Playoff Scenario

[CATLAX MAN]

It will be interesting to see how this season shakes out, but if Sonoma & UCSB finish #1 in their divisions and they advance past the quarterfinal round, they would meet each other in the semi-finals of the WCLL playoffs, not the championship game. It would appear that the beneficiary of this would be one of the teams in the Central or South divisions as one of them will make the championship game this year.

[lil lady lax fan]

Thought they did a good job dividing up the B division teams--pretty equitable split.

[CPLaxGM]

Your assessment is correct Catlax Man. If both Sonoma and UCSB are the #1 seeds in their division and advance past the quarterfinals than they will meet in the semi-finals. This system will rotate each year (e.g. last year it was the other way around and next year it will change back again). There was some discussion about altering this at the league meeting, but the majority ruled for the current system. Although Sonoma and UCSB have certainly been the class of the WCLL in recent times, it won't be unprecedented for other teams to make the final game. If memory serves, Sonoma and UCSB met in 2003 and 2005, but in 2004 it was Arizona vs UCSB and in 2002 it was Stanford vs Sonoma.

Of course, the Gauchos and Seawolves could still potentially meet in the finals, but one of them would have to fall to a #2 seed in their division and then win all of their playoff games.

[CATLAX MAN]

If memory serves, Sonoma and UCSB met in 2003 and 2005, but in 2004 it was Arizona vs UCSB and in 2002 it was Stanford vs Sonoma.

Yes, you are correct. In 2004, Sonoma & UCSB were on a collision course for the final, but SSU got caught looking past AZ and got upset in the semis. They managed to get to that matchup in the National tourney in the semi-finals with UCSB swamping SSU.

In 2002, that was the year that Sonoma ran the table and finshed undefeated and the National Champs. Interestingly, UCSB was the only team that year that challenged them as no other team got within one goal of them all season. Their regular season game was won by Sonoma 5-4 with a UCSB goal by Hank Caulkins waved off right as the buzzer went off in regulation. They met again in the WCLL semis which featured the most amazing end to regulation that I've seen. Sonoma had the ball and the lead with less than 30 seconds left and a free clear. Somehow UCSB managed to get possession, get the ball down the field and score with 1.2 seconds left to send it to OT. Sonoma won the game in overtime.

[lil lady lax fan]

Of course, the Gauchos and Seawolves could still potentially meet in the finals, but one of them would have to fall to a #2 seed in their division and then win all of their playoff games.

You don't think......
they wouldn't.......
Naah!!!

[westcoastlax]

Arizona also came within one of the 2002 cossacks with the overtime game in St Louis.

[laxmom]

Looks like UCSB may even be hosting the finals...

During the meeting (WCLL fall meeting October 16), the University of California- Santa Barbara petitioned for and was awarded the rights to host the 2006 WCLL Championship Weekend. At press time however, the league was notified of a potential field conflict at UCSB and the Board may revisit this decision.

[Ravaging Beast]

The field conflict is that we were not guaranteed the stadium for all four games. They only guaranteed one game in the stadium, and we only wanted to host it if we could use the stadium. After the second meeting with the school, our director of club sports seemed convinced that we will be able to use the stadium for all four games. They were not aware that it was the league championships and that a concert would be using the field the weekend after us. So it looks like we will be able to host. We are just waiting on the final word.

[laxmom]

Just heard from Taggart Malone, Sports Club Coordinator at UCSB, that the WCLL championship games will be held at Harder Stadium on campus April 29-30, 2006.