The Academy League is always a tight race with so many active players and so many talented players improving each day. It’s hard to predict what this league will look like at the end of the season. But we won’t let that stop us from making some bold predictions about who might be playoff-bound.
Doubles Predictions
Pirates
Doubles Record: 5-0
Roster: xCHEF, hakuu, Tez, Icy_Fatal, Venturi, Kuick Knight, Finicko
For most franchises, week one is tough. New rosters are trying to become familiar with each other. Scrims being played at a blinding rate in order to figure out specific pairings. Who is going to play 3’s, who is going to play 2’s? None of these things seemed to be an issue for the Pirates. Second-year Pirate and team captain Hakuu said “Our strong points would be preparation. Whether we lose games or win them, we’re going to be prepared before the next game and that’s something we pride ourselves on.” Kuick Knight and Finicko came out firing on all cylinders with 18 goals, 7 assists, 14 saves, and an astonishing 51 shots in their series against a strong Outlaws team. Three out of the five games being decided by one goal, the Pirates rose to the challenge that is week one. Kuick Knight had an especially special series, scoring 10 of the 18 goals for his team, with a 43% shooting percentage, and an incredible 5.12 MVPR. This is a pairing on a team that will be extremely frightening for the rest of the Academy League as the season progresses.
Wolves
Doubles Record: 10-0
Roster: Phi Sig, DrStein, Fo0f, Mike Raphone, fasterthanfalcon, CaptainRomeo
Another team that went 10-0 in their first two Doubles series’, Fo0f, Phi Sig, and fasterthanfalcon have made a statement that they mean business. In the doubles series against the Jets, the Wolves won every game by two or more goals, scoring a total of 21, and only allowing 12. In that series, fasterthanfalcon also laid down an insane 6.59 MVPR, scoring 17 of the 21 goals, and saving 8 shots. In their series against the Foxes, both Phi Sig and Fo0f had MVPR’s over 6, with a 6.72 and a 6.25 respectively. This is a roster that does not appear to have a weak point and will be a force to be reckoned with in MLE Season 12. AGM and AL roster player Phi Sig said “Fasterthanfalcon plays very fast for AL and when he is paired with a strong team member that plays position he really shines. He and Fo0f got both of those roles so they did great together. I tend to play that same fast-paced role so when I played with Fo0f we were able to get the most out of both our play styles. The most important thing is that our team is extremely relaxed and just happy to play together, regardless of the outcome. We have a great time playing together and it really shows in our comms and how we are able to talk with each other.”
Standard Predictions
Dodgers
Standard Record: 5-0
Roster: Ondo, OwnerOfTheWhiteSedan, Dopenose, Smalls, Solo
The Dodgers are another team that is off to a perfect start in the Standard game mode. They fought off the Elite in a tight series, only winning the first two games by 1 goal, then breaking out to defeat them by two or more goals in the following three games. With only a 10.5 salary, Smalls led the Dodgers in MVPR and Assists, as well as tying for most shots on the net in the lobby. “The 3s squad is pretty much my whole roster, since I don’t have anyone I would call a 2s specialist on the team. Considering that the majority of the players have been in Champion League before, I expect that all of them should be standouts as the season goes on.” says Franchise Manager InanimateJ. As a team, they also held the Elite Roster to a combined 5.90 MVPR, and only eight goals in the entire series. This is a roster that has limitless potential, and the ability to be one of, if not the best team in Academy League this season.
Demolition
Standard Record: 4-1
Roster: Deejay, DK, LuxuriusPoverty, Hammy, Hems, Scooter_Dom, Mileunders, Skye
Despite playing a three’s pairing with two 10.5’s and an 11.0, the Demolition made a statement in their first five standard games of the season. Going 4-1 against a strong Spectre lineup in AptFox, Wayne Finkle and Jordak, the Pirates dropped game one, and never looked back, out-scoring the Spectre 17-9 in the series. Deejay, the Franchise Manager of the Demolition said “MileUnder And Scooter_Dom caught my eye during scrims and tryouts during the offseason. I knew that they had great 3’s ability even though their salaries were low. We have a lot of skilled players across the spectrum and we can plug and play almost anyone to be a confident and solid team. I, myself, have been excited to play 3’s this season and have felt good about my 3’s play so far this season.” Scooter_Dom, Deejay, and Mileunders want it to be known that salary is only a number, and this team is not to be taken lightly, no matter who on the roster is playing.
