This week was already set up to be unique with a Friday night tilt followed by a triple header. The weekend got more interesting yesterday when the league announced Saturday's games would be played earlier due to pending weather.
Who will have an advantage in the 9:30AM Chrome vs. Chaos game?
Those PLL athletes will be certainly be reliving their summer club tournament days on Saturday.
Another fun wrinkle this weekend...uniforms.
Let's hope they porthole mesh jerseys have television friendly uniforms. There are many such tops on the club circuit without such markings which is of course strange because clubs are supposed to be helping their athletes get recruited.
Check out this post from March if you want to see what Champion port hole mesh used to look like back when High Point wore them.
A relatively healthy week for the PLL.
Is it better to be doubtful or questionable? The way they changed the order of the injuries is confusing. The Woods' report suggests worst to most likely to play but then questionable is listed after doubtful on the Waterdogs' report.
Cannons vs. Redwoods
That injury report isn't exactly great news for the Woods, but even if Jules isn't good to go they should have enough in the tank to beat the Cannons. Some combination of Myles Jones, Rob Pannell, Sergio Perkovic, and Ryder Garnsey has to be good enough to beat the Cannons even if Lyle goes off by Lyle's standards. We're hoping Jules does dress. Asher Nolting was a nice story at the start of the year. The High Point star deserved more attention during his college days. This Cannons roster just isn't very good.
As we mentioned earlier this week, the Woods are currently ahead of the Chaos in the playoff standings due to goal differential. A win Friday night puts a lot of pressure on the Scorpions to show up for their 9:30AM game.
Pick: Redwoods
Chaos vs. Chrome
Feels like we've seen this before. The Chaos are beginning to find themselves. The Chrome have lost three in a row. Perhaps, the Chrome will try to pole Dhane Smith.
We keep saying the Chrome are the 2021 Atlas and are a year away from being a viable threat. A surging Chaos group is not an ideal match up for a younger side trying to get back in the win column. The Chrome would need otherworldly performances from their rookie attackmen to keep pace with the Canadians. If Brett Kennedy is again out and the Chaos only dress two natural close defensemen again, it could be interesting.
Pick: Chaos
Waterdogs vs. Atlas
Game of the weekend alert. The Atlas were a sluggish in the first half last week. What happens if they repeat that performance and the Waterdogs make them pay for their turnovers where the Archers couldn't? Kiernan McArdle and Michael Sowers carved up a weak Cannons side last week but won't have the ball as much with Trevor Baptiste lining up at the face off stripe. A shoot out would favor the Atlas as eventually Baptiste would assert his dominance but a low scoring affair could ramp up the tension for the Bulls as they stare down Dillon Ward in the second half. Does Jake Carraway get back in the line up? Jeff Teat and Chris Gray might not need the midfield scoring the Bulls have lacked all season.
Pick: Atlas
Archers vs. Whipsnakes
Not to be the most Negative Nancy, but scary hours have befallen the Archers locker room. Their vaunted offense has really only shown up against the Cannons and the junior varsity Chrome back on Week 2. They could only muster nine goals against the Atlas who have never been confused with a defensive juggernaut and now they play the Whipsnakes. They are on the verge of losing two games in a row for the first time this season. A win here goes a long way for the Archers' psyche, but how could they be expected to beat the Whips who are pressing for the first round bye? Too much Nardella to really worry about any other match up.
Pick: Whipsnakes
Week 1 Picks
Winners: Atlas, Whipsnakes, Chrome
Loser: Waterdogs
Week 2 Picks
Winners: Atlas, Whipsnakes
Losers: Redwoods, Chaos
Week 3 Picks
Winners: Chrome, Archers, Redwoods
Losers: Atlas
Week 4 Picks
Winners: Whipsnakes, Chrome, Atlas
Losers: Chaos
Week 5 Picks
Winners: Archers, Atlas, Chaos
Losers: Whipsnakes
Week 6 Picks
Winners: Whipsnakes, Archers
Losers: Atlas, Chrome
Record: 16-8
Week 7 All Star Break
Week 8 Picks
Winners: Atlas, Whipsnakes, Waterdogs, Chaos
Record: 20-8