Club Power Rankings [9/27/24]

The 16 bids to Nationals in each division are set, so we've got our post-regionals Top 25

September 27, 2024 by Ultiworld in Rankings with 0 comments

Each week, we’ll post an updated edition of our Power Rankings here on the front page to facilitate discussion in the comments and help us share each week’s rankings via social media. The most up-to-date version can always be found on our permanent rankings page.

Women’s Discussion

• While Flipside couldn’t wrest the SW region crown from Fury, the one-point loss paired with an earlier head-to-head win over BENT are enough to flip the two.
• Nemesis and LOL also swap rankings, as Nemesis’ shellacking of most of the Great Lakes fell short compared to LOL’s universe point loss to #15 Nightlock, who LOL slot just behind.
• Schwa, Vengeance, and Flight also benefit from strong regionals results, despite the latter two not quite doing enough to make the final 16. Schwa suffered the Flipside fate, making the final but falling by a single goal to a surging Riot, though their trip to San Diego is a sure balm.
• Parcha’s universe point win over #13 Grit to make the Mid-Atlantic final was enough to secure the Pittsburgh team a bid, but not enough to separate them from their fellow MA squad. They drop two to settle just above Grit.
• Harsher setbacks befell Nightlock, Dark Sky, Wildfire, and Starling, dropping all teams several spots. Nightlock were the closest of the group to tasting success, battling past LOL to get to the SW G2G, but ran out of gas once there. Dark Sky were bounced to the backdoor bracket after suffering a pool play upset and couldn’t rally to make the game to go, and both Starling and Wildfire fell in second-place quarters in deep regions.
• Welcome to the rankings NCT! The masters team out of Ottawa suited up for the Series and nearly nabbed a bid, pushing Iris to universe in the game to go after flying past Starling by the same score margin.

Men’s Discussion

• DiG and Chain Lightning are both rewarded handsomely for their regionals wins over rivals where they knocked off PoNY and Ring of Fire, respectively.
• GOAT made Nationals and RDU didn’t, but the latter are rewarded for their narrow loss to Chain Lightning, while GOAT are docked for needing universe point wins over Phoenix and Sprout to earn the bid.
• Speaking of Sprout, the Amherst team has grown quite a bit in a short time, from initially not qualifying for Regionals to upsetting Mephisto in the backdoor bracket and coming within one of Nationals. They’re up seven spots.
• Mallard and Shrimp have to be feeling good as the new Nationals kids on the block. Shrimp proved they were rightful bid earners all along while Mallard went out and took it from the favorites.
• Despite not making the final 16, Mad Men and Vault can’t say they didn’t give it their all. Mad Men took regional champs Mallard to universe in semis, Mallard’s closest game on the weekend, while Vault did their best to make the Mid-Atlantic interesting by playing reigning-champs Truck within three.
• Sub Zero, Condors, and Dark Star also missed out on the big show, but their results are a bit more disappointing. Sub and ‘Dors both made the regional final but couldn’t finish the job in one-bid regions, while Dark Star couldn’t follow up on a successful 2023, missing the game to go entirely.
• Mephisto, Fungi, and Bonneville Flat Club all break into the top 25 with strong regionals showings. Fungi and Bonneville both made runs to the game to go but came up just short against the bid earners, while Mephisto were a repeat-Sectionals performance against Sprout away from doing the same.

Mixed Discussion

• Disco Club backed up their early season wins by taking the South Central Regional crown from shame. They move up into the top three, just above their Fort Collins opponents.
• Other teams benefitting from regionals victories include Space Force, who held ‘Shine to just eight goals in the Southeast Regional final, and Lawless, who beat up-and-comers Tower to claim the Southwest.
• While they didn’t win their regions, Sprocket, MOONDOG, Spoke, and Mile High Trash are all bolstered by winning outings. All four teams reached the coveted game to go, with Sprocket and MOONDOG booking their ticket to San Diego, the latter over Spoke.
• Mile High Trash vanquished Public Enemy on universe to make the game to go, rising their own stock and sending Dallas to the back of our rankings. They’re not as down bad as Mischief though, who plummet out of the top 10 and were in discussion to drop out of the top 25 entirely. Losing close to Polar Bears in quarters is one thing, but losing to unranked Donuts to miss out on a chance at the game to go really put a hole in Mischief’s Nationals aspirations.
• As in the men’s division, we welcome three new teams to the final spots in our rankings! Brushed off by some as homerism on the part of Edwards Stephens, Murmur made it clear we should be paying attention by losing only to ranked teams ‘Shine and Toro at Regionals as they tried to make their way through the backdoor. The aforementioned Polar Bears made it to the Southwest semis, dropping the game to eventual region-champs Lawless, and beat Lotus in second-place semis to give themselves a real shot at Nationals in the game to go.

Subscribers, read on for each team’s biggest “what ifs” from the regular season! If teams could go back in time and change one thing…