Regional Championship Series Set for Grand Return

After a three-year absence, American footy’s traveling road show is back.

The USAFL Regional Championship Series makes its return starting June 4th and will be proverbially rocking the suburbs of Philadelphia, the Twin Cities, and Denver this summer.

Regionals returns to its regular format after the COVID-19-19 pandemic wiped out the entire 2020 season, and the USAFL Summer Series took place in six cities last August.

For some teams, Regionals is the main kick off to the USAFL season.  For others, it is the midway marker.  Either way, it’s an amouse-bouche of footy under the sun with clubs converging on some long-time hot beds of the sport in the USA in the process.

All matches are free to attend for spectators, and if you do come, bring a couple of chairs and a blanket.  The league will be recording matches to be uploaded onto our YouTube Page following the tournament, with lead play-by-play announcer Brian Barrish calling the action.

Links to each tournament page with deadlines for player registration and for accommodations at each carnival are below.

EASTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE

It all kicks off on June 4th at Lower Perkiomen Park in Oaks, Pennsylvania, home of the Philadelphia Hawks.  The hometown men’s side is looking to regain regional glory after winning the D1 Regionals crown in 2018 and 2019.  The New York Magpies will have other ideas, having won the Summer Series tangle last year, while the defending D2 men’s National Champions DC Eagles will try to assert their dominance after a great campaign in 2021.

The Women’s competition in Philly will feature teams from both the Eastern and Central Regions, with both defending regional champion New York and reigning Summer Series title holder DC trying to hold off challengers from Philadelphia, Columbus, Minnesota, and beyond.  The Magpies women have five regional crowns in their pocket, while DC won out the last time regionals was at the Hawks Nest, in 2018.

CENTRAL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE

Two weeks later, on June 18th, the scene shifts to the Twin Cities, as the best of the Central Region comes to the expansive National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.  The Freeze men will entertain a plethora of teams from the country’s heartland, including the five-time men’s D1 National Champions, the Austin Crows, and eight-time Nationals winning Denver Bulldogs.  A revitalized band from the St Louis Blues will also come in force, as will battling bunches from the Des Moines Roosters, Chicago Swans, Wisconsin Wombats and more.

The Minnesota Freeze women will team up with the crosstown North Star Blue Ox to stage an All-Comers Women’s Match, as they take on talent from across the country.  The Freeze were semi-finalists in Women’s D1 in 2018 and 2019 and are looking to make an impact again this season with a balanced attack.

WESTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE

Finally, the Best of the West head to Westminster, Colorado, as that city’s expansive park hosts regionals for the third time since 2017.  The five-time defending Women’s D1 National Champions San Francisco Iron Maidens will again try to withstand the challenge of the team they beat to claim the 2021 title, the Denver Bulldogs.  The Seattle Grizzlies, Sacramento Suns, Portland Sockeyes, Orange County Giants, Wasatch Wargulls, and Arizona Hawks will be amongst those also trying to climb the proverbial mountain.

For the men, the four-time defending Western Champions Golden Gate Roos are back at it, bringing their high-flying game to the Mile High City in the hopes of continuing their dominance.  But there is plenty of firepower here from the Los Angeles Dragons, San Diego Lions, Seattle Grizzlies, and more.  The West is full of Division 1 and Division 2 firepower and has provided some exciting matches for all and sundry over the past few seasons.

Photo Credit: Drew Tyson