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League One Power Rankings - Week 19

By ETHAN TRIEBSCH - ethan.triebsch@uslsoccer.com, 07/26/23, 2:45PM EDT

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Upper quarter remains unchanged heading into Week 20

Northern Colorado's dominant run of form sees the Hailstorm remain on top, while Richmond and Omaha slip slightly after a pair of respective Week 19 losses.

Can Lexington build on its record-breaking win? Can Knoxville put a stop to its free fall? Tell us why your club should rank higher and keep the conversation going on Twitter at @USLLeagueOne.

Biggest Movers

3 LEX 2 CHA

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Summary
1 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
(10-1-5)
Week 20: @ NC, @ CLT
Last Week: 1		 The Hailstorm have now matched Greenville’s 2020 league record of 35 points through their first 16 matches in what has been one of the most impressive starts to a season in league history. A Week 20 road trip to the Tar Heel State will pit Northern Colorado against North Carolina and Charlotte in a pair of enticing matchups.
2 Forward Madison FC
(8-4-5)
Week 20: v. TRM, v. GVL
Last Week: 2		 On track for its best-ever finish in its five-year history, Madison’s offseason additions have been paying dividends. Matt Glaeser’s side has picked up a league-high 8.06 points above expected, according to American Soccer Analysis, and are enjoying what’s tied for the sixth-best start through 16 matches in league history.
3 North Carolina FC
(8-4-4)
Week 20: v. NCO, @ CHA
Last Week: 3		 NCFC has slowed down a bit after racing out to its scorching start, but its four-match unbeaten run is second only to Northern Colorado. A big test in the form of the aforementioned Hailstorm awaits John Bradford’s side on Wednesday before a pair of manageable road matchups against Chattanooga and South Georgia.
4 Greenville Triumph SC
(8-6-4)
Week 20: @ MAD
Last Week: 4		 Despite dropping a crushing contest to Charlotte via a stoppage-time winner, Greenville have won five of its last six and are unbeaten in 10 of its last 12. Depending on how it navigates its upcoming gauntlet of Madison, Charlotte, North Carolina and Northern Colorado, the league’s all-time winningest club will likely still be on track to become the first club in league history to advance to the postseason in five consecutive seasons.
5 Charlotte Independence
(8-6-6)
Week 20: v. NCO 		2
Last Week: 7		 Looking to secure its best-ever finish in a league table, the Jacks have been solid in the first half of its second League One season even with its head-scratching loss to Fuego FC last week. Austin Pack has been a revelation for Charlotte, and his side's 9.56 goals conceded below expected would set an all-time League One record if it holds up until the end of the season.
6 Richmond Kickers
(6-6-7)
Week 20: @ LEX		 1
Last Week: 5		 Taking on newcomers Lexington on the road for the first time, the Kickers will venture into neighboring Kentucky for the first time since facing Louisville City FC back in 2018. After its 0-2-1 run across its last three, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Richmond - just one of two teams below the playoff line to win more points than expected - bounce back in a big way in Lexington.
7 Union Omaha
(6-5-7)
Week 20: v. TRM 		1
Last Week: 6		 A puzzling 3-0 loss to Lexington matched the largest league loss in Omaha’s history and confirmed back-to-back seasons in which the Owls conceded multiple losses of three or more goals. Conceding the most goals per match (1.39) across its four seasons of existence, a three-match, late-summer homestand consisting of South Georgia, Lexington and Knoxville should tell us all we need to know about Omaha’s postseason prospects.
8 South Georgia Tormenta FC
(6-8-3)
Week 20: @ MAD, @ OMA
Last Week: 8		 Following a six-match unbeaten stretch, the Ibises did what they needed to do against Lexington and Chattanooga before dropping a challenging contest against a rising Greenville side last week. Week 20 sees South Georgia face a pair of avian adversaries in Madison and Omaha with a chance to vault above the playoff line for the first time since May 28, but the defending champs are a combined 2-11-5 against the pair.
9 Lexington SC
(4-9-5)
Week 20: v. RIC		 3
Last Week: 12		 The expansion side has won the most points below expected on the season (6.29), according to American Soccer Analysis, but did well to snap its club-record losing streak with a massive, club-record victory against Omaha. After welcoming Richmond to town for the first time on Saturday, Lexington will surely need to find its first away win at either Omaha or Northern Colorado in order to continue its push toward the postseason.
10 One Knoxville SC
(5-8-7)
Week 20: @ CV		 1
Last Week: 9		 In what started as one of the most successful starts to a season by an expansion side, Knoxville’s increasingly difficult schedule has seen the young club match a season-high for consecutive winless matches (7) and equal the second-longest losing streak (4) on the season. Despite being the least disciplined team in the league in terms of fouls and cards, Knoxville is still just a victory over Fuego FC away from potentially jumping back above the playoff line.
11 Central Valley Fuego FC
(5-11-1)
Week 20: v. KNX
Last Week: 11		 Yes, Central Valley has been historically bad at times this season, but the second-year club is sporting the second-longest win streak in the league after reeling off much-needed, back-to-back victories. Adam Smith and Fuego FC must take advantage of one of the easiest schedules to round out the summer as they take on Knoxville, Chattanooga, South Georgia and Lexington.
12 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
(4-10-4)
Week 20: v. NC		 2
Last Week: 10		 Kings of the comeback, no team has gained more points from losing positions (12) and dropped fewer points from winning positions (0) than the Red Wolves. In fact, when it comes to regaining leads and hanging on to existing ones, this 2023 Red Wolves squad is by far the most efficient in league history. All that being said, the Red Wolves still sit at the bottom of table and currently maintain an all-time league record of 1.94 goals conceded per match.

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Tag(s): News  Union Omaha  Power Rankings  Chatt Red Wolves SC  Forward Madison FC  Greenville Triumph SC  Richmond Kickers  So. Georgia Tormenta FC  North Carolina FC  Central Valley Fuego FC  Hailstorm FC  Charlotte Independence  Lexington SC  One Knoxville SC 

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