All brackets done. 6 games into the tournament (3 for some), 16 teams left.
Some highlights:
-- 4 Slammers teams remain in the top 16 including 3 in one 4 team part of the draw.
-- The top 5 rated teams in this thread moved on with perfect 3-0 records with goal differentials of 10, 10, 8, 7 and 7. The 5 best in the round. Not bad predictions. I'd be VERY surprised if 1 of these 5 didn't win it.
-- All DPL teams were eliminated before the elimination rounds.
-- Eliminated teams in the top 16 (per this thread): Beach Sudyka (8), Oranje (9) (not an upset as they were in toughest bracket with GPS (2) and Alvarez (7)), Murrieta Surf (14), LA Galaxy (15), Legends DPL (16)
-- Non top 16 teams that made it in were: San Diego Strikers (17), SD Orange (18) Real SCV (19), and
-- Two unranked teams, per thread: Santa Monica United and Slammers HB Maroon
-- Only teams that didn't make it in that should have per the draw were teams ranked 8th, 14th, 15th, 16th. 14-16 are right on the boarder.
-- Teams outside of top 16 that made it in were right after -- 17th, 18th, 19th, and 2 unranked.
-- Thus, only real upset was Beach and only real surprises were Santa Monica and Slammers HB Maroon
-- Biggest surprise score was GPS (2) beating Oranje (9) 6-1. This should have been a close game based on rankings, but there is a BIG drop off between the top 5 teams and everyone else.
-- SD Academy's A team (Navy) is paired with its super B team (Orange) -- always fun for the underdog.
In bracket format with rankings based on rank in format (like an NCAA bracket):
1. IE Legends
16. Real So Cal SCV
8. GPS Red (Crescenta Valley)
9. AC Brea
4. CDA Slammers
13. Slammers SM
5. Beach Lohn
12. Slammers HB Maroon
2. Hawks
15. San Diego Strikers
7. Rebels
10. Santa Monica United
3. Navy
14. SD Orange
6. Legends Corona
11. Slammers Alvarez
My picks for each 4 team bracket:
IE Legends advances over GPS Red after each win their first round
CDA Slammers advances over Beach
Hawks advances over Rebels
Navy advances over Slammers Alvarez
So final 4 is ranked 1, 3, 4, and 5.
IE Legends over CDA Slammers
Navy over Hawks
Navy over IE Legends -- Funny thing is both teams already have bids to Nationals.