10 - AC Syracuse Pulse (-1)

You don’t get points or credit when you forfeit a match or don’t pay the people working for you. We feel for the players on this team and hope things even out, because this is bullshit.

9 - Flower City Union (+1)

FCU continues to be feisty, losing to DC United in the Open Cup last week, but holding the MLS side scoreless for 70 minutes. In NISA regular season play, the Rochester side drew Maryland Bobcats and played well, losing 1-0. Let’s not forget, the last time these clubs locked horns, FCU was sent home with a 6-1 loss. Progress is being made, it’s just a matter of putting it all together in a single match. If you’re an FCU fan, just keep chanting: “It’s a process.”

8 - Los Angeles Force (same)

LA wasn’t in action in Week 5, but has to be still stinging from the 2-0 loss it took from fellow Southern California side, Cal United Strikers. This club is in desperate need of offensive ideas because, so far, the Force are not scoring goals.

7 - Michigan Stars (-1)

Gifted 3 points from Syracuse, Stars are now sitting second in the East behind Maryland. We’ve yet to see them matched up against any of the big boys in the league, so it’s hard to get a feel on how good (or bad) this team is. For now, they sit at 7th on our power rankings and we await this weekend’s matchup with Maryland Bobcats. Should learn a lot.

6 - Albion San Diego (-2)

Going into Week 5, we were convinced Albion was on its way up. However, the matchup with Valley United did not go well for ASD, who lost 3-0. But not all is lost! The club played very well against VUFC and once Malango was subbed on in the second half, it seemed an equalizer was coming. The second yellow for Kervens Jolicoeur in the 80th proved a hurdle to high for ASC who gave up a second goal soon after. Albion seems to be developing a playing style that will compete in the West, particularly for that 3rd playoff spot.

5 - Bay Cities FC (+2)

What a weekend for Bay Cities FC! Coming off an absolute blowout in the USOC, the expansion side out of Redwood faced California Strikers in NISA play. And though BCFC returned without a point, the level of play in the loss stood out as impressive, particularly in offense. Bay Cities has struggled to score all season, but against Cal United, they matched the more established California side goal for goal. Orendain and Dorwart shined in attack and have a lot of people thinking this club will be very good, very soon. Just like MDB last season, BCFC “look dangerous.”

4 - California United Strikers FC (Same)

Strikers continue to hang in there in a Western Division that has no days off. It took monumental effort to beat off Bay Cities and every weekend is like that. The promising part is that Omar Nuño has awakened and scored twice against Bay Cities FC in Week 5. As John Howard-Fusco likes to say, as Nuño goes, so go the Strikers. If the big target forward gets the ball into the net, Strikers has a chance at the top spot.

3 - Chattanooga FC (-2)

Maybe it’s not fair to penalize a team that has only played Atlanta United in the last week. That’s fair. We’ll see what happens once they are back in action in NISA, because MLS was not kind!

2 - Valley United FC (+1)

Against Bay Cities in Week 5, Valley did what is does best. Gum up the works and destroy any flow in the other club’s offense. In a 10 yellow card match, they got the goals they needed, including the first of the season for Alex Tejera. Otoo also made it on to the scoring sheet with an extra time PK. Valley is good, very good. They sit atop the combined NISA table and appear to be a lock for the playoffs.

1 - Maryland Bobcats (+1)

Sometimes you have to win ugly, because 3 points is 3 points. Maryland went to Rochester and got it done. Challenging both Flower City and the referee, Bobcats got an early goal on a set piece and never looked back. This is the best club in the East and is showing quality in every aspect of the game. The FCU match also marked the first clean sheet for the club in 2022.