10 Flower City Union

After a very rough outing against Maryland in Week 2, Flower City Union got a bright spot when it knocked off Western Mass Pioneers in Round 2 of the US Open Cup. And if their week had ended there, maybe they could have moved up a rung or two, but instead, the club ran into Michigan Stars in Week 3 and were handled pretty easily 3-0. There’s plenty of positives with the ball movement and young talent, but until this team can put the ball in the net (only scored once in NISA play) they will continue to remain in the 10 slot. Oh, and they get to face DC United next week. Congrats!

9 Syracuse Pulse

Pulse were only a single slot from jumping LA Force in our power rankings, but instead they drop 2 slots from last week (7). In NISA regular season play, Syracuse played well against East-leading Maryland Bobcats, but still lost 3-1 (because MDB hates clean sheets). In USOC, Pulse fell to amateur side FC Motown (NPSL) 1-0. This team is good for an expansion side, but isn’t quite up to the level of the better teams in the league. In fact, the drop of this club has more to do with the play of the other clubs than anything else.

8 Los Angeles Force

How this club has fallen! Week 2 was a bye week and so LA held on to the 4 spot from Week 1. But last week saw the club in two big matches (both losses). The first came in the USOC against USLC reigning champion Orange County FC. The loss was a bad one, 5-2, and might have been expected, given the D2vD3 matchup. However, the second loss of the week was against a very energetic and aggressive Albion San Diego, who thrilled their crowd with a 3-0 win. LA is struggling to find goals and that is putting pressure on its formerly strong defense. It seems clear this club is missing Christian Chaney, who left in the offseason, and without his scoring potential, the Force can’t seem to click like they did last year.

7 Bay Cities FC

Last week, Bay Cities were sitting at 6th in our power rankings. BCFC shone in Open Cup play, downing USLC Monterey Bay FC 2-1 and giving the league a second big win over a Division 2 side in Round 2. In NISA play, BCFC lost to West-leading Valley United 2-0, leaving the team winless in 3 tries. There’s lots of bright spots on this roster, with Rei Dorwart, Edson Cardona, and Anthony Orendain making names for themselves early on in the 2022 campaign. However, this team has struggled to shoot and the shots they take are often not on frame.

6 Michigan Stars

Sure, the Stars got beat pretty handily by new USLC club Detroit City (it’s not a rivalry!), but the Michigan club followed it up with a convincing 3-0 win over Flower City Union. So up two slots you go, thanks to other clubs struggling. The Stars are just getting rolling in their campaign so there’s a lot of data to be built yet. Oh, and we don’t see them play again until April 23. Great. Smoke, Smell, and Darkness indeed.

4 Albion San Diego (tied)

Albion was the big mover this week and how could they not be, given what we saw on the field. Midweek, a pretty convincing 2-1 loss to San Diego Loyal (USLC) showed the club was up to the challenge. In NISA play, ASD trounced LA Force 3-1, never looking back the entire match. The attack is really coming together with Malongo, Benito, Jolicoeur, and Varela putting on passing sequences that stunned LA’s defenders. It’s own defensive squad, including the tireless Alex Popa, looked great this week. If Albion can keep this up, it will make the West a very interesting battle all season.

4 California United Strikers (tied)

California Strikers barely keep a hold on a top 4 spot, thanks to a commanding Round 2 win over San Fernando Valley FC, 5-0. CUS managed to do what it has so far struggled to do in NISA play, score goals. Without a match in NISA, it’s hard to know if that scoring translates into a reversal of fortunes for the 2nd-place NISA club in 2021. We’ll see them face struggling LA in a couple of days, let’s see what that does for their place in the power rankings.

3 Valley United FC

It was hard to read how good Valley United was after Week 2. Yes, they had beaten fellow expansion side Albion SC, but what did that really say about how good VUFC actually was? We got a pretty good idea in the USOC, where Valley went toe-to-toe with Phoenix Rising, losing on a 115th minute goal from the USLC side. It really showed the quality of the Arizona NISA side and that standard extended into NISA play, where VUFC beat Bay Cities 2-0. Valley appears to be the cream of the crop in the West, now winners of two straight in NISA, and will meet its biggest test this weekend, facing Chattanooga FC at home.

2 Maryland Bobcats FC

There’s so much to love about this Maryland side, regardless of its midweek loss in the Open Cup, 2-0 to the Riverhounds (USLC). Bobcats hosted Syracuse Pulse for Week 3 and dispatched the visiting side 3-1. The offense is really clicking, particularly with Amo upfront, and with 7 points, Maryland sits on top of the East. The jump in quality for this club is astounding, as MDB has gone from the club everyone loves to the club everyone FEARS. This weekend is an off weekend for the club and well-deserved.

1 Chattanooga FC

How does a club with a single point in NISA play (thanks to Syracuse weather) end up in the top spot? How about EASILY knocking off USLC club Memphis 901 FC 3-1, only allowing a single goal on a one in a million blast from Patrick Seagrist that beat Kevin Gonzalez. While CFC ceded possession to the visiting USLC side, it countered with ruthless efficiency, stunning the D2 club. Now it needs to prove its truly the best NISA side, facing off against West-leading Valley United this weekend. That’s can’t miss Eleven Sports time!