Mid-Atlantic Region

[camosfan]

They are defending NJAC champions, think they made it to the round of 32 last year!

[Saint of Old]

Messiah beat Kean 7-0 in a scrimmage a couple of weeks ago.

Cannot count scrimages.
Good coaches are using those to try different pieces in different spots/ analyze the freshman crop and getting the engine of the team ready for the season with fitness.
Game can be tied and then get away from the 2nd string of weaker team once subs are made.
Too many variables to really judge well.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

MAF Week 1 Top 10 (combined regions 4/5)
1. Messiah (1-0-1)
2. JHU (1-0-1)
3. Montclair (1-0-2)
4. Stevens (1-0-1)
5. NYU (1-0-1)
6. Swarthmore (2-1-0)
7. Gettysburg (2-0-0)
8. Rowan (1-1-1)
9. F&M (1-1-0)
10. Drew (3-0-0)

Teams to Watch:
Misericordia (2-0-0)
Lycoming (1-0-1)
Catholic (1-0-1)
Kean (2-0-0)
Alvernia (1-0-1)
Scranton (1-1-0)
PSU-Harrisburg (0-0-2)

[D3SoccerTalker]

I think the argument of not taking scrimmages seriously is a pretty flimsy idea. Scrimmages give coaches the best understanding of how their team actually looks and I am not sure I would want to be that much in the gray with about 4-5 days before the actual season. Secondly, if you are a coach that can sit back and watch your team lose 5, 6, 7 to nil! Then I would have some pretty serious doubts about that coach's competitive muscle.

[Saint of Old]

I think the argument of not taking scrimmages seriously is a pretty flimsy idea. Scrimmages give coaches the best understanding of how their team actually looks and I am not sure I would want to be that much in the gray with about 4-5 days before the actual season. Secondly, if you are a coach that can sit back and watch your team lose 5, 6, 7 to nil! Then I would have some pretty serious doubts about that coach's competitive muscle.

You take the scrimmage seriously, do not take the score seriously.
This is a big difference.

Different coaches analyze things differently.
There are coaches who plan their entire season making sure that the team and each player is ready for the conference part of the schedule and will risk or accept losing 5,6,ot 7 because they know that losing like that could help them come Late October and November.

[Hopkins92]

Not only do the coaches take scrimmages in a different light, the players absolutely aren't taking things all that seriously when the score/game "doesn't count." It's almost impossible from a mental stand point.

[PaulNewman]

Not only do the coaches take scrimmages in a different light, the players absolutely aren't taking things all that seriously when the score/game "doesn't count." It's almost impossible from a mental stand point.

I think I'm down the middle on this one.  I have no doubt different coaches use exhibitions/scrimmages differently probably for a variety of reasons.  That said, the preseason is very short and players only have so many opportunities to prove that they belong and deserve playing time.  I would think that initial game action 7-8 months after the prior season ended would be pretty stimulating.  I doubt a 7-0 drubbing left the coach or the players very pleased.

Allen Iverson is popping up in my head....practice?  practice?  you talking 'bout practice?

[NEPAFAN]

Kean ties F&M...F&M pushing for the equalizer throughout the second half. They have a great turf field.

Scranton (homer alert) has scored 3 goals in the past two games, they did that once last year. They have 7 Goals on the season, and had 10 all of last year.

Kings has lost 3 in a row after beating Scranton in the opener for both teams.

[Falconer]

Messiah looked great in both games this weekend, much better than they often have looked at a similar point in previous seasons. I put that down to the unprecedented level of experience of the starting 11, obviously in part a consequence of the COVID year. Last year's team was also very high on experience, but not quite as deep IMO, insofar as this year's FR class is loaded with talent and the two most important FR from last year, in terms of playing time (Leitzel and Englehart) have both developed into starter-level players even if they aren't starting this year. It's evident that the Falcons have more scoring options than any team since the national champions in 2017. They are also at the moment (knock on wood) healthy. The announcers keep saying that Luke Groothoff (who missed the last third of 2021 including the tournament) is still not fully back—85% is a number I recall hearing—but, he's getting there and even at 85% he is still as good as anyone in the conference. No less important, Luke Brautigam is fully back from injuries that made him a subpar replacement for LG in the tournament. Nothing subpar about him now. His skills can be on full display anywhere down the middle of the field. Indeed, the 4 players up the middle (including Trevor Swartz and the GK) are all fifth-year SRs, while the two starting CBs (a SR & returning AA plus a JR who was POY as a MF in a major PA HS conference) are simply splendid and very fast. I suspect that this particular team might have more overall team speed than any Falcon team for a decade, though one might reasonably differ with that view.

None of this means that the Falcons are a lock for the Final Four, let alone to win it all. Injuries have plagued all recent Falcon teams, while some of them have also had less talent than this one. If they stay healthy, however, it's going to be up to them to see how far they can go. I wouldn't want to be playing them in November.  They have a bear of a schedule in the next couple weeks. If they come through that unscathed, take it as an indicator that this analysis is on point. They always have a target on their backs, and early season challenges are never bad unless players sustain major injuries. Keep your fingers crossed, Falcon fans.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

A day earlier than normal but not many games this afternoon so no impact expected 

MAF Week 2 Top 10 (combined regions 4/5)
1. Messiah (3-0-1)
2. JHU (3-0-2)
3. Stevens (4-0-1)
4. Montclair (2-0-3)
5. Gettysburg (2-0-1)
6. Catholic (2-0-2)
7. Swarthmore (3-1-0)
8. Drew (5-0-0)
9. F&M (2-1-1)
10. NYU (2-1-1)

Teams to Watch:
Rowan (3-2-1)
Misericordia (3-0-1)
Lycoming (2-1-2)
Scranton (3-1-0)
Haverford (2-2-1)
Kean (2-1-1)
Stockton (4-1-1)
York (3-0-1)
Dickinson (4-1-0)

[Hopkins92]

Darn. I'm on a loaner laptop so I don't have my vast array of Mid-Atlantic direct links to "schedules." I know it's probably a silly exercise, but I kind of like to go around the region and list match-ups from the top 10 or so in the region.

Hopkins plays Swat on Saturday, I know that much. Solid early season CC clash.

[Hopkins92]

Sticking with Region V... Some games of interest/note:

* - Probably the best (on paper) game of the weekend is NYU @ Messiah (2pm). Interestingly, NYU is 0-2 at home, and 3-0-1 on the road.
* - Keeping the MAC v. UAA train running, Rochester visits a game York squad.
* - Yes, this a bit parochial, but Hopkins hosts winless Haverford @ 7p on Saturday. Kind of feeling like, even this early, this is a must-win for the Fords.
* - A true road test (kinda) for F&M as they visit McDaniel. McDaniel is 6-1, but of their wins 2 have above .500 records and they got thumped 3-1 by CC foe Muhlenberg a few games back. That said, you can only play the teams laid out before you, and 6-1 is lofty air for (checks web, yep, still goofy) The Green Terror.
* - Two top Centennial contenders square off with Swat visiting Gettysburg.
* - Undefeated Drew visits surprising Goucher (4-1-2)
* - Scranton visits Catholic, with both teams enjoying promising first thirds of their respective seasons.

ETA - Sorry, moving too fast. Fords aren't winless overall, they are 0-1 in CC play, they are 2-4-2 overall... Not to their standard, but certainly not winless. I still stand by this being a pretty important match for them.

[Ejay]

Sticking with Region V... Some games of interest/note:

* - Probably the best (on paper) game of the weekend is NYU @ Messiah (2pm). Interestingly, NYU is 0-2 at home, and 3-0-1 on the road.
* - Keeping the MAC v. UAA train running, Rochester visits a game York squad.
* - Yes, this a bit parochial, but Hopkins hosts winless Haverford @ 7p on Saturday. Kind of feeling like, even this early, this is a must-win for the Fords.
* - A true road test (kinda) for F&M as they visit McDaniel. McDaniel is 6-1, but of their wins 2 have above .500 records and they got thumped 3-1 by CC foe Muhlenberg a few games back. That said, you can only play the teams laid out before you, and 6-1 is lofty air for (checks web, yep, still goofy) The Green Terror.
* - Two top Centennial contenders square off with Swat visiting Gettysburg.
* - Undefeated Drew visits surprising Goucher (4-1-2)
* - Scranton visits Catholic, with both teams enjoying promising first thirds of their respective seasons.

EJay's Predictions

Messiah 3 - NYU 1
Rochester 1 - York 0
Hopkins 1 - Haverford 1
F&M 1 - McDaniel 0
Swat 2 - Getty 2
Drew 3 - Goucher 0
Scranton 0 - Catholic 1

[Hopkins Walk-On]

EJay's Predictions

Messiah 3 - NYU 1
Rochester 1 - York 0
Hopkins 1 - Haverford 1
F&M 1 - McDaniel 0
Swat 2 - Getty 2
Drew 3 - Goucher 0
Scranton 0 - Catholic 1

Actuals:
Messiah 2 - NYU 1
Rochester 1 - York 0
Hopkins 1 - Haverford 0
F&M 0 - McDaniel 0
Swat 1 - Getty 1
Drew 1 - Goucher 1
Scranton 0 - Catholic 1

[Hopkins92]

Caught a decent chunk of 2nd half of the Messiah game...

1) Field sure plays slow. Hadn't remembered that from games in the past. Not sure it's much of an advantage for a team with that level of skill.

2) MacDonald seems like he's been at that school for a decade. His assist yesterday was All-American level stuff. Dude is a beast.

3) NYU acquitted themselves quite well. Organized and pressed the play forward (not sitting back.) Their goalie's feet are going to cost them some games. At this level, it shouldn't be such a risky play to send it back there. I counted at least 6 balls that were misplayed and I only watched from about 5 minutes before the goal to the end. (Sorry, that's my position, so I'm a little harsh, but... I'm sure other Falcon fans who saw the game will back me up.)