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Division B Quarter-Finals (Saturday, April 22nd)
Pacific Lutheran 12 Linfield 9
Southern Oregon 11 Whitman 6

Saturday, April 22nd
Oregon 15 Oregon State 7
Simon Fraser 19 Idaho 8
Gonzaga 11 Washington 6

Sunday, April 23rd
Simon Fraser 17 Gonzaga 6
Washington 12 Idaho 8

The PNCLL post-season gets underway with two good games. Linfield (5-3) travels to play at PLU (6-2). The Lutes beat the Wildcats 17-7 in McMinnville back on March 5th. Linfield was only 1-4 against B-Division playoff teams this season. PLU, on the other hand, went 3-2. The Lutes appear to be peaking at the right time, having overcome a rocky 1-4 start against tough competition and the loss of star Middie Matt Kennedy in the early game at Washington. Freshmen have made huge contributions for the Lutes, with Attackman Nick Tkachuk leading the team with 59 goals scored and Benjamin Resare taking over in Goal for the Feb. 26th win over WWU, which started the turn-around in fortunes for PLU. The Wildcats halted a six-game losing streak this past week with a win over WOU. Kevin Chase (24 g, 16 a) has joined fellow-Senior Taylor Brennan to lead Linfield in scoring. To have a chance for the upset here, Linfield needs to possess the ball and keep it it in PLU's defensive end for much of the game.

In the other game, Whitman (5-3) heads to Ashland for a rematch with Southern Oregon (6-2). The Raiders shocked the Missionaries 7-6 early in the season in Walla Walla, in a game which represented a "coming-out" for SOU as a force to be reckoned with. Southern went on to post impressive wins over PLU and Linfield, finishing 3-1 against B playoff teams. Jamison Whitehead (40g, 8a) leads the Raider offense, while big Dan Snell anchors the SOU defense. The Raiders have won four straight since a home loss to Central Washington. The Missionaries suffered a tough overtime loss to Western Washington last week, but in playing the Vikings close signalled that the Whitman tradition of late-season strength may be manifesting itself once again. With Junior Peter Drake (12 g, 13a) leading the offense and Bainbridge Island product Kevin Wilson in Goal, Whitman must find a way to slow down the SOU offense and keep the score low to have a chance in this one. But the PNCLL has learned over the years that once the Missionaries get to the post-season -- regardless of how they got there -- Coach Dave Schmitz's team will be very dangerous indeed.

Montana travels to Bozeman Friday for a second game against in-state rival Montana State of the RMLC. This contest represents a curious bit of scheduling, as if Montana had failed to capture a first-round bye by winning the B-South, they would have had to play this game the day before a potential PNCLL quarter-final contest. Guess those Grizzlies were supremely confident back in September about having the rest of this weekend off.

Kyle will be along to spotlight the important A-Division games, which will decide all four playoff seeds in the upper bracket.

We actually scheduled 3 OCC games this weekend, since the playoff schedule had not been set and we were told that all OCC games needed to be scheduled before the league meeting. The other two games were removed from the schedule when the playoff schedule came out, but they never took off the Friday game. I've been trying to get rid of it all year, but MSU has been dragging their feet a little so they can pick up another home game (I know how it goes...). At this point, with the bye, we were OK with leaving it on the schedule.

Hi-Line Lax wrote:We actually scheduled 3 OCC games this weekend, since the playoff schedule had not been set and we were told that all OCC games needed to be scheduled before the league meeting. The other two games were removed from the schedule when the playoff schedule came out, but they never took off the Friday game. I've been trying to get rid of it all year, but MSU has been dragging their feet a little so they can pick up another home game (I know how it goes...). At this point, with the bye, we were OK with leaving it on the schedule.

Actally Kev, this weekend was set for B-Division Quarter-finals all along -- just like last year. You guys must have been confused to schedule OOC games during a weekend you could have been playing a post-season game. But, whatever -- it worked out just fine in the end because you took care of business and earned the bye anyway. Good luck in the post-season!

P.S. Any chance Montana will petition to move up to the A Division next season? We'd love to have you guys up with all the other big public schools, and I think the Grizz would be competitive up here.

great b division breakdown:

http://forums.uslia.com/viewtopic.php?t=4610

In the A Division we have a big weekend, including our Race for the Top Seed with the Ducks taking on the Beavers on Saturday. Both teams are undefeated in conference play, although Oregon (12-4 vs 8-5 overall) has had more success in OOC games. Most recently the Ducks played a less than stellar game against BYU, losing 13-5 on BYUtv. If not playing to what they're capable of in their last game wasn't reason enough, this is the Civil War, and it will be held at the Portland Brewing Tournament (Delta Park) on their center field at 6pm. Lacrosse is definitely in the air, and I for one will be there to see this thing take place. Richard Clayton, Jordan Phillips, & Tyler Tipton will try and lead the Beavers in de-throning the defending champion Ducks. In their last meeting in 2005 the Ducks came out on top 19-7, with tipton notching 4g3a & Clayton at 3g1a. A close indoor exibition between these two teams earlier this year might have lead to a little bit more bad blood, but enough is on the line during this game.

We also have a mix of things going on for the final 2 playoff spots. Lets make it simple, 3 wins gets you in... Only Gonzaga & SFU can have 3 wins, & they play each other, so one team will be in, maybe both. With a W in Moscow, SFU is in the final 4. If SFU wins 2 games, GU, UW, & BSU could be 2-4. That does assume a UW win against Idaho which isn't a given. While Idaho is still looking for their first win in 2006, everyone does sing their praises, and they are a capable team. If UW loses to Idaho, but beats GU, GU is in, because they hold the tie breaker over BSU (assuming a GU loss to SFU). I know lots of assumptions. If I remember correctly, the GU vs. BSU game was a 1 goal GU win, UW lost to BSU by 1 goal, and now UW can end all the discussion by winning out, and beating GU by 2 or more goals to clinch the playoffs.... Or GU could win one game, and finish 3-3 to make the playoffs.... It will be a fun one, lots going on, & every game counts... Good luck to all, I'm back to work.

Speaking of the Portland tournament, is anyone else going to be playing in it? I'd be happy to have a few beers with anyone there. I'll be playing with Vancouver.

Tim Whitehead wrote:Speaking of the Portland tournament, is anyone else going to be playing in it? I'd be happy to have a few beers with anyone there. I'll be playing with Vancouver.

I think Danny Ernst and Old man tesar are going to be there

I heard a rumor about a Lewis and Clark alumni team...my buddy Cam Spaulding is planning on making his triumphant return to the Northwest.

The Portland club is there, so I imagine Tesar is there, as he was playing for them earlier in the year when we played them. Is Ernst playing for them as well?

And yes, there is a L&C alumni team in there. They're in my bracket actually...

can someone post all the teams competing in the men's tourney this weekend in portland

weekly prediction:

linfield 10, plu 9

had to get this in before the thread was jacked by the pnla discussion.

Afraid to predict the Whitman-SOU game? Don't want to give the boys in blue and yellow extra incentive? Or not confident? Afraid of #11?

the heckler gets heckled.

i don't predict sou scores.

just keeping with my trend chris.

you coming down or what?

Fellas...save your breath for the game. If the 11th man were to board the bus + accompany the team, this would be unprecedented.

Peter Lewicki wrote:Fellas...save your breath for the game. If the 11th man were to board the bus + accompany the team, this would be unprecedented.

for whitman maybe...