2nd Division: Simpkin Preview and Predictions

Simpkin is up first here today as the division gets the once over by the Prez.

2nd Division: Simpkin Preview and Predictions

 

2nd Division Overview:

There is so much at stake here for D2 teams here it’s incredible. Week in and out every D2 club more than ever has every incentive to perform their absolute best. With the addition of a new division next year and all non playoff teams moving their teams better be ready to go all out each and every Sunday. I can’t wait to see how this year plays out in both D2 divisions.

 

Simpkin Burning Questions:

 

Wait what are you talking about with all this split stuff and non playoff teams?

So this will be the last year for the bloated D2 format we currently have and in order to determine how that will go, it's entirely based on performance this year. every team that makes the playoffs in either D2 conference will keep their place next year. Those that miss though? They move onto the new BDSL D3. So yeah it's a lot on the line here.

 

Oh wow that’s pretty cool what a great idea on concept!!

Thanks!

 

You know you’re replying to your own questions here right?

Yes I guess that's right.

 

You did this same bit in 2019.

No one remembers that. Why would you bring that up?

 

Forget it. So who do you like the most this year in Simpkin?

Well it’s hard not to favor Great White Buffalo here. One of the top clubs in D2 comes back for another go in here in 2021. They had the top defensive unit led by stand out keeper Sammy Rodriguez and most of it returned to keep the heat on to the rest of the division to try and catch up. This is a club that allowed just 6 goals all of last season. And they aren’t too bad at scoring them either with Mikulski Mendez and co leading the attack. They hope that they’ll be able to add that D2 cup to the trophy case along with their Wood Cup and online twitter poll best purple kit by a team beginning with the letter G formed in 2015 victory.

 

Who might be able to close the gap to them then??

I like the makeup of new side Outlaws. A mix of BDSL vets and youngsters could be a good blend to be a top Simpkin team similar to what we talked about with new club Hamburg Monarchs in D3 Outlaws has a similar make up in that they have a good chemistry coming into the year to let them hit the ground running.. I also think JL Dutch might be one of the better clubs here. Similar to GWB, they too return much of the roster that was pretty strong last go around in D2. They are swapping out the scoring of Austin Meir and hoping the return of keeper Tim Clark is an acceptable trade off here. If they can find someone to bag the goals they’ll be dangerous. 

 

Which teams are in the best position to secure their returns to D2 after the favorites?

I think Southern Tier FC is sorta the best of remaining teams. I’d be shocked if they don’t find their way into the playoffs and maybe even make a run. I’d be even more confident in that if they were able to secure their home field in Fredonia but I think it won’t matter in the end. I would also think Lake Shore FC is looking good for a playoff spot. After many years in the league as solely a player Bryce Parker-Norton in his first go as manager has built a good roster here led by Wade Bergum, Kyle Tezanos, and Kenny Pierce.  Outside of that though things start to get dicey. That’s five clubs so far but we are missing 1 to complete the field and I’m not ready to say any of the remaining clubs are looking up for that.

 

You don’t like any of the remaining teams? 

No not entirely. I would say maybe FKB could have good bounce back potential but a bona fide playoff team is pushing it. Hamburg FC is a club that I like seemingly more than they like themselves which isn’t a good thing. FC Lackwanna lost a lot of the best talent they had. So I’m not sure what to do with this group. 

 

Maybe work your way bottom up and you’ll stumble into a playoff team?

Not a bad theory here. At the bottom here I think is Ukraine and it might not be close. They appear to be on fumes which is sad for me to say and I really hope I’m wrong about the long time BDSL mainstay. I think the two new promoted teams are a bit rough here with Moby Ducks and Cheektowaga. And then you have WNY United Reds whose ceiling every year seems to be like 8th place. ya know what forget it. I’m going to just go with Hamburg and they’ll let me down but that's a feeling I’m used to with them. 

 

That turned into a bit of a bummer there.

That’s only if you look at this half empty. You could instead say that all these clubs have a good look at becoming that 6th playoff club and can maintain their D2 status. More so too that the division will be pretty competitive within the season with these teams all equally about the same. I could point out that I pick Reds to be relegated almost all the time and they prove me wrong. I picked Cheektowaga dead last and they raised the trophy in ‘19. The point is both I know less than I think and I’m probably wrong about all of them anyways. Especially in a season like this where more has changed then I certainly know. So maybe I think there is a gap between the top and bottom 6 but in the grand scheme that means probably very little. I’m excited to see what I get wrong here.



 

D2 Tiers:

 

Relegation Zone: Ukraine 

Pretenders: WNY United Reds, Cheektowaga White Eagles, Moby Ducks FC, FC Lackawanna, Hamburg FC, FK Bosna.

Contenders: JL Dutch, Lake Shore FC, Southern Tier FC, Outlaws

Favorite: Great White Buffalo

 

Simpkin Table:

 

  1. Great White Buffalo

  2. Southern Tier FC

  3. Lake Shore FC

  4. Outlaws

  5. JL Dutch

  6. Hamburg FC

  7. FC Lackawanna

  8. Moby Ducks FC

  9. FK Bosna

  10.  WNY United Reds

  11.  Cheektowaga White Eagles

  12.  Ukraine

 

 

3) Lake Shore FC over 6) Hamburg FC

4) Outlaws over 5) JL Dutch

 

1) Great White Buffalo over 4) Outlaws

3) Lake Shore FC over 2) Southern Tier FC

 

1) Great White Buffalo over 3) Lake Shore FC