Navigating the 2023-2024 WISL Playoff Landscape: Teams, Standings, and Anticipated Showdowns
By Merrick Parnell
The 2023-2024 Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) season has flown by. It is hard to believe that we have reached the final week of the regular season. With the conclusion of the regular season comes the postseason and intense, passionate, and exciting matches.
Teams have trained, worked, and played hard to hopefully earn a shot at the playoffs and appear in the championship match. The WISL's John Snyder has compiled some of the postseason scenarios and situations, and we have those for you below.
A Look at Points and Ranking in the Standings
Here is a look at the standings and the points as they stand currently.
The Tacoma Stars Reserves have 27 points with all games played. Tacoma will finish in first place.
Bellingham United FC has 21 points with one game to play.
Everett City FC sits at 21 points with all games played.
South Sound FC has 19 points with all games played.
Oly Town has 19 points with one game to play.
Oly Pen Force has 9 points and one game to play.
Snohomish Sky has grabbed 6 points and also has one game to play.
The 2023-2024 WISL teams
Photo: WISL
Scenarios
Scenario 1 - If Oly Town Wins
Oly Town would have 22 points and finish in 2nd place.
Everett FC would have 21 points to finish 3rd and have the head-to-head against Bellingham.
Bellingham FC would have 21 points and finish 4th due to the Head-to-Head going to Everett.
South Sound FC would have 19 points and finish 5th.
"The Artesians have good tests to close the season’s end, playing South Sound FC second to last and Bellingham away for a final match. It's all about focus and commitment this time of the season with players and coaches," said Oly Town's Ryan Perkins.
As far as the playoff picture goes, Perkins describes the outlook as "Muddy. There's no other way to put it. Lots of shuffling and granular tiebreaker rules that could change the playoff landscape with a point here or there."
Scenario 1A - OP Force win.
Oly Pen Force would have 12 points and finish 6th
Ticket info: Go to their website for ticket info
Streaming info: You can stream the Oly Pen Force game here
Scenario 1B - Snohomish Sky wins.
Snohomish Sky would have 9 points and finish 6th - Head-to-Head against the Oly Pen Force would go to Snohomish Sky.
“Right now, we have a thought process of a one-game season. We focus on Saturday, and if and when we win, then we focus on the next game. We take it one game at a time,” said Sky Coach Aaron Burns. “ We want to win and move on. We believe that we have the right players to do that. Obviously, we lost some games we felt we could have won and sort of put ourselves in this must-win situation, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.”
Scenario 2 - Bellingham wins.
Bellingham FC would have 24 points and would finish 2nd.
Everett FC would have 21 points and finish 3rd.
South Sound FC would have 19 points and finish 4th
Oly Town would have 19 points and finish 5th due to Head-to-Head against Snohomish Sky going to the Sky.
Bellingham Head Coach Rich Henderson hopes his club can move on to host as many games as possible at home. "It is pretty simple for us if we want to host straight to the semis, we can't lose the last regular season game. I like it when it is clear, as it does most of the team talk for you as a coach.
We are a team that has never missed out on the playoffs in this league, so it stays the same mindset; we expect to be there and expect a lot of ourselves.
Streaming info: You can watch this game at https://www.youtube.com/@WISL_Soccer/streams
Ticket Info: Tickets are available at the door.
Scenario 1A - OP Force win.
OP Force would have 12 points and finish 6th
Scenario 1B - Snohomish Sky wins.
Snohomish Sky would have 9 points and finish 6th with the Head-to-Head against Oly Pen Force going to Snohomish Sky.
