What a week! We started off with NOCO handing the once mighty Charlotte its third loss in four winless matches. From there, we went into the weekend with some upset draws, a blowout by Union Omaha, a redemption win for Charlotte and an expected revenge win for Madison. A review:

  • NOCO 3-2 Charlotte
  • Chattanooga 1-1 NOCO
  • Madison 1-0 Fuego FC
  • Omaha 4-1 Richmond
  • Knoxville 2-2 NCFC
  • Charlotte 2-1 Lexington
  • OFF: Greenville, Tormenta

Here’s how we have the league stacking up moving into week 18:

1) Hailstorm FC

Last week: 1
Record: 7-5-1 (3rd)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Charlotte, 3-2; DRAW at Chattanooga, 1-1
Next league match: at Knoxville

Hailstorm is still catching up on matches played, and pulled four out of six possible points last week to move into third place. First, they handed Charlotte its third loss in a four match winless streak. Trevor Amann continued to solidify his spot at the top of the golden boot race, notching a penalty kick and a goal. Amann would add another goal four days later in Chattanooga, but once again, a good team fell victim to Chattanooga’s ability to score an equalizer late in the match. Despite this, NOCO’s fundamentals are overall the best in the league at the moment: they have one loss in 13 matches, lead in points per match, goal differential, goals scored per match, and are a 0.02 points away from having the best goals allowed rate.

Up next: a visit to Knoxville on Tuesday, continuing a busy stretch of catching up on those matches in hand.

2) Forward Madison

Last week: 3
Record: 8-4-4 (1st)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Fuego, 1-0
Next match: at NCFC

Last week Madison started the week off at the top of the table, only to lose the spot to NCFC over the weekend. This week, the Mingos stand alone, after a 1-0 win over Fuego (assisted by an NCFC draw). Fuego was mere inches from striking first as they got behind Bernd Schipmann, only to have Madison defender Timmy Mehl bail them out with a spectacular goal line dive to chip the ball away. Then in the 16th minute, it was Chaney -> Onen -> Gebhard for the only goal they’d need to put this one away. Madison once again leads the league when it comes to goals allowed per match with a stingy 0.75, and they’re getting goals from ten different players.

Next up: a shot at sweeping NCFC on Saturday, and solidifying their spot at the top of the table, as they travel to Cary for the teams’ third and final matchup of the season.

3) North Carolina FC

Last week: 2
Record: 8-3-4 (2nd)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW at Knoxville, 2-2
Next league match: vs. Madison

They had to come from behind to do it, but NCFC left Knoxville with a road draw. However, the one point earned was not enough to maintain its spot at the top if the table. Oalex Anderson added another goal to start the match off before going down 2-1. But it was Garrett McLaughlin who came through in the 60th minute to equalize. Anderson now leads his squad with seven goals, good enough for fourth best in the league. Somewhat worrisome, Tor Saunders exited the match with an injury, leaving duties to third string Trevor Mulqueen. But the defense locked down, and the young keeper did not face any shots on target after coming on in the 42nd minute.

The race for the top two spots in the league is on fire right now, with the top three teams certainly standing alone when it comes to almost every stat.

Next up: a battle royale with Forward Madison at home on Saturday, where the hosts will desperately try to avoid getting swept by the only team able to beat them twice this season.

4) Charlotte Independence

Last week: 5
Record: 7-5-6 (4th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS at Northern Colorado, 3-2; WIN vs. Lexington, 2-1
Next league Match: at Richmond

Charlotte finally stopped the bleeding with a decisive 2-1 victory over Lexington on Saturday. This followed a 3-2 loss at Northern Colorado in which they went up early but gave up three unanswered goals to take the loss. Positives out of the week include Dane Kelly’s two goals, and yet another from newcomer Rayan Djedje. Tresor Mbuyu also added one, and now co-leads the team with Kelly. Charlotte may have struggled lately, but they’re not out of the race just yet, and should still be considered the leaders of the middle of the table pack.

Next up: a visit to Richmond on Saturday, where the Jacks have already won once this season.

5) Union Omaha

Last week: 8
Record: 5-7-3 (7th)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Richmond, 4-1
Next Match: at Northern Colorado

It’s a question we’re all asking now that the Owls are running on a three match win streak and are undefeated in five: where was this Omaha squad during the first part of the season? They manhandled a hapless Richmond side, despite going down a man after Joe Gallardo was sent off in the first half with the score tied 1-1. This is what we expected from the talent on this team, and it now seems to have fully awakened.

They’ll try to keep it going at Northern Colorado on Saturday. Of note, Omaha is the only team to defeat Hailstorm FC this season, way back in April. Can they maintain the current momentum and do it again?

6) Greenville Triumph

Last week: 6
Record (6-4-5, 6th)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Madison, 1-0
Next match: vs. Knoxville

Greenville had the week off, but maintains a spot in the top six of the table. They’re riding high after last weekend’s 1-0 shutout of high flying Forward Madison, heading into a home match with Knoxville this weekend. Greenville has the second highest goals per match, while Knoxville has been pretty stingy, currently with the third best goals allowed per match. Which one will hold up?

7) One Knoxville SC

Last week: 7
Record: 5-7-4 (8th)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW vs. NCFC, 2-2
Next match: vs. Northern Colorado

Knoxville continues to be a difficult squad to figure out. Once again, they scored two quick open play goals to go ahead of NCFC, but gave up a second half equalizer. The offense posed no serious threat in the second half, leaving NCFC’s third-string goalkeeper without a single challenge. Still, a point from a matchup with a top three club is acceptable, especially when a club higher in the table took a loss. They’re currently tied in points at 22 with Greenville and Omaha, but have the lower spot in the table based on having the fewest goals scored of the three.

It’s a quick turnaround, as they’ll host Northern Colorado on Tuesday. An upset there would certainly inspire confidence with Greenville looming right around the corner on Saturday.

8) Richmond Kickers

Last week: 4
Record: 6-6-5 (5th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS at Union Omaha, 4-1
Next match: vs. Charlotte

On one hand, we mentioned last week that Richmond could stomach a loss and still remain in the top six. On the other, we did not expect to see this squad so throughly embarrassed at Union Omaha. Perhaps it will be a wakeup call, and things can turn around, but suddenly we’re questioning whether this team can even return to the playoffs, much less defend their regular season championship. The roster struggles with bench depth, especially in the back, and Omaha took full advantage of Michael Hornsby’s absence from the left side. And while Gabe Cox, Matt Bentley and Kharlton Belmar showed some spark off the bench, it was too little too late. We’re going to be keeping an eye on any major lineup overhauls for next week’s matchup with Charlotte. They’ll need something to change to keep a resurgent Greenville and Omaha at bay in the standings.

9) Tormenta FC

Last week: 9
Record: 5-3-7 (9th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS vs. Madison, 1-0; WIN at Lexington, 5-1
Next match: vs. Chattanooga, 7/15

Tormenta had the week off to prepare for a visit to Chattanooga, a place where visitors tend to struggle against an otherwise not so great squad. The visitors from South Georgia show signs of life, and certainly have the talent, so we’ll be watching to see if they can keep the spark going after a 5-1 blowout win over Lexington last weekend. If so, the defending champs may just sneak back into contention and make another run.

10) Lexington SC

Last week: 10
Record: 3-5-8 (10th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS at Charlotte, 2-1
Next match: at Fuego FC

Lexington took another loss, but it wasn’t near as bad as the previous one. Ates Diouf added a penalty kick conversion to equalize the match in the first half, but an early second half goal from Charlotte sealed the deal for the hosts. The season is increasingly turning into a build year rather than a serious challenge for contention, and that’s okay for an expansion side.

Next up: a visit to Fresno to take on last place Fuego FC

11) Red Wolves SC

Last week: 11
Record: 3-4-9 (11th)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW vs. Northern Colorado, 1-1
Next match: at Tormenta

It’s one of those bizarre happenings of 2023 – an otherwise bad Red Wolves squad pulling an upset of some sort at home. This time they came from behind to draw NOCO on yet another last minute goal from Ropapa Mensah. Still, this team ranks second to last or last in every single metric, and it’s going to take a lot more than a few exciting home draws to get them out of the hole.

They’ll travel to South Georgia on Saturday.

12) Fuego FC

Last week: 12
Record: 3-1-11 (12th)
Matches since last ranking: loss at Forward Madison, 1-0
Next match: vs. Lexington

Fuego fell for the fifth straight match, and bizarrely, the fourth straight 1-0 loss. What does this even mean? Is the defense playing better? Sure, it held Madison to two shots on target. But where is the offense? One bright note, the team gave young academy player Maximus Ekk his first start at central midfield, and the 17 year old nearly had a goal had it not been for a mind-boggling recovery by Madison defender Timmy Mehl after the ball slipped by goalkeeper Bernd Schipmann. Ekk would go on to play the full 90. One fun thing about a season being a wash is seeing these young players get a shot, and make the most of it.

We’ll see how interim coach Adam Smith toys with the roster on Saturday when Lexington comes to town.