The 2010 NPSL Final Four in Madison, AL is at the end of the month, and the four clubs that will feature in the championship tournament are becoming clearer.  Each region has its own system to select the region’s champion and qualifier for the Final Four; some use the traditional table, and some have a playoff system.

Here is a brief look at how each region is shaping up.

Midwest Region (10 game season, winner qualifies for NPSL Final Four)
Madison 56ers (18 pts, 8 GP)
Chicago Fire NPSL (18 pts, 9 GP)
St. Paul Twin Stars (14 pts, 8 GP)

This past weekend, the Madison 56ers were minutes away from booking their flights to Alabama for the NPSL Final Four before the Chicago Fire NPSL scored two to confuse the issue.  It now comes down to this weekend’s matches with Chicago hoping to win on Saturday and hoping the 56ers drop points against both the Minnesota Kings and St. Paul Twin Stars.  Meanwhile, St. Paul must beat the Milwaukee Bavarians on the road and hope the teams above them in the standings both lose on Saturday to set up a winner-take-all match in Madison against the 56ers on Sunday.

Northeast Region

Atlantic Conference (12 game season, winner qualifies for Northeast Region championship game)
NY Red Bulls (31pts, 12 GP)
Brooklyn Italians (28pts, 11 GP)

Brooklyn are all but eliminated unless they can pull off a massive victory on July 15th against NY Athletic Club.

Keystone Conference (12 game season, winner qualifies for the Northeast Region championship match)

FC Sonic – Advance to Northeast Region Playoffs vs Atlantic Conference winner

In their last match of the regular season, FC Sonic defeated 2009 NPSL Finalist Erie Admirals 1:0 to qualify by 1 point for the Northeast Region finals where they will take on the Atlantic Conference representative. Sonic will also host the Northeast Region playoff on July 17.

Northwest Region (10 game season, top four qualify for NW Region playoffs)

Sacramento Gold – Advanced to the Northwest Region Final

San Diego Boca – Advanced to the Northwest Region Final

The top four teams in the Northwest Region table advanced to the Regional playoff rounds.  In the Region semifinals, the first seed Sacramento Gold avenged an early season loss to the Bay Area Ambassadors in a wide-open 6:3 match to advance to the final where they will meet the surging San Diego Boca who shut out the Real San Jose 4:0 on Sunday in Sacramento.

Southeast Region (8 game season, winner qualifies for the NPSL Final Four)

Chattanooga FC – Advanced to the NPSL Final Four

With a 3:2 win over Pumas of Birmingham this past Saturday, Chattanooga advanced to the NPSL Final Four as the Southeast Region Champion with a game to spare.  They will likely bring a strong contingent of Chattahooligans on the one and a half hour drive to Madison, AL as the de facto home team for the championship weekend.  This Saturday, the Blues will attempt to break the 5,000 fan attendance mark in their home finale at Finley Stadium on Saturday against Rocket City United. Then, they’ll travel to DC for a tune up for the Final Four by taking on MLS club DC United’s U-20 side at RFK Stadium prior to the first team’s match against English club Portsmouth.

Prior to Saturday, Pumas FC sat atop the Southeast Region table with 4 points from 2 matches, but today they find themselves squarely in the middle of the table as a loss to Chattanooga FC and a win by Rocket City United saw the Birmingham side leapfrogged by those clubs.

Pumas had the tough task of traveling up to Chattanooga to face CFC in front of over 3,000 rabid Finley Stadium faithfuls.  Behind a brace from CFC’s imposing, yet skillful, forward Chris Ochieng, CFC thrilled the home crowd while racking up another shutout.  A wide open game saw Ochieng find the net in each half and CFC goalkeeper Richard Masters repelled every shot he faced for the 2:0 win and first place in the Southeast Region.

Meanwhile Rocket City United hosted an Atlanta FC team who was desperate to get off the snide after 2 defeats in 2 league matches.  Traveling with a suspension and injury shortened squad list, it was the visitors who had the better of the play early.  Aziz Izmoud’s individual effort paid dividends for Atlanta after a bad giveaway deep in the RCU defensive third.  Izmoud battled his way past an RCU defender and slotted home from short range for the 1:0 Atlanta lead in the 13th minute.

RCU struck back with the equalizer just 17 minutes later when midfielder Alexander Munro struck a sublime volley off a corner kick that took a deflection before finding the net.  Another corner kick led to the game-winner for RCU.  Midfielder Brian Kimbugwe was able to get on the end of the driven cross only to have his goal bound header pushed against the post by Atlanta goalkeeper Constant Mantey.  Derek Pirtle headed the rebound over the line to provide RCU the 2:1 victory and the three points.

NPSL Southeast Region action continues this Saturday as league leaders Chattanooga will travel to league newcomers FC Tulsa in what will be Tulsa’s debut match, and second place Rocket City United will take the short trip down I-65 to face Pumas in another Alabama derby match.

Southeast Region Goes 0 for 4 In US Open Cup Qualifying

Four Southeast Region teams participated in the USASA’s Region III US Open Cup qualifying tournament this past weekend in Tuscaloosa, AL, and four teams came up short.  After weather delayed the start of the tournament until Saturday morning and a team was disqualified for failing to appear, the format of the weekend tournament was set at 2 groups of 4 teams with the group winners advancing to the US Open Cup.

In Group A, Legends FC of Dallas, TX ran away with the group by gathering maximum points.  Pumas finished second, and while only giving up three goals, Rocket City United finished bottom of the group with 1 point.  Group B saw a closer battle for the qualifying spot, but CASL Elite of North Carolina (2-0-1, 7pts) edged FC Tulsa and Atlanta FC who both finished with 4 points after going 1-1-1.

Chattanooga FC 2:1 Atlas U-23

It was not all bad news in the NPSL Southeast Region this weekend.  In front of one of the largest soccer crowds in Chattanooga history, Chattanooga FC upset the FC Atlas of Guadalajara U-23 team 2:1.  Defender Russel Courtney energized his team by putting CFC ahead early on a header from a Josh Scott set piece cross in the 15th minute.  Courtney got behind his defender to nod the ball over the goalkeeper for the lead.  Atlas responded with nice work through the middle of the park, but time and again they were frustrated by the disciplined CFC defense and goalkeeper, Richard Masters, who had several acrobatic saves to keep the score 1:0 going into the halftime interval.

Chattanooga forward Irvin Espinal turns the corner on FC Atlas (photo courtesy of Ben Keys, CFC Facebook)

The frustration continued for the youthful Atlas team in the second half.  This time Russel Courtney came up big on the defensive end with the help of Lady Luck.  Atlas midfielder Edson Rivera found himself free in front of goal and lifted a shot over the charging Masters only to be cleared off the line when it hit Courtney squarely between the shoulder blades after tussling with another Atlas forward.

With about ten minutes left, substitute Irvin Espinal added an insurance goal with a very well taken free kick that squeaked underneath the Atlas wall who had jumped in anticipation of a curled ball over the top.  To they’re credit, Atlas did not fold and two minutes later responded with a goal from free kick. However, it was too little, too late, as the crowd of 6,317 was able to celebrate a victory for the home side.

CFC coach Brian Crossman was happy with his club’s performance, as he told the Chattanooga Times Free Press, “We played well defensively and we did a lot of the intangibles…  We thought it would be hard to keep them off of the scoreboard, because [Atlas] are such a fine team”

Four out of the five NPSL Southeast Region teams will take part in the US Amateur Soccer Association’s Region III US Open Cup/National Cup qualifying tournament this weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  Atlanta FC, Pumas USA of Birmingham, Rocket City United and Tulsa FC are have been drawn into three groups of three with the group winners and the best second place finisher going through to the semifinals on Sunday. The finalists will qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with the tournament winner qualifying for the USASA’s National Cup.

Pumas have been drawn into Group A with Legends FC of North Texas and last year’s tournament champion Lynch’s of Florida.  Last year’s other US Open Cup qualifier, Atlanta FC will play NPSL newcomer Tulsa FC and ASC New Stars from South Texas in Group B.  Group C features the reigning NPSL Southeast Region champions Rocket City United who will face North Carolina power CASL Elite and Boca Raton, Florida’s Brazil Soccer Academy.

The action begins with group play on Friday night (5PM, all times Central) and Saturday (11AM and 7PM) with the semifinals scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 3PM.   The Final will take place on Monday at 9:30AM

Although they’re not participating in the qualifying tournament, Chattanooga FC is not taking the weekend off.  The NPSL’s attendance leader is hosting an international friendly against Atlas of Mexico on Saturday night at Finley Stadium.

It was a busy weekend in the NPSL Southeast region.  Friday night saw the season swing into action as Atlanta FC traveled to Birmingham Pumas, where Pumas prevailed 1:0 .  In a preseason friendly on Saturday, FC Tulsa, the newest team in the NPSL Southeast, visited Houston and won a 4:2 victory over prospective NPSL club Regals FC .  Also on Saturday, both Rocket City United and Chattanooga FC held intrasquad scrimmages to tune up for their season openers next weekend.  Check out the Perfectly Weighted Through Blog for more on the weekend in the NPSL Southeast.

The Southern Oregon Fuego may be disappointed in their 0-4 start this season, but that won’t stop them from preparing for a big match this weekend as they take on the Portland Timbers U-23 squad at US Celluar Community Park on May 8, 2010.

Kris Henry of the Mail-Tribune highlighted the match in an article this week, which also takes a look at the Fuego’s problems during the current season.

“We are very excited because this will be kinda the biggest thing that’s happened down in the Rogue Valley for soccer at this level,” says Jay Coster, managing owner of the Fuego. “These guys coming down are future MLS players, or at least wannabes for that level. At some point these guys are hoping to be stepping into the big time.”

While that scenario isn’t exactly the same on the local side of things, that doesn’t mean that Fuego players don’t have grand aspirations in their own right. The semi-professional players are in their second season in the NPSL and many are using these experiences to climb the soccer ladder as well, be it on the collegiate or upper-amateur level.

For a young franchise, Atlanta FC  has tasted a lot of success with a 2007 U-23 National Cup Final, the 2008 NPSL Southeast Region title, and a 2009 US Open Cup qualification.  The NPSL Insider were lucky enough to ask one of the architects of that success, Atlanta FC Board Member and Director of Operations Jason Longshore, a few questions regarding his team’s past successes and future aspirations.

NPSL Insider: Your website talks about Atlanta FC being the Team of the People.  Can you explain that moniker?

Jason Longshore:  I’ve grown up in the Atlanta soccer scene and one of the things that has always disappointed me is how fragmented it is.  Everyone is very territorial, specifically in terms of the youth clubs, and it is has been frustrating to see this hold back the sport in Atlanta.  We are here for everyone who loves soccer in Atlanta.  From the youth clubs to adult players to soccer fans, we want to represent the city as a whole.

When we got started with Atlanta FC, we had players from all around the world.  Thirteen countries were represented with our team that went to the USASA U23 finals in 2007.  I’ve seen how soccer can bring people together.

NPSLI: Atlanta FC was originally formed as a U-23 team for a successful National Cup run and then went on to become an original member and the first champion of the NPSL Southeast Region that began competition in 2008.  Was the early success of the club helpful in getting the club’s name “out there” and attracting talent from the various local leagues in Atlanta?

JL: It was very helpful.  That U23 team that finished as a national runner-up formed the backbone of the first NPSL team.  There’s no way we would have won the first NPSL Southeast championship without that foundation being laid during the prior year.

While it did help us early on in attracting players, our coaching staff has been the primary reason we’ve attracted the quality of players we have.  Ricardo Montoya is well respected here in Atlanta for both his abilities as a coach and the style of play he seeks.

NPSLI: Atlanta FC qualified through the USASA Region III to the knockout stages of the 2009 US Open Cup where you took on the fully professional USL club, Charleston Battery.  In that game just about everything that could go wrong did, and you ended up on the wrong end of a 2:0 scoreline against the professional side.  What did your club learn from that experience?

JL: It was an incredibly frustrating experience from the minute we stepped on the field in Charleston.  We were approached by the referee crew and warned about the team’s behavior before we even began warm-ups.  We gave up a goal on a corner kick in the first minute.  We started to settle down and dictate the play, but then had a red card out of nowhere midway through the first half.  One of our players was headbutted, which was missed by all of the referees.  Even after giving up the second goal, the guys still fought all the way to the end.  I’ll always remember them still attacking in the late in the second half with 8 players on the field.

While we were disappointed with the result, we learned that we could compete with professional teams.  I think we suffered a bit of a letdown in NPSL play afterwards, but the players were able to take away the fact that they could compete at that level.  I’m extremely happy that one of the players on the field that day, Junior Sandoval, has now moved on to sign with the Puerto Rico Islanders.

NPSLI: One of the things I really enjoy about Atlanta FC is the very high level of technical proficiency your players exhibit.  There seem to be very few players that wear the orange and blue that are not extremely comfortable with the ball at their feet.  Is that a prerequisite that coach Ricardo  Montoya is looking for when identifying players for Atlanta FC?

JL: It’s not a prerequisite, but it’s extremely helpful for players to have a high level of technical ability to fit in with our team.  From the beginning, Ricardo has been dedicated to building a team that is entertaining to watch and tries to play the game the right way.  He never wants to play negative soccer, playing not to lose.

I’ve been excited to watch Ricardo’s progression as a coach.  His experiences with Atlanta FC have helped him become one of the best young coaches at any level in the United States.

In addition to his personal development, he has developed an excellent coaching staff as well.  Our lead assistant, Alejandro Pombo, is growing into a fine coach in his own right. He’ll be in charge for some of this season as Ricardo is coaching a team representing the US in the FIFA Football for Hope Festival in South Africa.  Cesar Silva is also an instrumental part of the staff.  Alejandro and Cesar have been big parts of our success over the years and will continue to be for years to come.

NPSLI: How is coach Montoya preparing the squad for a run at the 2010 Southeast Region title and a appearance in the 2010 Final Four to be held in Madison, AL?

JL: With the 2010 Final Four here in the Southeast, Atlanta FC is determined to represent our region at the NPSL’s premier event.  We’ve been proud to see new accomplishments each season of Atlanta FC’s existence.  In 2007, we won a region title at the U23 level and were the first Georgia U23 team to make a national final.  In 2008, we won the first NPSL Southeast title.  In 2009, we became the first Georgia amateur club to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in nearly 20 years.

Our goals in 2010 are to win the NPSL championship and advance to the second round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.  Ricardo and his staff have been working extremely hard for months to make this happen.

As the season opening date of May 22^nd steadily approaches, members of the Chattanooga Football Club are busying themselves with the preparations necessary for a successful season. Meanwhile, other members of the Chattanooga community are also readying themselves for the upcoming season, albeit a season of a different kind.

Children ages 3-12 will be entering Finley Stadium on May 1^st as participants in the Hamilton County YMCA’s youth soccer clinic. The clinic, which is part of the YMCA Strong Kids campaign, will have three sessions taking place from 12:00-1:30, 2:00-3:30, and 4:00-5:30 at Finley Stadium on Saturday. Campers may choose to participate in one of the three time slots, and the cost is only $15 for each camper with an additional sibling’s admittance costing just $5 more. T-shirts will be given to all entrants, and the first 100 to register will also receive a free soccer ball.

Several of Chattanooga Football Club’s top players will be in attendance at the clinic on Saturday, taking time out of their pre-season preparation schedules to help Chattanooga’s youth prepare for their own upcoming seasons in recreation and youth leagues.

“This exciting clinic is a great opportunity for your child to grow as a team player and develop soccer skills with the help of experienced players,” says Chris Knox, Hamilton County YMCA Director. “We’ll have some great players on-hand to work with the kids.”

The YMCA clinic will not be the only soccer action taking place at Finley on Saturday, though, as the May 1^st date also marks the exhibition match between Chattanooga FC and the Nashville Metros. The Metros, a member of the Premier Development League (PDL), are the longest continuously owned and operated soccer club in the United Soccer Leagues, and have been playing since 1990. While Chattanooga Football Club hopes to emulate the Nashville club’s success for longevity at the professional level, it will no doubt at the same time be hoping to defeat its fellow Tennessee footballers when the game kicks off at 6:00 P.M.

“This game is a good measuring stick for us, both to see how our players perform in a high-level game, and to gauge our management and fan support for this year,” said CFC Director of Communications Sheldon Grizzle. “We want to encourage the community to come out and support us as we begin to prepare for the regular season.”

An update to the Max Ferdinand story…

Ferdinand has signed a deal to join the NASL’s Rochester Rhinos for the 2010 Season.  Max had quite a year in the MISL, being named Rookie of the Year while with the Baltimore Blast.

From the Rochester Rhinos website

Ferdinand, 23, a native of Haiti, signed with the Rhinos after his rookie season with the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) where he was named Rookie of the Year for the 2010 season.

“Max is a quick and dynamic outside midfielder” said Lilley.  He is a very good ball crosser who gives us a different dimension on the flank.”

One of the newest additions to the West Region in 2010 are the Sacramento Gold.  The Gold take their name from the old Sacramento Gold of the American Soccer League in the 1970′s.

The Sacramento Gold are lead by Richard Novoa and Ruben Mora, both members of the Mexican-American Soccer Hall of Fame.

The Gold held their first press conference last week, setting the tone for what is sure to be a long and successful career in the NPSL.

You can take a look at an interesting session with Gold’s head coach, Rick Caldwell from the “Go for the GOLD” TV show.