Nationals 2013 Preview

The New York Magpies and the Calgary Kangaroos have had twelve months to wonder, "What if?". On October 19th & 20th in Austin, TX, these two sides will head into the 2013 USAFL National Championships as dual number one seeds in Division One. Both sides undoubtedly feel they have a claim to last year's vacated title, left open when the Dallas Magpies were officially disqualified from competing in Division One at the 2013 tournament. New York and Calgary's only losses in Mason, OH last year were to Dallas. This year, Nationals promises to be as fiercely contested as ever.

Division One

Division One is rife with outstanding teams this year with the New York Magpies headlining Pool A. The Pies have to be a red-hot overall favorite after their regular season left them unbeaten and untested, with a 9-0 record. Their roster is teeming with talent and class; they will be a tall order for any side. The smokey for the Division One title might be the second seed, the Austin Crows. The Crows senior side is also undefeated in 2013, with a huge win over the Denver Bulldogs really standing out and they have the benefit of home-field advantage. The Seattle Grizzlies are coming off a relatively quiet schedule but looked very impressive at the Stumptown Throwdown in Portland. Lastly, the Golden Gate Roos will be looking to regain some legitimacy after a disappointing 2012 Nationals.

Pool B in Division One looks to be the more talent-laden of the two pools, with the lone Canadian entry, the Calgary Kangaroos, slated as the number one seed. Year in and year out, Calgary is in the hunt to bring home the crown and they will be favorites to come out of this pool. The eight-time champion Denver Bulldogs are the number two seed and they will be out to prove that they haven't lost a step. After a loss at home to Austin, league observers wondered whether the Bulldogs reign of dominance was coming to an end. Two regional powerhouses round out Pool B, with the Orange County Bombers and the Nashville Kangaroos seeded three and four respectively. Both sides are coming off an impressive USAFL season, particularly Nashville who has welcomed several new recruits.

Division One Predictions: New York should emerge from Pool A, where a Sunday morning matchup with Austin may decide a finalist. In Pool B, look for a Saturday morning "Roo off" between Calgary and Nashville to have major implications. I see an international affair in the Division One final between New York and Calgary, with the Pies cohesion and class ultimately prevailing.

Division Two

Division Two will be the deepest second tier the USAFL has seen, with sides vying for a step up to the next level. Pool A has 2012 Division Two champs the Minnesota Freeze, Baltimore Washington Eagles, Columbus Jackaroos and the New York Magpies B team. Pool B is filled with such diverse teams as the Los Angeles Dragons, Boston Demons, Chicago Swans and the Fort Lauderdale Fighting Squids.

Division Two Predictions: This will be a tough division to call, with sides from all corners of the country involved. In Pool A, the Minnesota Freeze may have taken a step back in 2013 leaving the door open for the veteran Baltimore/Washington Eagles and the fast-rising Columbus Jackaroos. Look for the Eagles to return to their late-2000's form by making the final. In Pool B, it's all about the LA Dragons, battle tested from a full season in the SCAFL. The Chicago Swans are rounding into late season form but the Dragons should be too strong. In the final, I predict the Dragons depth and athleticism will comfortably defeat the Eagles.

Division Three

Division Three generally represents clubs either growing and improving rapidly or experiencing a rebuilding phase. This year Pool A comprises of top seed Philadelphia Hawks, Sacramento Suns, Des Moines Roosters and Austin Crows' B side. Meanwhile, Pool B has the Houston Lonestars, San Diego Lions, Kansas City Power and Portland Steelheads. The Lonestars, Suns and Roosters represent three of the newer clubs in the USAFL.

Division Three Predictions: In Pool A, the Des Moines Roosters look the goods after a Division Four title in 2012. They will be tested by the Austin Crows B side. Pool B will feature a great matchup between the up and coming Houston Lonestars and the veteran San Diego Lions. Look for the Lonestars and the Roosters to tackle in the final, with the talented and enthusiastic Roosters to take out their second title in two years.

Division Four

Generally filled with seconds teams and brand-new sides, Division Four represents the past and future of the USAFL. Pool A features the North Carolina Tigers, Columbus B/Nashville B/Minnesota B, Denver B/Portland and the Tulsa Buffaloes. Pool B has BW Eagles B, Ohio Valley/Milwaukee, Golden Gate B and Atlanta/Baton Rouge.

Division Four Predictions: Division Four is always tough to predict but Denver/Portland might be too good in Pool A and Ohio Valley is always tough in Pool B. Look for the "Rocky Shores" combination to come through with the title in division four.

Women's Division

The Women's Division is always ferociously contested with sides from New York, Boston, San Francisco, Denver, Sacramento, Calgary, Baltimore/Washington and Minnesota all slated to compete. The Denver Lady Bulldogs and the Minnesota Freeze will be the strength of the tournament based on past performances and projected numbers. The Lady Bulldogs looked completely unstoppable at last year's tournament, but the Freeze have recruited well and boasted the highest number of players on this year's representative team. With that said, this writer feels the Lady Bulldogs will once again be far too strong, as they look to become the next Rocky Mountain dynasty in the USAFL.

Submitted by: Scott Matheson, Columbus