Welcome back to another edition of the League One Updater power rankings! We took week 23 off due to vacation, but plan to continue the rest of the season as we’re now quickly approaching crunch time. So what happened over the last two weeks?
NCFC and Omaha and Charlotte kept on rolling, with Charlotte, Madison, and Northern Colorado not far behind. Unfortunately, the latter three failed to really move, with Madison and NOCO taking losses and then NOCO and Greenville drawing each other.
Meanwhile, in the bottom half of the table, Knoxville showed signs of life. Tormenta took a huge win at Madison but still struggles with following up a win with another point. Both remain within striking distance of the 6th and final playoff spot.
Let’s see where the clubs ended up in our power rankings.
1) North Carolina FC
Last week: 1
Record: 13-5-4 (1st)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW at Richmond, WIN vs. Greenville, WIN at. Richmond
This week: vs. NOCO
The big news since last the rankings was the announcement that NCFC will be rejoining the USL Championship next season. This does add uncertainty for the future of many of the players on the current squad, as many will likely not be going up with the club. There was talk that this might affect morale, especially after giving up a late draw to Richmond on Wednesday.
However, the squad put this to rest last Saturday hosting Greenville, with a 2-1 win. They gave up a goal in the first half, but in the 54th minute, Garrett McLaughlin pounded the rebound of a Rafa Mentzingen shot into the net. Louis Pérez sent one in from the top of the box just minutes later to seal the win. They followed this up with a solid 3-1 win in front of a massive Richmond home crowd. Pérez missed the match, but Oalex Anderson scored a brace on his former club, followed by a rocket of a goal by Mikey Maldonado to bury any chances Richmond had of coming back. Anderson is now within three of Trevor Amann in the golden boot race.
So far, next year’s uncertainty does not seem to be affecting the current squad at all. Perhaps they’re all playing for their shot at promotion with the club. They’ll host a talented but currently struggling Northern Colorado side on Saturday.
2) Union Omaha
Last week: 2
Record: 11-7-5 (2nd)
Matches since last ranking: WIN at Northern Colorado, WIN vs. Chattanooga
This week: at Greenville
Omaha sealed its fourth and fifth wins in a row, taking down NOCO on the road and then holding off a late comeback attempt by Chattanooga at home. The top of the table and the rankings are NCFC’s to defend, but one or two late-season setbacks could see the Owls secure that number-one seed.
They’re getting production and goals from all over the roster, with ten goals from nine different players in the month of August. Technically the tenth was a Chattanooga own goal, but come on, that’s Eddie Gordon’s goal in our hearts.
They’ll face a challenge at Greenville this weekend, but something tells us they’re up for it.
3) Charlotte Independence
Last week: 6
Record: 11-6-7 (3rd)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Tormenta; WIN at Fuego
This week: at Knoxville
Charlotte recovered nicely after a loss at Greenville, taking down an unpredictable Tormenta side at home, followed by a 2-1 win in a storm-delayed match at Fuego. Miguel Ibarra continues his career renaissance, adding a goal against Fuego. The 33-year-old is already second in the league in assists. The dangerous midfield tandem of Ibarra and Joel Johnson is a force of talent and experience that continues to produce results for the Jacks.
Moving into late August, Charlotte is only a point outside of the top two of the table. Next up is a trip to Tennessee to face a scrappy, never-say-die Knoxville side.
4) Hailstorm FC
Last week: 3
Record: 10-6-5 (4th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS vs. Omaha; DRAW vs. Greenville
This week: at Tormenta, at NCFC
Hailstorm broke the losing streak with a relatively uneventful defensive battle with Greenville, ending in a 0-0 draw. If it stops the slide, they’ll take it. With a busy road week at an unpredictable Tormenta and top-of-the-table NCFC, they need to figure things out quickly. The cushion they built before the losing streak won’t hold out forever.
5) Greenville Triumph
Last week: 4
Record (9-6-7, 6th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS at NCFC; DRAW at NOCO
This week: vs. Chattanooga, vs. Omaha
Not the best two weeks they could hope for, but not the worst either. After a 2-1 loss at NCFC, Triumph managed to salvage a draw out of a trip to Northern Colorado. The looming storm though is the fact that Knoxville is suddenly only two points back from overtaking the 6th and final playoff spot.
They’ll have two chances to pull ahead this week, with visits from Chattanooga and Omaha.
6) Forward Madison
Last week: 5
Record: 10-6-7 (5th)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Chattanooga, LOSS vs. Knoxville, LOSS at Tormenta
This week: at Fuego
The Mingos took a disappointing three of nine possible points since the last rankings. First, a stoppage-time goal from Stephen Payne was enough to ward off what was headed to a 0-0 draw against Chattanooga last Wednesday. But giving up a pair of first-half goals and taking a controversial off-sides call plagued their result against Knoxville a few days later. Then this past Saturday, all hell broke loose in the second half at Tormenta, as the hosts scored three goals in under ten minutes to seal a 4-2 loss for Madison.
Despite the consecutive losses, Madison remains three points up on Greenville in the table. They’ll take a trip to Fresno on Saturday, seeking three points out of the late match.
7) One Knoxville SC
Last week: 10
Record: 8-7-9 (7th)
Matches since last ranking: WIN at Madison, WIN vs. Lexington
This week: at Madison
It was no Angelo Kelly-Roasles, no problem in Madison last weekend, as One Knox took advantage of two first-half goals from Jaden Crisler and Frank Ross, and a controversial offsides call that went against Madison to pull the upset. Then on Friday at home, they went down a man again as Gio Calixtro exited the match on a straight red in the 39th minute. However, it was Kelly-Rosales who sealed the victory with a rocket of a goal early in the second half, and the hosts held on to escape with their second win in a row.
Knoxville suddenly finds itself two points out of the playoff picture heading into a late August matchup with Charlotte.
8) Tormenta FC
Last week: 7
Record: 9-3-11 (8th)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Fuego, LOSS at Charlotte, WIN vs. Madison
This week: at Chattanooga
Tormenta took a respectable six of nine possible points since the last rankings and jolted above Richmond in the table. Their 30 points have them close enough to threaten Greenville for the final playoff spot over the next few weeks, should they play like they did in Madison this weekend.
They will visit Chattanooga on Saturday, where a win would keep them in the race. They’ll need it, with Greenville having a match in hand.
9) Lexington SC
Last week: 9
Record: 6-6-11 (10th)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Fuego, LOSS vs. Knoxville
This week: vs. Richmond
Lexington managed to hold off Fuego with early goals from Tate Robertson and Nico Brown, and a Don Smart penalty conversion that added some insurance for the 3-2 home win. Unfortunately, they would be stymied by a locked-down Knoxville defense which was down a man due to a late first-half red card.
Still, Lexington takes a little more momentum into the home match with Richmond this weekend. A win would move them above the Kickers in the table, which would probably feel like a massive win for the expansion side.
10) Richmond Kickers
Last week: 8
Record: 6-9-9 (9th)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW vs. NCFC, LOSS at Chattanooga, LOSS vs. NCFC
This week: at Lexington
Richmond only managed one out of nine possible points since the last ranking and fell further down the table and out of the playoff race. They barely took the one point against NCFC, on a stoppage-time goal from Michael Hornsby. Next was a blown lead at Chattanooga, and then a revenge showing from NCFC.
With eight matches remaining, they aren’t out of it, but hope is fading fast. There are two opportunities for points to close out August, at Lexington and then hosting Fuego. Losing these matches would be all but a death blow for the season.
11) Red Wolves SC
Last week: 12
Record: 5-5-13 (11th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS at Madison, WIN vs. Richmond, LOSS at Omaha
This week: at Greenville, vs. Tormenta
This may not be the same Red Wolves side that went to the playoff final last season, but they still manage to keep things exciting and unpredictable. As we saw over the last two weeks, no teams can take them lightly. Madison barely escaped with a win, and then Chattanooga came from behind to defeat Richmond. They even gave high-flying Omaha fits, and took away the clean sheet with a late goal from Chevonne Marsh.
Greenville and Tormenta better heed this lesson, because while this team is far removed from the playoff race, they love to play spoiler.
12) Fuego FC
Last week: 11
Record: 5-2-15 (12th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS at Tormenta, LOSS at Lexington, LOSS vs. Charlotte
This week: vs. Madison
It was two weeks of losses for Fuego, who at this point are all but written off. A world of uncertainty awaits the players, fans, and staff for what is certain to be some sort of massive rebuild. Will any of this year’s bright spots, such as Alexis Cerritos, be the cornerstone? The forward got some attention from his national team, with a call-up by El Salvador this week.
They’ll face off at home with Madison and then at Richmond to close out the month.