Its been a long wait but the end of the UPSL’s 2022 Autumn/Winter Season is upon us. The league has 18 matches on the docket, including 15 Regional Cup matches spread over two days and 9 different locations! The other three matches to be played, which can be seen on Vyre, are what’s left of the National Quarterfinals and before we take a look at those, we want to take a glance at the Quarterfinal match played 35 days ago.

Santa Cruz FC vs Detroit United

Santa Cruz FC, from Lowell, Massachusetts, outscored Detroit United 5-2 in an exiting league quarterfinal. Detroit United, who won the Midwest East Conference with 18 points from 8 matches and a +17 Goal difference, knocked out Cedars FC and Chicago Nation in the first two rounds of playoffs to get there.

Finishing second in the New England Division, Santa Cruz FC were led by Mario Prata who finished the season with 10 goals. He added 4 more in the playoffs so far, to help his side win three playoff matches in a row; over WHC Alliance FC 3-2, New Jersey Alliance FC 2-0, and previously mentioned Detroit United 5-2, back on December 4th. They await the winner of SCU Heat and Little Haiti Supreme.

Little Haiti Supreme, from Miami, Florida and SCU Heat of Columbia, South Carolina will clash in Peachtree City, Georgia.

SCU Heat vs Little Haiti Supreme

SCU Heat, from Columbia, South Carolina and Little Haiti Supreme from Miami, Florida will meet up on Saturday, January 21st at 11:00am (PST) / 2:00pm(EST). This match might have it all - two number one seeds / conference winners going head-to-head for a spot in the National Finals. Little Haiti Supreme won their Florida South Conference with 12 wins and a draw from 13 games played - 37 points and a +24 goal difference. They shut out Inter Miami Academy 2-0 in the first round of playoffs and snuck past Jacksonville 2-1 in the round of 16. Nael Elysee and Kenley Dede, both capped Haiti National Team players, put away 7 each during the regular season and 2 a piece, so far, in the playoffs.

While the SCU Heat will have their hands full trying to shut down LHS’s attack, it isn’t as impossible a task as it might at first seem. The Heat have also not lost all year; winning the Mid-Atlantic with a 10 straight wins in the conference, scoring an amazing 54 goals and only conceding 7. Every match is a total team effort, with goals coming from 15 different contributors - led by 7 from Mitchell Backer, 5 from Alejo Binaghi, and 5 from Seth Hanson. Meanwhile playoff goals have come from Dan Wheeler with 2, and Matheus Barrozo with 2 in their 2-0 shutout of a potent Olympiacos and a 3-2 thriller over Beaman United FC in round two.

The boys from Rose City will travel 600 miles south to Folsom to take on Olympians FC.

Deportivo Rose City vs Olympians FC

Of the three matches to watch, this one could be the highest scoring with the leading playoff scorer, Dawoda Sesay with 6 playoff goals, going hammer and tongs with Gabe Kellum, who is second best in the playoffs with 5 of his own. They meet up in Folsom, California at Folsom Lake College - kickoff is set for 4:00pm (PST) / 7:00pm (EST)

Olympians FC finished 1st in the Arizona Conference and went undefeated with 9 regular season wins and 1 draw - 28 points and +24 goal difference. They had 7 different players with multiple goal seasons; including, 8 goals from Paul Garcia and 7 from Paolo Cardozo. While the high-scoring didn’t continue into the first rounds of the playoffs; edging past ADG FC 2-1 then eking past LA Galaxy Academy 2-1, Olympians FC have the firepower to give the boys from Cascadia a run for their money.

Deportivo Rose City, of Portland, Oregon, finished 2nd in their Pacific Northwest Conference on just 15 points from 8 matches; however, they ended the year with a +21 goal superiority led by Gabe Kellum with 15 goals and Emanuel Andres Grespan with 10 of his own. Head Coach Orlando Fortanell has them playing up-tempo, attacking soccer in the playoffs; outlasting Davis Legacy 4-3 in the first round and blasting Provo AC 5-1 in the second round.

Rush ACM3 out of El Paso travel to Austin to take on the MLS Franchise’s Academy there.

Austin FC Academy vs rush acm3

To close out the weekend will be Austin FC Academy hosting Rush ACM3 of El Paso at St David’s Performance Center in Austin, Texas at 1:00pm (PST) / 4:00pm (EST). Austin Academy finished 2nd in the Texas Central Conference with 8 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss; 25 pts and a +32 GD. Their last loss was way back on October 1st and that was to first place Alamo City. They avenged that loss by goin away to San Antonio and taking the champs through extra time tied 3-3 and advancing through penalties (8-7). This is a dangerous side who rostered 13 goal-scorers with multiple goals; led by Diego Rodriguez with 6 and 4 goals for Bryan Arellano. Arellano has two more goals in the playoffs and teammate Daniel Ordonez has added two more from that match against Alamo City and then in their 1-0 win over Matias Almeyda.

Rush ACM3 can be a little Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in attack - they are the least likely club to have made it this far into the playoffs; having just finished 3rd in the West Texas Conference and with only 4 wins in the season. They squeaked by, away to Olimpia FC in their first playoff match then blasted a very talented D’Feeters Kick team 4-1 in the second round. Matthew Alvarado seems to be the lynch pin to Rush ACM3’s attack - he led the team with 12 goals during the regular season (Arturo Astorga and Joel Barboza each had 5 to themselves) and Alvarado has 4, so-far, during the playoffs. This could end a barn-burner or a cagey 0-0 with the winner coming from penalties… we’ll just have to watch.

- Joshua Duder