CILA Summer League Predictions - Week 9

Tonight marks the end of the CILA Summer League's regular season. Coming into tonight, the playoff pairings have been established: Clark Physical Therapy will face Wellspring Parable in the first game and #4 Mi Casa Rustic Furniture will face #1 Lightning Wear in the second. One win and six goals separate Clark from second place overall, which includes bragging rights over both teams comprised mainly of Valley players.

Game 1 - 5:45 -Clark Phyisical Therapy vs Mi Casa Rustic Furniture

Clark is looking to continue their strong play with a big win tonight. Although nothing will prevent them from facing the Young Guns next week, they are looking to take the mental edge with the #2 seed. Goalie Fitch is out this week, but league back up Anderson will be playing in his stead. Anderson is a solid keeper and will work hard to keep the Mi Casa shots out. Combined with Clark's strong play at all positions, this team will be a dominant force tonight.
Mi Casa has struggled to find the back of the net all summer. Last week saw a tight two goal loss to the league's best team, which is definitely a positive sign for the team. Key players Miska and Johnston have been MIA lately; the reemergence of both would do a lot to bolster Mi Casa's confidence. Aukes and Blay have been clutch with the d-poles and have helped bring Cafferata and Cook up to speed over the summer. Van Dyke has become something of an all star over the last few weeks and has worked well with Thompson at midfield. The rest of the team has shown improvement and their play gets stronger every game. I anticipate my return to the field tonight, possibly in a limited capacity. Burk will be out tonight.
Prediction: The passion is there for both teams, but Drake needs the win more and takes it by a pair.

Game 2 - 6:45 -Lightning Wear vs Wellspring Parable

Lightning Wear heads into this game looking to end the regular season with a perfect record. Their strong shooting and even stronger defense will pose a great challenge for the Young Guns. Their biggest weakness is ball movement. Their primary scorers tend to hold the ball rather than pass. So far the glory seeking strategy has paid off, but last week's tussle with last place Mi Casa was a little close for comfort.
The Young Guns want to beat Lightning. They want to teach the older players some humility. Largely comprised of Valley's future, they want to show that they will be able to dominate Nebraska League teams without Valley's players and graduates. This game is a chance for the Young Guns to make a statement about the next generation of lacrosse in West Des Moines. Their grit and determination will be strong. The communication is amazing and the ball movement is superb. The only question is whether or not goalie Taylor shows up - in the literal sense.
Prediction: Wellspring capitalizes on Lightning's confidence and goes full throttle for a one goal squeaker.