Pool A:
Right out of the gate, I don’t think any team in the pool can realistically upset Amherst barring shocking turns of events. Consider them a lock for the semis. Stuyvesant will be hard pressed to challenge many of the other teams in the pool. St. Johnsbury with their unorthodox defense might prove to be a spoiler to the other teams in the pool. With Amherst locked into the top spot, one loss could mean all the difference in trying to advance to the semifinals. PVPA, Haverford, and Allderdice are all strong contenders for second spot out of the pool. Each of these teams are balanced enough where there is no clear favorite out of the three and with a roundabout loss to each team, we could be looking at a tiebreaker scenario to determine who advances. The battle between PVPA, Haverford, and Allderdice should be one to keep an eye on.
Prediction:
- Amherst
- Allderdice
- PVPA
- Haverford
- St. Johnsbury
- Stuyvesant
Pool B:
Watchung Hills leads the pack here coming in with losses only to Amherst and Seattle. Watchung will be familiar with some of the teams in the pool having played Columbia and Pennsbury previously. Pennsbury will have an edge in some games due to their athleticism even though they lack experience. Andover will be hard-pressed to make it out of the pool round, though they should keep games fairly competitive. Mt. Lebanon is definitely the unknown in this pool, as they have not played anyone in the pool. They have the ability with their deep game to stretch the field and cause matchup problems. They are definitely a team to keep track of. Columbia is seeded lower than it should be. Sparkle Motion has a solid core of players which, due to injury issues, has rarely seen the field together this fall. If all the pieces are in place, don’t be surprised if they challenge for a semifinals spot. Lastly, Amherst JVA has the second seed in the pool. Expect them to be well-rounded and versed in the fundamentals, but lacking the polish of the Amherst Varsity squad. They will be in a tough fight to hold their seed, as will Watchung Hills.
Prediction:
- Watchung Hills
- Mt. Lebanon
- Columbia
- Amherst JVA
- Pennsbury
- Andover
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