Final Div B Poll

[shocker P]

My projected next poll
1. USD
2. Claremont
3. Utah Valley State
4. Saint Thomas
5. Montana
6. Saint Johns
7. Eckered
8. Calvin
9. UNC
10. Southerwestern
11. Augustana
12. Salem State

I do think Saint Thomas or Montana should be in the top four, but they should not surpass UVSC- Utah Valley has not lost a division B game this year, and started the polls at the #2 spot. with the saint John's loss-- UV should move up to the #3 spot and St. Thomas or Montana should take the number #4 spot/ montana's only loss is to UVSC this year.

as for UNC, and Harding, that is a toss up. but with harding loosing to a #24 team in the semi's, should really hurt them. UNC made it to the finals beating a tough Montana St. team(#11) and lost to UVSC by 2 in the championship game.

Not being able to see UNC or Harding play-- I really do think UNC is the better team. But that is my Educated decision>

[cjwilhelmi]

Shocker - if you haven't seen either team play then how in the world can you say which one is better? I haven't seen UNC play and I can't say that they are better than Harding who I have seen play twice. Look at your poll, you have Augustana at 7. Augustana should have been ranked there all year long or at least somewhere between 6 and 14. They have been extremely underranked due to their lack of OOC scheduling. How can you drop a team 5 spots, or more, for losing to a team that should have been ranked a lot higher because we, the pollsters, did not see how good this team was?

[shocker P]

My Educated decision..... I put what i thought, and i am sorry i touched a soft spot. not being able to see teams play, one takes in their avaible information, and makes an educated decision on where they think a team may be in the poll.

We the pollsters? not one... just a fan

I stole the poll from rave, and forgot to move Augustana from 7 to 11.

If this is about my opinion on Harding not going to Dallas, once again - sorry. It may help to know i stand alone on this concept within my apartment.

[Jay Wisnieski]

This is how I see the at-large situation:

Northern Colorado can argue that all of their losses on the season are "quality losses", but that doesn't change the fact that they are still losses and should be treated as such. They also have not been ranked higher than Harding once this season.

Harding's 2 losses can also be argued as "quality losses", but as I stated above, they are losses nonetheless. Harding has occupied the 5, 6, or 7 slot in the polls all season long.

Northern Colorado's losses include: San Diego and Claremont (both on the same day), UVSC (twice), Fort Lewis, and CSU (which really doesn't make me think less of them...it's CSU for cryin' out loud!)

Harding's losses were to: St. Thomas (after winning a game against Creighton), and Augustana, who as Corbin has said, is an excellent, underrated team that hardly anyone outside the GRLC gave two craps about until they beat Harding and started this whole discussion (and Harding only lost by one goal).

Also, both teams did lose to the eventual conference champion in their respective tournaments, so I guess that should count for something.

Now I'll focus on the top 25 wins for each team:

Northern Colorado has beaten: Montana State (twice, by 1 goal each time), and Western State (by one). They also beat Colorado School of Mines twice, and UC-Irvine, both teams were in and out of the top 25 this season.

Harding has beaten: Dordt (by 5), Southwestern (the LSA champions, by 7), and Creighton (by 6). They also beat St. Louis, who was in and out of the top 25 this season.

In my opinion, I think Harding has had the better overall season, and they deserve the at-large bid over Northern Colorado. If any of my above info was incorrect, please let me know. Sorry this was so long, but I thought I'd try to help anyone that was still undecided.

[Ballaholic]

sounds like this could cause a couple problems for pollsters, good luck.

[Kyle Berggren]

It is causing problems, I'm not getting anything done at work, I need to take a step back to get this done, and time is running out....

[ktrost58]

I can not believe that there are people who would have st thomas (who had a great win to earn a championship) jump UVSC in the polls. as it has been stated before... UVSC started the season at #2, have played many quality D-B teams in and out of conference, they have not lost to any division B team, yet in some of your polls they should end the season #4. I'm not saying there aren't other quality teams in the top 10, but UVSC hasn't done anything that should have made them drop in the first place, and with the #3 team losing by quite a bit, they should move into that spot.

St Thomas had a great year, montana had a great year, a lot of teams had really good years, but UVSC did not lose in D-B and they should be ranked AT LEAST #3.

[lil lady lax fan]

Have to concur with you ktrost, UVSC has done extremely well this year and should stay in the top four, possibly moving up to #2 or 3.

My rankings would be thus for the top 5:

San Diego
UVSC
Claremont
St. John or St. Thomas (tough one to call)

I would lean toward still keeping St. John's ahead of St. Thomas due to their tougher schedule.

[Brandon Carlson]

I agree with you trost...I never really saw any justification in dropping UVSC to begin with. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised to see St. Thomas jump you guys. St. John's did a lot of work to earn that #3 spot, and because the team that beat them was #5, I think the jump is inevitable.

[UST Laxman]

Have to concur with you ktrost, UVSC has done extremely well this year and should stay in the top four, possibly moving up to #2 or 3.

My rankings would be thus for the top 5:

San Diego
UVSC
Claremont
St. John or St. Thomas (tough one to call)

I would lean toward still keeping St. John's ahead of St. Thomas due to their tougher schedule.

lil lady lax fan:
I don't understand how you could keep St. John's ranked ahead of St. Thomas after yesterday. Granted, St. Thomas did lose to St. John's during the regular season, it was by 1 goal. Yesterday (the most recent reflection of the two teams) St. Thomas beat St. John's by 5 to win the UMLL. I think 5 goals makes for a fairly convincing win.

[lil lady lax fan]

As I said, it's a tough one to call. Both are good teams and I feel deserve a spot in the top 5. Also trying to take into account the 'payback' factor. You guys have a grudge match like nobodies business!!

[shocker P]

It looks like i am not the only only who thinks UVSC 12-0 within D-B- deserves the number 2 spot. They won the games they should have-- with starting the year at #2 spot they may just find that spot again tonight.

I think montana should be a little higher in the final poll. They have a strong team with thier only loss coming to UVSC.

The Harding and UNC battle for the last spot is going to be tight. I have been teeter tottering about this and both deserve that spot.

Way to go Saint Thomas. that conference championship win should get you into the top four, that means first round bye! but there is a good chance you will face St. Johns. If you are the 4th seed and they are the 5th seed. Re-match!

[Pinball]

Have to concur with you ktrost, UVSC has done extremely well this year and should stay in the top four, possibly moving up to #2 or 3.

My rankings would be thus for the top 5:

San Diego
UVSC
Claremont
St. John or St. Thomas (tough one to call)

I would lean toward still keeping St. John's ahead of St. Thomas due to their tougher schedule.

lil lady lax fan:
I don't understand how you could keep St. John's ranked ahead of St. Thomas after yesterday. Granted, St. Thomas did lose to St. John's during the regular season, it was by 1 goal. Yesterday (the most recent reflection of the two teams) St. Thomas beat St. John's by 5 to win the UMLL. I think 5 goals makes for a fairly convincing win.

If i was a pollster i would have no idea how i would vote. It would be a lot of head scratching. When I think of my own team I keep trying not to forget that we are the only team to beat USD (by 2 goals, please don't say it was a fluke-i know they have improved, but who hasn't), and in the championship game we were with out all- conference middie Ben Ivory (he had surgery but will be back this week) and honorable mention Dan Brueske (who broke his ankle, still trying to figure out someone to fill his spot at mid). We have split the series with UST, remember the poll looks at the whole season (see UNC/Harding debate), not just one game.

ps- If we have to play UST again in texas i will be mad, not cause they beat us, because we JUST played them!!

[ktrost58]

sorry pinball, but i wouldn't be scratching my head too hard on this one... STJ just just beet SJU by 5... shouldn't be too hard of a decision... when texas beat USC, pollsters didn't go back and look at all the good things USC did earlier and put that into consideration. Polls should reflect what has happened in the past yes... but more importantly they ask "what have you done for me lately." if SJU is somehow ranked ahead of STJ, it will be a joke, but you'll both still go to nationals, probibly both do very well and not worry about who was 5 and who was 4.

[lil lady lax fan]

sorry pinball, but i wouldn't be scratching my head too hard on this one... STJ just just beet SJU by 5... shouldn't be too hard of a decision... when texas beat USC, pollsters didn't go back and look at all the good things USC did earlier and put that into consideration.

Might I point out that was in the Rose Bowl--the National Championship game, not a divisional championship. Your comparing Apples and Oranges.