NorCal SF: Berkeley 48-40 SFGG / Photo: Dasha Rychkova
A handful of playoffs have already occurred for Division II clubs, and this weekend will see the Pacific South, NorCal and the Southern Conference’s geographic unions (GUs) narrow down their candidates for nationals. The Mid-Atlantic, Mid-America and Red River are still contesting league games, and next weekend, the Atlantic North will hold its GU crossover semifinals. Remember the Midwest has already named its champion, Cincinnati Kelts, and nationals rep.
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NORCAL
In a thriller of a NorCal semifinal, the Berkeley All Blues defeated San Francisco Golden Gate 48-40 Saturday. The All Blues will now play the Sacramento Amazons in the NorCal final, and the victor will face Pacific Northwest champion Emerald City (read more) for the Pacific North berth to nationals.
There were eight lead changes in this seesaw match. Five minutes after Golden Gate coughed up a yellow card, Berkeley No. 8 Maja Wichrowska opened up the scoring. But then the 2017 national runner-up sent lock Tyra Norlander across for five, while still a player down, and the first of flyhalf Lindsay Kinsler’s five conversions afforded a 7-5 edge.
The teams traded scores through the 65th minute, when outside center Serena Liu’s second try gave Berkeley a 34-33 edge and permanent lead. The All Blues added back-to-back scores from Elena Clark (who kicked four conversions) and reserve Briana Riley (her second) to extend to 48-33. SFGG inside center Valerie Ernst scored a last-minute try, converted by Kinsler, for the 48-40 final.
It’s a daylong NorCal championship affair this Saturday, as Treasure Island hosts the men’s DIII, men’s DII, a SFGG PRP match, and at 5 p.m. the Sacramento Amazons and Berkeley will play for the berth to the Pacific North championship the following weekend.
Pasadena vs. Las Vegas / Photo: Greg Smookler
PACIFIC SOUTH
It’s down to the final four, and the top-two seeds host this weekend’s semifinals. The final is April 28 in Long Beach, Calif. Ventura defeated Santa Barbara 72-31 on Saturday and moved past San Fernando Valley to finish fourth in the standings. But the Outlaws withdrew from the playoffs for lack of numbers available to travel to Tucson. So Arizona’s Old Pueblo will host San Fernando Valley, and Pasadena will travel to Las Vegas for Saturday’s semifinals. The latter match draws particular interest, as the teams played to a 20-19 decision (in Las Vegas’ favor) on April 7.
SOUTH
All four Southern Conference semifinalists will be named this weekend; although the Carolinas will determine final seeds next weekend. The CAROLINAS host crossover semifinals Saturday, and Charlotte will play Augusta, and Eno River will take on Atlanta DII. Since Carolinas’ Southern Pines is hosting the league championship, the GU receives two seeds to the Southern Conference championship. So Saturday’s winners will advance to the regional championship.
In FLORIDA, Ft. Miami and Orlando duel for the state championship. The TRUE SOUTH holds its final four weekend in Nashville. Saturday semifinals pit #1 Knoxville against #4 Memphis, and #2 Lagniappe against #3 Nashville.