SoCal Power Rankings

With the SoCal season coming to a close, it's time to merge the South and North into the top ten power rankings for both the Pro Premier and Championship.

Tier One: SoCal Pro Premier

1. California United FC II

California UFC II has been unstoppable this season. Every game has been merciless with the club winning in style and with marginal scorelines. Its toughest match came against OCFC 2 and United walked away with a 2-0 victory. Currently it has only allowed one goal this season and has scored 35. These next couple of weeks offer the biggest challenge as it plays Santa Ana Winds FC on Sunday and continues its U.S. Open Cup qualification on November 18th against Cal FC.

2. Cal FC

The undefeated team in the North comes in a close second with a chance to topple my first place team this weekend during Open Cup action. Cal FC has been dominant throughout its season in the north and has yet to be challenged by league competition. When against second place LA Wolves FC, Cal came out with a 5-1 victory. Cal FC has allowed three goals this season and scored a total of 26.

3. Santa Ana Winds FC

The Winds have been almost flawless this season. They have shown their dominance against their Northern rivals LA Wolves and have beaten tough South competition in the likes of Orange County FC 2. Their one loss this season came from a week four disaster trip to Gremio FC SD, where they lost 3-0. The Winds look to continue their qualification run this week against SoCal Premier side Buena Park FC. Santa Ana currently has a goal differential of plus six.

4. Orange County FC 2

Standing atop the SoCal South table, this first place team has played two to three more matches than its Southern counterparts. OCFC 2 has played against every club in its competition and during the matches with the other two top clubs in its division- Cal United FC II and Santa Ana Winds FC -it could not earn a result, losing 2-0 and 3-2 respectively.

5. LA Wolves FC

The Wolves sit in second place within SoCal North having only lost one match to the first place Cal FC. LA also had its U.S. Open Cup run snuffed out by rival Santa Ana Winds FC. While they have done well inside their division- averaging three goals a match -the Wolves have yet to show dominance against the top contenders in the division. They earned a narrow victory over recently promoted Kern County Mustangs and beat third place Sporting San Fernando 2-0.

6. Sporting San Fernando

Sporting San Fernando is running with a perfect away record, beating some of the lower placed clubs in the division. With the club's eighteen goals out of six matches, SSF has only allowed ten so far. Last week it picked up one of its biggest victories against Kern County Mustangs, but is due for its biggest match of the season this weekend against Cal FC.

7. Kern County Mustangs FC

This newly promoted club has done well in its first Pro Premier season. After winning last season's Championship promotion playoff, it has gone on to score eighteen goals in seven games. It has already faced the top clubs in the competition, losing narrowly against Cal FC and LA Wolves FC. Their recent loss to Sporting San Fernando drops the Mustangs into seventh in the Pro Premier power rankings.

8. San Diego Premier Pros FC

If you had a chance to listen to my appearance on the Lower League Soccer Show, then you know that I picked this San Diego Club to win it all in the South. Unfortunately for the Premier Pros, they have been unable to maintain their form from the beginning of the season. They have competed against two of the top three and were able to earn a point against OCFC 2, but were annihilated 7-1 at the hands of California United FC II. They go on to face Santa Ana Winds FC on November 17th and look to continue to turn around their season and march up the table. They currently operate with a goal differential of plus one.

9. San Diego Zest FC

San Diego Zest is currently battling for the title of best in San Diego. It traveled to San Diego Premier Pros FC and took a point, then welcomed Gremio to its home stadium and served its guests up a 5-1 beatdown. Its season form is on the up though as it has earned ten points in its last four matches and look to continue that upward trajectory as it faces Newcastle United FC this Sunday night. In its six games, it has scored fourteen goals and allowed eighteen.

10. Lionside FC

Lionside's best result came pretty early on against the now third place Sporting San Fernando. This week two matchup saw LFC earn a 2-2 draw away from home. Fortunes have not always been on LFC's side though, especially after being knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup by Santa Ana Winds FC. This week it faces off against LA Wolves FC after not having played a match in two weeks. Hopefully it can pick up a much needed win and maintain its perfect home record.

Tier Two: Championship

1. LA 10 FC

This rebranded club has had a dominant season this year. LA 10 has averaged almost five goals a match and has only allowed ten goals all season. While it still has two very tough games at the end of the season, it has shown that its high-flying offense can score against any opposition. LA's toughest result was earned against a home-sided Warriors FC where it earned a 3-2 victory. LA 10 FC will look to remain undefeated as it faces off against Tiburones Rojos USA this Saturday.

2. City Legends FC

In their inaugural season, the City Legends have shown that they are ready for promotion as they continue their run to remain undefeated. Their strength of schedule has also been no laughing matter, earning victories against the top clubs within their division. Their only draw came from a 3-3 match against Disciples FC.

3. Newhall Premier

This is where the Championship power rankings get a little funky. Newhall earns the third spot based on its strength of schedule. Its one draw came at the hands of San Fernando Valley FC, but it has seen great success against strong teams like Warriors FC and Revolution FC. Its toughest match yet will be in the last week of play against LA 10 FC, but the club looks poised to earn six more points before that. It has also scored eighteen goals while only allowing six.

4. Inland Empire FC

IEFC has been a powerhouse within the SoCal South this season. It has allowed the fewest goals within both the North and South divisions and remained undefeated until its recent battle against City Legends FC. The club also looks to be in position to remain at the top of the South table as it has a favorable last four matchups.

5. San Fernando Valley FC

Currently ranked second in the North table, SFVFC remains undefeated with a goal differential of plus ten. What drops SFVFC down to fifth in the power rankings is its strength of schedule. Until this point San Fernando has only faced one of the top five clubs within its division and that result ended in a 1-1 draw. San Fernando’s toughest portion of the schedule comes the next three weeks where it faces all top contenders in the North.

6. Santa Ana Winds II

Santa Ana has proven to be a powerful organization within southern California soccer. The Winds II started off the year with four straight victories, then losing two times in a row to two of the top competitors in the division: City Legends FC and California Rush SC. Its last three matches will prove to be challenging as it faces off against the remaining two teams of the top five: Inland Empire FC and Disciples FC.

7. Warriors FC

Another first year club coming up strong in southern California. It is tied for second within both Championship divisions for the most goals scored. It has scored 24 goals this season and has allowed fifteen. It has remained a tough team to play against, even battling first place LA 10 to a 3-2 loss. WFC's remaining schedule is quite favorable and it only plays one top contender in its final three matches.

8. Disciples FC

Disciples FC has played spoiler to both City Legends FC and IEFC, giving both of those clubs their only draws of the season. The Disciples Football Club has only lost one match this season and look to carry its form throughout the rest of the schedule. Even with three draws, the Disciples have managed to have a plus nine goal differential.

9. California Rush SC

While the Rush sit above Disciples FC in the table, it has also lost to all top competitors. CRSC's biggest challenge comes this weekend as it faces a traveling Disciples side that is eager to jump above the Rush in the table. It currently is tied on point totals with Disciples FC, but have a higher goal differential of plus eleven.

10. SoCal Troop FC

Rounding off the top ten is another South competitor; SoCal Troop FC. The third team in the South that is tied with twelve points, but falls to the others on goal differential. It has scored fifteen goals this season and has allowed nine. One of its four wins comes against the top five competitors and its remaining schedule looks to be a big hill to climb. But with a few more victories, the Troop can launch itself into the potential promotion candidates.

These last few weeks will play host to some of the toughest must-see matches of the season. Will the table remain in its current form, or will a club climb the rankings and achieve glory? Stay tuned, because it's firing up out here in southern California.

- Steven Ramirez

Editor’s Note: The score of the Cal FC/LA Wolves FC was misreported 3-0, it has been corrected to reflect the correct score of 5-1.