great showing at Nationals. I'm sure their group was pretty disappointed...not advancing, despite not giving up a goal. I guess the cards didn't line up for Sting on day 3 (with PDA and SAC taking care of business in their games). Feel Sting was capable of winning the whole thing. Would love to hear some feedback on how things went.

Lots of parity in the 96 group....the coming year in ECNL should prove to be very fun and unpredictable.