The EPA Razorbacks and Belmont Shore have secured their places in the playoffs while other competitions finished their regular seasons.
Pacific North
The EPA Razorbacks were the best team in the regular season and they showed exactly why once again with two wins to seal the playoff spot out of the Pacific North. First up were the Sacramento Lions, the team that advanced to the playoffs last year. The Razorbacks ended up winning that match and Santa Rosa beat the EPA Bulldogs 34-22 to set up a final. Despite not having a full compliment of players and basically using a very short bench the Razorbacks won 29-22.
Justin Stine got things started with a penalty for Santa Rosa and the Razorbacks didn't help themselves with two yellow cards just minutes apart. That allowed Santa Rosa to score a try and push their lead to 10-0. A try from Suipeli Sakali cut the lead in half before Josefa Uqeuqu and Greg Hildebrand scored for Santa Rosa to make it 22-5. However, that's when the Razorbacks made their come backs. Two tries before the half put them within three and when they scored 13 minutes into the second half they had a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Despite suffered a Red Card with 20 minutes to do they added one last try.
Take the jump to read more.
Pacific South
In a re-match of the last week in the regular season Belmont Shore outlasted the Old Aztecs to win 27-21. The Old Aztecs jumped out to a 21-0 lead with just over 20 minutes gone in the first half. Belmont would grab a try before the half to make it 21-7. They would then add two more tries to put themselves within two with a couple of minutes left. Old Aztecs couldn't stay on the good side of the referee and after more penalties hit a penalty to take the lead before adding an insurance try.
Belmont will face the Razorbacks in the California Cup next week as a warm-up for the playoffs.
Red River
The Austin Blacks had already booked their spot from the Red River and had the weekend off. The Reds also had an easy week as they beat the Griffins 40-3 to finish their regular season. Both the Blacks and the Reds will head to Treasure Island for the DI playoffs. New Orleans have finished third, three points behind Dallas, thanks to a large 53-17 win over HARC. The Dallas Harlequins also ended on a high note with a 41-15 win over the Austin Huns. The Huns and HARC still have one match to play next week.
With the results the West playoffs will be the Razorbacks vs. Dallas and Belmont Shore vs. the Austin Blacks on May 30th. The winners of those matches will square off on May 31st for a spot in the national championship.
Midwest
There was only one match in the Midwest over the weekend as they finished their regular season. The Kansas City Blues beat the Milwaukee Barbarians 41-31 to finish first, something they had guaranteed prior to the week. The Barbarians had also sealed fourth place but still did well to push the Blues. The Barbarians led 14-7 at halftime with tries from Alex Oldakowski and Michael Albert. The Blues had a try from Ty Henry. The Blues took the lead with a try from Brodie Orth and then added to that with Henry's second and third.
The Barbarians did pick up a try from John Paul Kloiber to keep it close. Henry scored his fourth try and Evan Pierson his first to put the Blues up 35-21 with minutes left. The Barbarians scored via Jeremy Petfalski before that was cancelled out by Kevin Schwartze. Matt Drzweicki had a late try for the Barbarians.
The Midwest playoffs take place in Chicago next week with the Blues and Barbarians squaring off, and Metropolis vs. the Chicago Lions. The winners of the matches will advance to the final on Sunday with the winning earning a place in the national elite eight against the winner of the Atlantic North.
Atlantic North
Mystic River, the top team from the regular season, will play the number two side Hartford Wanderers for the spot out of the Atlantic North next week.
Mid-Atlantic
The Potomac Exiles are the playoff representative from the Mid-Atlantic.