Hi everyone. New to this board as my son was recruited to play in Landmark conference. Can someone please tell me what the level of soccer is? Do D1 players who want to focus on academics and thus chose D3 lose their level of play? How do players keep up with soccer skills and touches on the ball in off season? Most programs have fitness built into off season but how about soccer training? I get the impression that from November (end of season) to February, players basically do not touch the ball unless they train on their own. I appreciate any guidance you can provide. Thanks.
I am a D3 parent -- from what I can see in my son's experience in the off season, they continue to lift, do speed work, play futsal, and depending on weather, play on the practice fields. It seems like the program cannot require the players to do ball work until the spring season begins, but players are certainly still getting time on the ball at their own initiative.
Each conference has its own rules about the spring season, specifying how many practices and games are allowed. I'm not familiar with Landmark as a conference, but E'town is an excellent program. During recruiting, we generally heard that the higher D3 programs overlap with the lower D1 programs. Congrats to your son.
@midwest, thank you for the response. Do you know if college players are allowed to play in USDA? My son graduating early and be still 17 in college. So he will be eligible to play in Spring. Wondering if he can use that to stay fit and get better wrt soccer.
My son plays in the Landmark and I can say the level of competition is high. Each year there are several teams moving in and out of the top 25, most notably (the last 2-3 seasons): Elizabethtown, Scranton and Drew. Susquehanna and Catholic have also had very good teams, but have been a bit "down" by the their lofty standards the past 2-3 years. If you look at the Massey rankings, the Landmark is generally one of the top conferences each year; using that ranking system, it generally falls between 8-15 depending on the year. Another strength to life in the Landmark is the proximity to other strong non-conference D3 teams such as teams from the Centennial, NJAC, MAC and, for some teams, SUNYAC. So Landmark teams can choose to schedule some very strong non-conference competition.
My son was also a D1 recruit but wanted to be able to have the opportunity to study abroad for a semester as well as get playing time immediately. What he has found is that he needs to work hard for playing time - players are just as hungry and skilled at D3. While his level of play has not slipped, the type of play has changed. While he came form a program that liked to build from the back and retain possession, he has found that sometimes teams need to play a bit more direct. He also encountered, what every coach said he would, a faster more physical game...and he learned to play accordingly.
He has a lot of off-season training as they lift and do speed and agility work. As the coach cannot directly train players during the off-season, the players get together to do specific ball work and small-sided play. Generally the older players "coach" the younger players if needed; but all of these guys came from strong programs so the "coaching" is along the lines of pointers for how to improve certain aspects of play. Participating in strength and conditioning work as well as individual work-outs and time on the ball are expectations of the program and all of the players participate in order to prepare for spring ball and take a high level of fitness into summer (where they also follow a rigorous training program of weights and ball work).
So if academics (and other curricular options) are more important to your son he will find a strong, physical conference in a geographical region surrounded by other strong teams. He and his team will also have the legitimate opportunity to make it to the Landmark play-offs (top 4 teams) where the winner earns a berth to the NCAA tournament. This is an exciting opportunity (and the goal for most teams) for any soccer student-athlete. I wish him luck in his college decisions. Let us know where he commits.
The Landmark is a solid conference. As someone else mentioned it's a bit more direct then most conferences in the area.
You son will not meaningfully touch a ball from November to February/March (depending on when they start the spring season). He will play pickup relatively often. But it's unorganized and the level is usually just ok.
The spring season consists of 15 practices over 5 weeks and a play day. On the play day they are allowed to play 180 minutes of games.
If your son is currently an Academy Kid in a well respected Academy he will have a shot at finding playing time early on if he comes in shape.
You cannot play on an Academy team while in college. There is actually an NCAA rule that restricts when players can play for club teams. The Spring Season is one of those restrictions.
You should also understand all of the good Division 3 players could have been Division 1 players. The gap between good Division 3 programs and had D1 programs is very small.
@madared and @luckylefty, thanks so much for your responses. I think I have a better understanding now. This decision making process is difficult and every bit of information helps. I am pleased to hear you both vouch for the programs and conferences. Thanks.
Quote from: sokermom on February 05, 2017, 11:03:57 AM
@madared and @luckylefty, thanks so much for your responses. I think I have a better understanding now. This decision making process is difficult and every bit of information helps. I am pleased to hear you both vouch for the programs and conferences. Thanks.
I didn't realize he hadn't made his decision. Here is the last piece of advice I will give. If at any point any of the coaches stiff armed you guys or have gone radio silent run as fast as you can. If they are not offering a guaranteed roster spot also run as fast as you can. So many kids get caught in the "try out" or "walk on" conversation. That is code word for "we don't care if you come."
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I didn't realize he hadn't made his decision. Here is the last piece of advice I will give. If at any point any of the coaches stiff armed you guys or have gone radio silent run as fast as you can. If they are not offering a guaranteed roster spot also run as fast as you can. So many kids get caught in the "try out" or "walk on" conversation. That is code word for "we don't care if you come."
[/quote]
Thanks.
The Landmark, like many others, is a solid conference. If you break it into tiers, the first class tier would be with 2 teams that tend to be NCAA caliber every year. Keep in mind that these 2 teams are usually different every year. The past 2 seasons its been Etown and Scranton. before that it was Catholic and Susquehanna. It all depends on the year. The next tier would be 2-3 teams that are good and competitive and have a shot at winning the league and upsetting one of those top 2 teams from tier 1. For tier 3, like any league from season to season, the bottom 3-4 teams playing level tends to drop off, BUT they are usually competitive and rarely get blown out. So top to bottom the league is solid. Recently Etown, Scranton, Catholic, and Susquehanna have been the cream of the crop in the Landmark and every year those schools are projected and capable of pushing for a conference title. Drew has been a solid team as well but seem to lose steam come mid October the past few years and Moravian, Goucher, and Juniata are all trying to establish themselves and push for conference playoffs. What schools in the Landmark is your son considering? Hopefully he is enjoying the process and I wish him the best of luck with his decision! Let us know where he ends up and hope this assessment helps! :)
sokermom please check your PMs.
Is there a way to determine which Landmark Conference team had the strongest recruit class for fall 2017? Does this type of information exist?
Quote from: franklyspeaking on August 01, 2017, 04:59:01 PM
Is there a way to determine which Landmark Conference team had the strongest recruit class for fall 2017? Does this type of information exist?
Based on my knowledge of local players from academy/top club programs, Catholic I think has the best recruiting class.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on August 01, 2017, 04:59:01 PM
Is there a way to determine which Landmark Conference team had the strongest recruit class for fall 2017? Does this type of information exist?
This is an incredibly hard thing to answer. Nobody really knows for sure, and in conferences like the Landmark where schools are somewhat spread out it becomes even more difficult. It wont really be discovered until the fall.
It's hard to tell unless the school releases their recruiting class. Some have done this and others have not. Many of the Landmark teams look like they haven't announced their incoming class yet which makes it difficult to say. Etown always brings in a ton of players and ends up with a solid class every year. Scranton has had some nice classes over the last few seasons and has shown by their record and championships. Catholic from what we can tell has a strong group coming in this fall and should be able to turn the ship in the right direction from the past two down years. Susquehanna tends to bring in a decent amount of players as well. Goucher, Drew, Juniata, and Moravian also don't release their incoming recruits as of just yet. Maybe this is a Landmark trend? Does anyone know why these teams don't announce their class over the summer like Messiah, Lycoming, Eastern etc.?
Here is last season's poll for reference when this year's poll comes out and how they actually finished the season. I imagine you will see something similar this season. Slots 3-6 will most likely shuffle.
2016 Landmark Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
Teams Points
1. Scranton 68 (6)
2. Elizabethtown 58 (2)
3. Catholic 43
4. Drew 35
5. Susquehanna 29
6. Moravian 16
7. Goucher 13
8. Juniata 10
2016 Final Standings
Teams Points
1. Elizabethtown (17pts)
2. Scranton (15pts)
3. Drew (14pts)
4. Susquehanna (12pts)
5. Moravian (9pts)
6. Goucher (5pts)
7. Catholic (3pts)
8. Juniata (3pts)
*Scranton beat Etown in the final*
The preseason scrimmages seem to shed some light on these teams and also gives some insight on the Freshman class. It would be nice to see who is playing who.
Are preseason games listed anywhere? Do these teams play D3 opponents in the preseason or do they play D1 and D2 level teams? I have heard that Drew had a strong recruiting class this year.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on August 09, 2017, 10:04:36 AM
Are preseason games listed anywhere? Do these teams play D3 opponents in the preseason or do they play D1 and D2 level teams? I have heard that Drew had a strong recruiting class this year.
It all depends on the team. Some teams do post who they will scrimmage in the preseason but most do not. As for the level of competition that also depends on the coaches preference but we do tend to see many D2 and D3 teams playing each other in the preseason or spring season as well as a few teams playing D1 schools here and there usually in the spring.
Quote from: Mid-Atlantic Fan on August 09, 2017, 02:01:24 PM
Quote from: franklyspeaking on August 09, 2017, 10:04:36 AM
Are preseason games listed anywhere? Do these teams play D3 opponents in the preseason or do they play D1 and D2 level teams? I have heard that Drew had a strong recruiting class this year.
It all depends on the team. Some teams do post who they will scrimmage in the preseason but most do not. As for the level of competition that also depends on the coaches preference but we do tend to see many D2 and D3 teams playing each other in the preseason or spring season as well as a few teams playing D1 schools here and there usually in the spring.
I can't remember seeing a D3 team playing a D2 or D1 in the spring. Here are the construction pics for Scranton's new NCAA regulation field:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXnWe8vlA3A/
Quote from: NEPAFAN on August 10, 2017, 10:10:47 AM
Quote from: Mid-Atlantic Fan on August 09, 2017, 02:01:24 PM
Quote from: franklyspeaking on August 09, 2017, 10:04:36 AM
Are preseason games listed anywhere? Do these teams play D3 opponents in the preseason or do they play D1 and D2 level teams? I have heard that Drew had a strong recruiting class this year.
It all depends on the team. Some teams do post who they will scrimmage in the preseason but most do not. As for the level of competition that also depends on the coaches preference but we do tend to see many D2 and D3 teams playing each other in the preseason or spring season as well as a few teams playing D1 schools here and there usually in the spring.
I can't remember seeing a D3 team playing a D2 or D1 in the spring. Here are the construction pics for Scranton's new NCAA regulation field:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXnWe8vlA3A/
D3 teams play D2 teams frequently in spring play days and occasionally some will play D1 teams for their one date of competition. I believe Messiah has played D1 teams such as Georgetown, Lycoming played Bucknell last spring...just a couple of the many examples
Interesting. Was Messiah able to compete well against Gtown, and how about Lycoming vs Bucknell?
If I recall, Lycoming played Bucknell two springs ago and tied them. This past spring they attended a play date with some others that consisted of Lock Haven (D2), Kings, Ursinus, Arcadia, and others. Elizabethtown also hosts a play date in the spring that usually consists of D2 and D3 teams. I know in the past Lycoming, Misericordia, and Susquehanna have all faced Bloomsburg University (D2) in the preseason and spring season. Messiah faced Shippensburg (D2) last preseason. Another example is F&M and Leb Val both played Bucknell this past spring season I believe. Not sure how they made out but D3 schools playing against D2 and D1 schools happens quite often.
I believe Drew defeated D1 St. Peters this spring 3-1.
Anywhere to find out when the preseason scrimmages will be played
Twitter is bet, according to twitter lvc has played F&M and plays Scranton on Tuesday.
I tried to go to each school's websites and not many schools have updated their rosters or posted pre-season scrimmages. And most schools are not active on twitter. So yeah, we have to wait for the actual season to begin to keep track of each school's progress/performance.
My guess is that rosters are not updated because they do not know who will be on the team. There are teams that cut players and they dont want to put out a roster that is not accurate.
Quote from: sokermom on August 21, 2017, 12:34:58 PM
I tried to go to each school's websites and not many schools have updated their rosters or posted pre-season scrimmages. And most schools are not active on twitter. So yeah, we have to wait for the actual season to begin to keep track of each school's progress/performance.
Many schools wait until at least close to the completion of preseason before being able to add roster names, photos, team pictures, etc due to the amount of other sports also practicing and those teams needs as well. D3 schools don't have the luxury of having one person covering each sport and constantly updating everything at the blink of an eye.
Also to echo what franklyspeaking stated, most teams haven't even had a scrimmage yet so teams are more than likely still figuring out who will make the cut. I would anticipate seeing rosters, conference coaches polls, pictures, etc all by the end of this week/weekend.
Scranton plays at Lebanon Valley today
any result in the Scranton-LVC game?
Messiah plays Susquehanna this evening.
Quote from: Madared on August 23, 2017, 06:28:34 PM
Messiah plays Susquehanna this evening.
2-0 win for the Falcons. Messiah hosts Rutgers-Newark Saturday night.
LVC beat Scranton 4-0 and lost 6-1 (!!) to F&M. I'm not sure how much stock you can put into those results but there you go
Quote from: paclassic89 on August 23, 2017, 11:06:42 PM
LVC beat Scranton 4-0 and lost 6-1 (!!) to F&M. I'm not sure how much stock you can put into those results but there you go
Thanks. Interesting. Not sure how much stock you can put into that, Scranton going to have a down year or just tinkering with lineups and trying to figure out what he has with regards to newcomers..
From what I have seen, coaches do not play all in these scrimmages and although they sub more than they might in a regular season match the scrimmages do shed some light on what will come when the season kicks off. Those scorelines are telling no matter how you look at it. Would like to hear from someone who saw either and shed some light on what really happened to Scranton.
Goucher beat CCBC Essex in a scrimmage 3:1. CCBC scored when Goucher coach substituted the whole starting line up literally. Goucher plays Widener on Sunday. That should give a better look about its ability but note though that CCBC has a lot of local Baltimore Armour academy kids who are either taking a gap year or could not get into a regular 4-yr college due to grades. One de-committed from Westpoint and now playing for CCBC.
E-town and Lycoming tied 2-2 earlier in the week.
Quote from: paclassic89 on August 23, 2017, 11:06:42 PM
LVC beat Scranton 4-0 and lost 6-1 (!!) to F&M. I'm not sure how much stock you can put into those results but there you go
I wouldn't look into this too much.
Catholic over Randolph 3-2 last week
Susquehanna to scrimmage Penn College tonight
Eastern over Moravian 1-0 last week
Scranton vs Ithaca today in NY.
Quote from: Flying Weasel on August 23, 2017, 10:08:24 PM
Quote from: Madared on August 23, 2017, 06:28:34 PM
Messiah plays Susquehanna this evening.
2-0 win for the Falcons. Messiah hosts Rutgers-Newark Saturday night.
Messiah - 1
Rutgers-Newark - 1
Goucher tied Widener (1-1). Goucher dominated but late in the second half Widener scored after Keeper let the ball slip from his hands into the net.
Scranton is 1 and Etown 2 in the pre season poll...
http://www.landmarkconference.org/sports/msoc/2017-18/releases/8282017msocpreseason
Drew and Scranton taking care of business early while Etown, Catholic and Susquehanna all have up and down starts.
From the outside looking in it looks like Drew scheduled a couple of games they could easily win, Scranton looks good, while Susquehanna is playing a lot of Freshmen. Elizabethtown will be just fine, they have depth.
Saw some of the Drew games. Yes, they played some patty cakes, but what impressed me was the contributions of the Fr. and So. They've got a home date with E-Town on the 23rd. Should be a good game.
With the early results I think it is pretty evident that this is a two team race again with the likes of Etown and Scranton battling it out. With that being said, Drew is off to a nice start regardless of the competition they are playing and Catholic has strung together a solid start as well. Moravian is also off to a good start. Don't count any of them out. It's still very early to tell but right now Susquehanna, Goucher, and Juniata are on the outside looking in.
Some games to watch as the season progresses (which may help illuminate on who is for real and who is for show)...
-Moravian vs @Montclair, Stockton, and Muhles
-Catholic vs @Eastern, @Haverford, @Salisbury, Gettysburg
-Etown vs @Eastern, @Haverford, @F&M, Messiah, Muhles
-Susqu. vs LVC, Gettysburg, Misericordia
-Scranton vs @Cortland, @Misericordia, Lycoming, Haverford, @Dickinson
-Drew vs Whitman, Muhles, Manhattanville, Haverford, @Kean
-Goucher vs @Alvernia, Washington Coll.
-Juniata vs Kings, @Lycoming
Or, wait until the conference matches happen and that will truly tell all.
Early results are in although league play will as always determine who is the real deal, but a couple of observations.
Drew is pounding their opponents. This seems like it will be a great year for Drew. Etown and Scranton are solid as always and will have the opportunity to win the Landmark. Not sure what to think of Moravian yet, but they have a chance at the 3 or 4 spot. Catholic is a bit up and down at this point but seem to be moving in the right direction. Susquehanna is playing a lot of underclassmen and seems their freshmen are the ones to watch. Goucher is getting results, but not sure if that will continue while Juniata is not getting the W's but look real close to being on track.
I think Drew, E-Town, Scranton and Catholic are your 4 playoff teams. Looks like it'll be tight race up top between Drew, E-Town and Scranton. I wouldn't be surprised to see them defeat one another in the regular season only to see a reversal in the playoffs.
I would look at Moravian squeezing out Catholic
Catholic appears to be struggling. one win, two ties, two losses.
Also Goucher loss to Alvernia was unfortunate. Some major confusion between players in the box that led to Alvernia scoring in the first 10 minutes. Both teams looked awful.
Moravian and Goucher have had incredibly weak schedules. Catholic on the other hand has had some great early season opponents in York, Mary Washington, Eastern and Haverford. If I was a betting man, and I am, I bet Catholic finishes ahead of Moravian and Goucher in the league.
Quote from: EB2319 on September 14, 2017, 09:04:03 AM
I think Drew, E-Town, Scranton and Catholic are your 4 playoff teams. Looks like it'll be tight race up top between Drew, E-Town and Scranton. I wouldn't be surprised to see them defeat one another in the regular season only to see a reversal in the playoffs.
Drew is scaring me.
We will see how Drew does when they face Etown, Scranton, Haverford, and @Catholic. Those four games will clarify what kind of team they are. The dismantling of the Muhles is impressive, but this isnt the same Mulhlenberg from three years ago. Drew has taken care of business as they should verse the teams they have played, but the low SOS has me still a doubter. Whitman is a nice win but those four games will shed some light on how good this team actually is.
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on September 14, 2017, 02:54:32 PM
We will see how Drew does when they face Etown, Scranton, Haverford, and @Catholic. Those four games will clarify what kind of team they are. The dismantling of the Muhles is impressive, but this isnt the same Mulhlenberg from three years ago. Drew has taken care of business as they should verse the teams they have played, but the low SOS has me still a doubter. Whitman is a nice win but those four games will shed some light on how good this team actually is.
That's kind of how I feel too. Although two things stand out that make me a buyer of Drew.
1. Scoreline. Yes the SOS has been on the weaker side, but they've absolutely pounded their opponents. A mediocre team would have won those games 2-0. They're putting up 5-6 goals which makes me think they can be extremely dangerous.
2. They're being lead by young players. That's not always a good thing but it tells me they've done a nice job getting quality in the door. They also have the returning rookie of the year who is having a good start to the season.
As I've said before, I think you'll need to score 3-4 goals to beat them, but that's entirely possible as their defense is still unproven in my eyes. I wouldn't be surprised to see a 4-3 game vs ETown.
Quote from: EB2319 on September 14, 2017, 03:38:22 PM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on September 14, 2017, 02:54:32 PM
We will see how Drew does when they face Etown, Scranton, Haverford, and @Catholic. Those four games will clarify what kind of team they are. The dismantling of the Muhles is impressive, but this isnt the same Mulhlenberg from three years ago. Drew has taken care of business as they should verse the teams they have played, but the low SOS has me still a doubter. Whitman is a nice win but those four games will shed some light on how good this team actually is.
That's kind of how I feel too. Although two things stand out that make me a buyer of Drew.
1. Scoreline. Yes the SOS has been on the weaker side, but they've absolutely pounded their opponents. A mediocre team would have won those games 2-0. They're putting up 5-6 goals which makes me think they can be extremely dangerous.
2. They're being lead by young players. That's not always a good thing but it tells me they've done a nice job getting quality in the door. They also have the returning rookie of the year who is having a good start to the season.
As I've said before, I think you'll need to score 3-4 goals to beat them, but that's entirely possible as their defense is still unproven in my eyes. I wouldn't be surprised to see a 4-3 game vs ETown.
Agree 100% ;D
This kid Aidan Cserhat at Drew appears to be the real deal. 9 goal, 3 assists. He's 6'5", and a recruited D1 player who apparently tried to make a go of playing professionally in Spain after HS...
http://www.maxpreps.com/news/DXANaGHywEOIlj3kkjOUxQ/taos-standout-aidan-cserhat-plans-to-head-to-spain-to-take-a-crack-at-pro-soccer.htm
Where did he transfer from?
After the first couple games of the season I think it is safe to say that the conference is a little down this year and is a toss up between 4 different teams with 2/3 being front-runners.
Etown and Scranton will be tough outs as always and Drew is emerging as a force. Catholic is close behind in that 4 spot and Moravian is also trying to creep into the picture. Susquehanna, Goucher, and Juniata all have lots of work to do once conference play starts.
According to a release from the conference Drew leads the nation in scoring offense.
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on September 20, 2017, 08:18:51 AM
After the first couple games of the season I think it is safe to say that the conference is a little down this year and is a toss up between 4 different teams with 2/3 being front-runners.
Etown and Scranton will be outs as always and Drew is emerging as a force. Catholic is close behind in that 4 spot and Moravian is also trying to creep into the picture. Susquehanna, Goucher, and Juniata all have lots of work to do once conference play starts.
I'm on record as saying it's a 3 horse race with Drew, ETown, Scranton and then Catholic grabbing the #4. If I had to pick 1-4, I'd go Drew, ETown, Scranton, Catholic
Quote from: EB2319 on September 20, 2017, 09:27:52 AM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on September 20, 2017, 08:18:51 AM
After the first couple games of the season I think it is safe to say that the conference is a little down this year and is a toss up between 4 different teams with 2/3 being front-runners.
Etown and Scranton will be outs as always and Drew is emerging as a force. Catholic is close behind in that 4 spot and Moravian is also trying to creep into the picture. Susquehanna, Goucher, and Juniata all have lots of work to do once conference play starts.
I'm on record as saying it's a 3 horse race with Drew, ETown, Scranton and then Catholic grabbing the #4. If I had to pick 1-4, I'd go Drew, ETown, Scranton, Catholic
I think Moravian is in the mix. Let's see how the first weekend shakes out.
Moravian and Catholic seem to be the two teams that will fight it out for the 4th spot. I don't have much faith in Juniata and Susquehanna seems to be playing for next year if you look at the amount of freshmen they play. Drew seems to be strong but Etown and Scranton will test that.
Has any one watched Trenton State this year? I wasn't that impressed by Drew. ThoughT Trenton State held there own against a team everyone thought was really good. The outcome favors Drew but not sure the game favored them.
Quote from: NJrexSoccer03 on September 20, 2017, 10:16:04 PM
Has any one watched Trenton State this year? I wasn't that impressed by Drew. ThoughT Trenton State held there own against a team everyone thought was really good. The outcome favors Drew but not sure the game favored them.
Completely disagree. I watched 2nd half and OT and I don't think TCNJ crossed midfield for the first 20 minutes. Drew had numerous opportunities but the TCNJ keeper made several huge point blank shots. He's a quality GK. TCNJ scored via an own-goal. As I suspected, the Drew defense is suspect. In the end, I thought the better team won, but I will agree that Drew didn't look too impressive. Messiah would pick them apart.
Etown's next 3 games will make or break them...@Drew, vs Messiah, vs Scranton.
Currently sitting at 5-2-0. If they somehow drop 2 of these games they could be in a win the Landmark or bust situation. Let's assume they go 1-1-1 in this stretch. That lands them at 6-3-1 (4 blemishes) with 7 games left. IMO 5 blemishes is the magic number this year to be on the "safe" side of the bubble. 6 blemishes is in major bubble zone and 7 blemishes is more than likely not going to cut it pending the team's SOS and RvR.
Just an example from last season...Hopkins was 12-3-3, .520 SOS, 1-2-1 RVR, 6th in region, 3 teams ahead got AQ leaving 2 teams which had 7 blemishes and 5 blemishes, both of which had higher SOS and better RvR than Hopkins and they were on the outside looking in. From the eyeball test I am unsure if Etown's SOS will be above .550 like last season and if the RvR will be worthy enough. Time will tell but this 3 game stretch has huge implications for them.
It's still very early for this kind of talk but I do agree that the next 3 games for Etown will have big implications of the work they will need to do the remainder of the yer.
Quote from: NJrexSoccer03 on September 20, 2017, 10:16:04 PM
Has any one watched Trenton State this year? I wasn't that impressed by Drew. ThoughT Trenton State held there own against a team everyone thought was really good. The outcome favors Drew but not sure the game favored them.
Trenton State? Thought it was the college of new jersey.
Quote from: NEPAFAN on September 22, 2017, 11:03:10 AM
Quote from: NJrexSoccer03 on September 20, 2017, 10:16:04 PM
Has any one watched Trenton State this year? I wasn't that impressed by Drew. ThoughT Trenton State held there own against a team everyone thought was really good. The outcome favors Drew but not sure the game favored them.
Trenton State? Thought it was the college of new jersey.
Shows my age and that I'm a local who didn't agree with the name change.
Drew over Etown 6-0
Moravian over Scranton 2-0
Susquehanna and Catholic draw 0-0
Juniata and Goucher draw 2-2
Quote from: Mid-Atlantic Fan on September 24, 2017, 08:37:52 AM
Drew over Etown 6-0
Moravian over Scranton 2-0
Susquehanna and Catholic draw 0-0
Juniata and Goucher draw 2-2
That Juniata vs. Goucher score doesn't reflect the game. Juniata captured on two mistakes (give away in front of the goal by Goucher) and scored on both. Goucher dominated in 2nd half and two OTs to come back from 2 goals down. So many opportunities went begging for Goucher in OT to come away with win. But they at least averted a loss. Yeah, Moravian beating Scranton is a big surprise.
The league is wide open after the first weekend results! Shocker that Drew was able to win by 6 goals!! WOW! :o
Drew by 6 is more than shocking! Scranton losing and Etown getting blown out makes for an interesting week for those teams. A couple of ties by the other teams keep them in the conversation at this point.
Paraphrasing from E-Town website...
Drew featured five different goal scorers in handing E-Town their largest margin of defeat since a five-goal loss to Wheaton (Ill.) in 1997. The Blue Jays were 13-0-3 in their previous 16 league games going back to the 2014 finale, but Drew brought that streak to an abrupt halt. Elizabethtown now has three days to get ready for Wednesday's showdown with rival and 10th-ranked Messiah on Herr Field.
If E-Town loses they go to 5-4 and will need to win the conference to have any hope at all of getting a bid. Even with a win vs. Messiah, I think they still need to win the conference, so this Drew loss is painful.
Quote from: EB2319 on September 25, 2017, 10:10:29 AM
Paraphrasing from E-Town website...
Drew featured five different goal scorers in handing E-Town their largest margin of defeat since a five-goal loss to Wheaton (Ill.) in 1997. The Blue Jays were 13-0-3 in their previous 16 league games going back to the 2014 finale, but Drew brought that streak to an abrupt halt. Elizabethtown now has three days to get ready for Wednesday's showdown with rival and 10th-ranked Messiah on Herr Field.
If E-Town loses they go to 5-4 and will need to win the conference to have any hope at all of getting a bid. Even with a win vs. Messiah, I think they still need to win the conference, so this Drew loss is painful.
I agree. If they lose to Messiah this week they are AQ or bust at the rate of the other teams. 4 losses in 9 games with Scranton, Moravian, and Catholic all left will be difficult not to pick up another blemish. And with the rate of the other teams around the region, 4 or 5 blemishes is looking like too many for a realistic shot at an at-large bid. Not to mention that if they do lose to Messiah they would probably be in the 1-3-0 or 2-3-0 RvR range depending on what F&M does and how the Scranton game goes. Not going to be good enough to jump others that will have similar or better RvR and most likely higher SOS and higher win %.
Should we crown Drew now or later? They keep rolling...
I wouldn't consider NYU a tough opponent. Sure, they were undefeated but they haven't played anyone. What still concerns me about Drew is a suspect defense, this time giving up 1 goal on only 2 SOG. Three big Landmark games coming up before a huge showdown with Haverford.
Scranton vs Drew
Moravian vs E-town
Tonight..
It's been a long time since Etown has gone through a bad spell like this, starting with the demoralizing 6-0 loss to Drew, the OT 2-1 loss to Messiah, and the recent 2-0 loss to Scranton. I didn't see this coming. The Jays looked awfully good against Messiah, and I am not yet convinced that they won't play that well again before the season is over. But, if they don't rise to that level right away, their season clearly will be over before the conference playoffs.
I think we can regard the score of the Drew game as a fluke. Consider this sequence: an own goal off a corner kick, followed by a PK near the end of the half, followed by a third goal six minutes into the second half. That would take the air out of almost any team at any level. Obviously Drew had a lot to do with that, but if Etown packed their bags with almost 40 minutes left it can't be the only time it's happened to a very good team. If they can right the ship, they might get a chance to play that hand again--but, they'd better be ready.
Based on what I saw when they played the Falcons, and based on the box scores of other recent games, my diagnosis is as follows. Gilbert Waso, whom I've described multiple times as the most dangerous player in the region (an opinion I am not retracting here), needs serious help from his teammates. Messiah just never game him any space to operate. He still missed a header goal by inches, and he's still getting off shots against other opponents, but I imagine he's operating under a lot of pressure so the looks aren't quite as good as he's accustomed to getting. In the Messiah game, Etown scored when someone else got a nice header off a FK while Waso was closely marked. Until that type of thing happens with more regularity, IMO Etown won't survive to get another shot at Drew.
What a mess this conference is ???
Not surprisingly, Drew absolutely spanked Juniata. Score was 3-0, but shots were 39-3. Really hard to take away anything from this game. Next game for Drew is Tuesday at home vs. Haverford. That game should tell us something.
This Drew vs Haverford match could be a good watch. Looks like Drew is leaps and bounds the best in the Landmark.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 09, 2017, 10:08:51 AM
This Drew vs Haverford match could be a good watch. Looks like Drew is leaps and bounds the best in the Landmark.
This is almost a must win for both teams. Drew has to have the mindset of winning the AQ but if that somehow wouldn't happen then this is a must win for them. As for Haverford they need another result vs a ranked team, preferably a win, if they want any shot at an at-large bid. This is a crucial game for both sides.
Quote from: Falconer on October 04, 2017, 11:47:46 AM
It's been a long time since Etown has gone through a bad spell like this,
Not sure what you mean by long time. It was just back in 2014 that E-town went 7-5-3, losing five or more games in a season for the fourth straight season and seventh of nine. While it is shaping up to be a below average season for the Blue jays, it's actually not that far off their norm over the past 12 years. 2015 is looking more like an aberration rather than a grand return to a place among the nation's top programs.
E-town struggled to defeat PSU-Berks last night. I noticed Gilberto Waso did not play. Looking further, I see he did not start the previous two games, though he did play. Also missing vs. PSU-Berks were starting defender Gochnauer (out since playing in the Messiah loss), starting forward JD Haaf (out since playing in the Scranton loss), and starting midfielder Burke. Anyone know what the story is. A rash of injuries?
Speaking of must wins, Etown MUST win Saturday to continue their season. Etown started the season off strong but the results lately have been interesting to say the least. Maybe injuries have taken their toll and depth is not the strong point this year.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 19, 2017, 07:47:14 AM
Speaking of must wins, Etown MUST win Saturday to continue their season. Etown started the season off strong but the results lately have been interesting to say the least. Maybe injuries have taken their toll and depth is not the strong point this year.
I watched the game vs. Goucher. Wasso played well. He was all over the field. His goal was an easy goal though for him. Goucher defenders got stretched when another Etown player made an overlapping run and Wasso had one defender on him whom he could shake and put one in the goal from 30 yrds out. Good goal and only goal but Goucher actually contained them well to keep the score 1-0. Goucher going through injuries to some top players early season and they are just coming back into play and form and struggling a bit. Need to bounce back vs. Scranton.
So here's a question.... what kind of post-season award does Waso earn this year? He's a two-time All-American, yet there are other forwards in the conference who are having much better individual seasons and their teams are much more successful. For example, let's look at Drew. Cserhart is 17/5 right now and one of the top forwards in the country. Imoh (last year's Landmark ROY and a Regional All-American), is 9/6 right now. Waso is 8/2 and E-Town is in danger of not even making the conference tournament.
Quote from: EB2319 on October 19, 2017, 10:32:22 AM
So here's a question.... what kind of post-season award does Waso earn this year? He's a two-time All-American, yet there are other forwards in the conference who are having much better individual seasons and their teams are much more successful. For example, let's look at Drew. Cserhart is 17/5 right now and one of the top forwards in the country. Imoh (last year's Landmark ROY and a Regional All-American), is 9/6 right now. Waso is 8/2 and E-Town is in danger of not even making the conference tournament.
Maybe he won't get any awards. He was one of the two players who looked good. He was shifting left to right and box to box in search of plays and opportunities. There is another skinny blonde player on Etown who also looked good. Other than that nothing to brag about. Goucher was hoping to get a result or take it to OT but Wasso got a lucky chance and buried it.
Quote from: sokermom on October 19, 2017, 02:46:40 PM
Quote from: EB2319 on October 19, 2017, 10:32:22 AM
So here's a question.... what kind of post-season award does Waso earn this year? He's a two-time All-American, yet there are other forwards in the conference who are having much better individual seasons and their teams are much more successful. For example, let's look at Drew. Cserhart is 17/5 right now and one of the top forwards in the country. Imoh (last year's Landmark ROY and a Regional All-American), is 9/6 right now. Waso is 8/2 and E-Town is in danger of not even making the conference tournament.
Maybe he won't get any awards. He was one of the two players who looked good. He was shifting left to right and box to box in search of plays and opportunities. There is another skinny blonde player on Etown who also looked good. Other than that nothing to brag about. Goucher was hoping to get a result or take it to OT but Wasso got a lucky chance and buried it.
Waso is a very talented player. He will be first team All-Conference in the Landmark and potentially All-Region but I doubt he will be All-American this season. Far too many other talented players in that spot this year.
Quote from: EB2319 on October 19, 2017, 10:32:22 AM
So here's a question.... what kind of post-season award does Waso earn this year? He's a two-time All-American, yet there are other forwards in the conference who are having much better individual seasons and their teams are much more successful. For example, let's look at Drew. Cserhart is 17/5 right now and one of the top forwards in the country. Imoh (last year's Landmark ROY and a Regional All-American), is 9/6 right now. Waso is 8/2 and E-Town is in danger of not even making the conference tournament.
I agree with Mid Atlantic as long as Etown makes the conference tournament. Which they might have the easier schedule for the bubble teams in the Landmark with Susquehanna and Juniata left. If they make the conference tournament he is most likely making one of the All Region teams. All American is a big reach unless he puts them on his shoulders and carries them into the NCAA Tournament and wins a game.
Etown can win or lose any Landmark game, just as every team can do with the exception of Drew and Juniata. They have no firepower with the exception of one player and that is if he decides to give effort which has been an issue this year. Expect Drew, Etown, Catholic, with the 4th team being Susquehanna or Moravian. Susquehanna's main issue is scoring, as their leading threat has NO goals this year. I think that is a big enough sample size to determine that he is not the answer up top, but what do I know. Assuming Catholic beats Scranton, and that is not a guarantee by any means then the Susquehanna/Moravian game is for fourth place.
Catholic is 1-5-1 on the Road, FWIW.
So Scranton controls their own destiny. Win and they are the conference 4 seed, correct? What about a tie?
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 23, 2017, 02:51:10 PM
So Scranton controls their own destiny. Win and they are the conference 4 seed, correct? What about a tie?
I think Scranton would be the #3 seed with a win over Catholic. If Moravian beats Susquehanna, Moravian would be the 4 seed Catholic would be out. If Susquehanna beats Moravian and Scranton beats Catholic I'm not sure who has the tiebreaker for the 4 seed between Catholic and Susquehanna. Scranton can only advance with a tie if the Moravian Susquehanna game ends in a tie. In that scenerio Cahtolic would be the #3 Scranton #4. Of course, all of this is subject to me having made a simple math error.
Quote from: bricullen on October 24, 2017, 07:27:30 AM
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 23, 2017, 02:51:10 PM
So Scranton controls their own destiny. Win and they are the conference 4 seed, correct? What about a tie?
I think Scranton would be the #3 seed with a win over Catholic. If Moravian beats Susquehanna, Moravian would be the 4 seed Catholic would be out. If Susquehanna beats Moravian and Scranton beats Catholic I'm not sure who has the tiebreaker for the 4 seed between Catholic and Susquehanna. Scranton can only advance with a tie if the Moravian Susquehanna game ends in a tie. In that scenerio Cahtolic would be the #3 Scranton #4. Of course, all of this is subject to me having made a simple math error.
I watched most of these teams play and I have to tell you that Scranton is a better team (parents are the most obnoxious fans I've seen and that is a different story) than Etown, Susquehanna. Moravian I am not sure why they are even there...not a good team. I pick Catholic. I am rooting for Scranton to not make the playoffs after watching how obnoxious the players and parents are. No respect.
From what I can see Susquehanna and Moravian do not control their own destiny. If Scranton beats Catholic, Scranton is in and the Sus/Mor result will mean nothing as far as playoffs are concerned.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 24, 2017, 02:16:45 PM
From what I can see Susquehanna and Moravian do not control their own destiny. If Scranton beats Catholic, Scranton is in and the Sus/Mor result will mean nothing as far as playoffs are concerned.
I see Catholic at 3-2-1 10 points Scranton 3-3 9 points and Moravian at 2-2-2 8 points. I believe with a Catholic loss to Scranton and a Moravian win over Susquehanna. Scranton would be 4-3 12 points Moravian would be 3-2-2 11 points and Catholic would be 3-3-1 10 points. Etown also has 10 points but is a favorite over Juniata on Saturday.
Should be a fun one in Scranton on Saturday in what could be the last game ever at Fitzpatrick Field as Scranton moves to their new facility next year.
Thank God, that is a horrible field
As I stated earlier, Scranton was a very over rated team this year. I still do not know why they constantly received the rankings that they did. They played angry and sometimes they went too far with that, and did nothing but kick the ball long. I also do not see what people see in Etown. Yes they have a very good player, when he chooses to play, but on top of that nothing really stands out. Catholic should win easily over Etown and Drew will have no issues with Susquehanna.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 30, 2017, 08:04:18 AM
As I stated earlier, Scranton was a very over rated team this year. I still do not know why they constantly received the rankings that they did. They played angry and sometimes they went too far with that, and did nothing but kick the ball long. I also do not see what people see in Etown. Yes they have a very good player, when he chooses to play, but on top of that nothing really stands out. Catholic should win easily over Etown and Drew will have no issues with Susquehanna.
This post is laughable. Were they over rated or did they under perform? I don't think it was unusual for people to predict an Etown or Scranton champion considering they have matched up in the final the last 2 years and both have made NCAA's.
They also had a nice start to the year and faded as to where Etown did the opposite but I am sure both would agree that they under performed this year although Etown still has a chance to recover.
Stating that Catholic should "easily" win over Etown is just outrageous. Let's compare the two.
Etown: 10-6-1 (4-2-1) including a 1-0 win over Catholic. Etown is regionally ranked at #10. SOS .595 w/1-3-0 RvR.
Catholic: 7-7-4 (4-2-1) including a 1-0 loss at Etown. SOS .538 w/0-3-2 RvR.
I am by no means an Etown fan and have been critical of them in the past, but to say Catholic should easily win on the road in a conference semifinal game to a team that has been to the final the last two years and NCAA's once and has a better record playing a stronger schedule and more wins against ranked teams and also a head to head win already vs Catholic is just silly. Need I go on?
Please do. This is a forum for opinions and my opinion is that Catholic is better than Etown at this point. I also see no difference in under performing vs overrated. Based on what I have seen, Scranton was given too much credit for what people thought they would do rather then what they actually did.
The pre-season polls are based on past success, it isn't like you can evaluate incoming class at this level.
But yet Scranton continued to get top 10 talk and rankings for most if not all of the season. I am just saying they didnt deserve it, and if you want to add in the entire season it seems I am correct. I agree with you on preseason rankings, they mean very little.
Most of the season they were top 10? What drugs are you doing because I need to get on whatever it is!
Week 2: 13th at 4-0-0
Week 3: 18th at 5-1-0
Week 4: RV at 31 (Dropped out of top 25)
Week 5: RV at 22
Week 6: NR
Week 7: NR
Week 8: NR
And I will go out on a limb here and guess they will not be ranked in tomorrow's Top 25 either! Just a hunch!
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 30, 2017, 09:52:49 AM
Please do. This is a forum for opinions and my opinion is that Catholic is better than Etown at this point. I also see no difference in under performing vs overrated. Based on what I have seen, Scranton was given too much credit for what people thought they would do rather then what they actually did.
You're allowed to think Catholic is better as am I to think that saying they will "easily beat Etown" is a stupid statement.
Catholic may very well beat Etown, that I don't disagree with, but I do not think it will be easy...
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 30, 2017, 10:27:02 AM
But yet Scranton continued to get top 10 talk and rankings for most if not all of the season.
Are you talking regionally or nationally?
Maybe he/she is speaking regionally and even in that case they are 9th in the 2nd regional rankings...there is a reason why they have been discussed all year and for those same reasons the committee has them in 9th. Have they struggled for what the expectations were? Of course and no one is disagreeing with that. But are they still worthy of top 10 regional discussion? Yes.
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on October 30, 2017, 10:45:00 AM
Quote from: franklyspeaking on October 30, 2017, 09:52:49 AM
Please do. This is a forum for opinions and my opinion is that Catholic is better than Etown at this point. I also see no difference in under performing vs overrated. Based on what I have seen, Scranton was given too much credit for what people thought they would do rather then what they actually did.
You're allowed to think Catholic is better as am I to think that saying they will "easily beat Etown" is a stupid statement.
Catholic may very well beat Etown, that I don't disagree with, but I do not think it will be easy...
Pk shootout after scoreless 110 minutes
Give Etown credit, they came out on top. Catholic had some very dangerous scoring opps that they just didnt close out and Etown took advantage in PK's.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on November 01, 2017, 07:29:44 AM
Give Etown credit, they came out on top. Catholic had some very dangerous scoring opps that they just didnt close out and Etown took advantage in PK's.
So much for
easily winning that game....
Yes, I was wrong but I stand by my belief that they would win 2-1, 3-1 or something like that. I know you have never made a prediction that failed Shooter but we all can't be you.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on November 01, 2017, 08:57:43 AM
Yes, I was wrong but I stand by my belief that they would win 2-1, 3-1 or something like that. I know you have never made a prediction that failed Shooter but we all can't be you.
Not so easy was it?
Already admitted that. Did Scranton win? Only kidding, good luck to Etown when they play Drew.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on November 01, 2017, 09:45:51 AM
Already admitted that. Did Scranton win? Only kidding, good luck to Etown when they play Drew.
They'll need it.
Clearly you know my view on that matchup, I dont see how Etown can stop the offensive power of Drew but what the hell do I know, as I have proven.
Quote from: franklyspeaking on November 01, 2017, 08:57:43 AM
Yes, I was wrong but I stand by my belief that they would win 2-1, 3-1 or something like that. I know you have never made a prediction that failed Shooter but we all can't be you.
I just didn't care that you said it would be easy. Very few playoff games turn out to be easy. I actually anticipated Catholic winning this rematch and they almost did. Well played game by them and unfortunate not to move on. I believe Drew will be the clear favorite in the final. I think Catholic would have given Drew more trouble in the final than Etown as well. Drew beat Etown 6-0 earlier compared to Catholic 1-0. I thought Catholic was the better side yesterday. They shut Waso down and that is really all Etown had to offer. With that said, Catholic didn't really have any dangerous players that stood out either.
With Drew being behind Dickinson in the latest rankings at #6 I think they are a huge bubble team if they don't win the Landmark. If they were sitting in front of Dickinson at #5 I would say they are on the right side of the bubble. I would be worried if I were a Drew fan but as long as they take care of business in the championship they have nothing to worry about.
Quote from: Mid-Atlantic Fan on November 02, 2017, 08:14:27 AM
With Drew being behind Dickinson in the latest rankings at #6 I think they are a huge bubble team if they don't win the Landmark. If they were sitting in front of Dickinson at #5 I would say they are on the right side of the bubble. I would be worried if I were a Drew fan but as long as they take care of business in the championship they have nothing to worry about.
Even if they lose, 17-1-1 and 3-1 RvR would be enough for me to put them in. And I don't care if they're #6 or #16, I sure as heck wouldn't want to play them.
Quote from: EB2319 on November 02, 2017, 09:00:40 AM
Quote from: Mid-Atlantic Fan on November 02, 2017, 08:14:27 AM
With Drew being behind Dickinson in the latest rankings at #6 I think they are a huge bubble team if they don't win the Landmark. If they were sitting in front of Dickinson at #5 I would say they are on the right side of the bubble. I would be worried if I were a Drew fan but as long as they take care of business in the championship they have nothing to worry about.
Even if they lose, 17-1-1 and 3-1 RvR would be enough for me to put them in. And I don't care if they're #6 or #16, I sure as heck wouldn't want to play them.
We can speculate all we want. At the end of the day it depends on how the AQ's take shape. How many teams will steal bids? Where will teams land in the mysterious final rankings? All of these factors come into play. I think the Mid-Atlantic has a good chance to get a lot of teams in. But it all depends on the AQ's from other conferences.
Right now both Messiah and Lycoming are in and 1 of them is getting the AQ with the other getting a Pool C nod. Good news for other at-large contenders that 1 of these teams is getting the AQ. That saves a bid for everyone else. So now we are down to 18 at-large bids. If you are a bubble team you would hope that Hopkins or Gettysburg wins the AQ or worst case Dickinson. If F&M manages to win the AQ they are stealing a bid which means trouble. So let's say Hopkins win the AQ. They come off the board and now we have Gettysburg more than likely also getting an at-large. Vice versa if Gettysburg wins then Hopkins would get the at-large. Regardless that leaves us with Dickinson (If they would stay in the 5 spot). Will they come off the board? If they don't then Drew is done. If Drew jumps them in the final rankings then they have a shot. But if Dickinson never comes off the board then Drew will never have a chance to even be considered for an at-large berth. With that said I think Drew and Dickinson will both get in one way or another and I think Haverford will even have a chance to get in from the 7 slot! That's how good this region is this year. Once the AQ's are finished on Sunday everyone will have a better idea of who will go where.
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 02, 2017, 11:17:14 AM
Quote from: EB2319 on November 02, 2017, 09:00:40 AM
Quote from: Mid-Atlantic Fan on November 02, 2017, 08:14:27 AM
With Drew being behind Dickinson in the latest rankings at #6 I think they are a huge bubble team if they don't win the Landmark. If they were sitting in front of Dickinson at #5 I would say they are on the right side of the bubble. I would be worried if I were a Drew fan but as long as they take care of business in the championship they have nothing to worry about.
Even if they lose, 17-1-1 and 3-1 RvR would be enough for me to put them in. And I don't care if they're #6 or #16, I sure as heck wouldn't want to play them.
We can speculate all we want. At the end of the day it depends on how the AQ's take shape. How many teams will steal bids? Where will teams land in the mysterious final rankings? All of these factors come into play. I think the Mid-Atlantic has a good chance to get a lot of teams in. But it all depends on the AQ's from other conferences.
Right now both Messiah and Lycoming are in and 1 of them is getting the AQ with the other getting a Pool C nod. Good news for other at-large contenders that 1 of these teams is getting the AQ. That saves a bid for everyone else. So now we are down to 18 at-large bids. If you are a bubble team you would hope that Hopkins or Gettysburg wins the AQ or worst case Dickinson. If F&M manages to win the AQ they are stealing a bid which means trouble. So let's say Hopkins win the AQ. They come off the board and now we have Gettysburg more than likely also getting an at-large. Vice versa if Gettysburg wins then Hopkins would get the at-large. Regardless that leaves us with Dickinson (If they would stay in the 5 spot). Will they come off the board? If they don't then Drew is done. If Drew jumps them in the final rankings then they have a shot. But if Dickinson never comes off the board then Drew will never have a chance to even be considered for an at-large berth. With that said I think Drew and Dickinson will both get in one way or another and I think Haverford will even have a chance to get in from the 7 slot! That's how good this region is this year. Once the AQ's are finished on Sunday everyone will have a better idea of who will go where.
Stop being the voice of reason and confusing me with facts!
Quote from: EB2319 on November 02, 2017, 11:55:13 AM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 02, 2017, 11:17:14 AM
Quote from: EB2319 on November 02, 2017, 09:00:40 AM
Quote from: Mid-Atlantic Fan on November 02, 2017, 08:14:27 AM
With Drew being behind Dickinson in the latest rankings at #6 I think they are a huge bubble team if they don't win the Landmark. If they were sitting in front of Dickinson at #5 I would say they are on the right side of the bubble. I would be worried if I were a Drew fan but as long as they take care of business in the championship they have nothing to worry about.
Even if they lose, 17-1-1 and 3-1 RvR would be enough for me to put them in. And I don't care if they're #6 or #16, I sure as heck wouldn't want to play them.
We can speculate all we want. At the end of the day it depends on how the AQ's take shape. How many teams will steal bids? Where will teams land in the mysterious final rankings? All of these factors come into play. I think the Mid-Atlantic has a good chance to get a lot of teams in. But it all depends on the AQ's from other conferences.
Right now both Messiah and Lycoming are in and 1 of them is getting the AQ with the other getting a Pool C nod. Good news for other at-large contenders that 1 of these teams is getting the AQ. That saves a bid for everyone else. So now we are down to 18 at-large bids. If you are a bubble team you would hope that Hopkins or Gettysburg wins the AQ or worst case Dickinson. If F&M manages to win the AQ they are stealing a bid which means trouble. So let's say Hopkins win the AQ. They come off the board and now we have Gettysburg more than likely also getting an at-large. Vice versa if Gettysburg wins then Hopkins would get the at-large. Regardless that leaves us with Dickinson (If they would stay in the 5 spot). Will they come off the board? If they don't then Drew is done. If Drew jumps them in the final rankings then they have a shot. But if Dickinson never comes off the board then Drew will never have a chance to even be considered for an at-large berth. With that said I think Drew and Dickinson will both get in one way or another and I think Haverford will even have a chance to get in from the 7 slot! That's how good this region is this year. Once the AQ's are finished on Sunday everyone will have a better idea of who will go where.
Stop being the voice of reason and confusing me with facts!
I would not want to face Drew any day of the week
Good luck to Drew as they begin the NCAA's.