UPDATED 5/2/14: Only one of the final two group games actually took place. The Crossroads Poolboys clinched second place in Group A and ended the group stage on a positive note with a 2-0 win over UL-Lafayette. With the win, the Poolboys also clinch a spot in the third place game where they will face FC New Orleans, who received three points from their final game after the LSU club team forfeited.

The final between Cajun SC and CD Motagua and the third place game will both take place on May 16 at Clark Field in Lafayette, La. beginning at 6 p.m. CT.

UPDATED 4/26/14, 11:30 p.m. ET: CD Motagua wrapped up the Group B title, and a berth in the 2014 USASA Region III Open Cup tournament with a 7-3 win over the LSU Tigers club team. Former pro and Baton Rouge native Anthony Peters, who spent time with DC United of MLS, led the way with a hat trick for CDM as they join Cajun SC in this summer’s Region III tournament.

UPDATED 4/20/14, 12:00 p.m.: With the group title already decided, Cajun SC and UL Lafayette decided to move their game ahead by one week. Cajun SC continued their dominant play, finishing the group stage with a perfect record after their 2-0 win over ULL. Cajun finishes with a 4-0-0 record with 12 goals scored and only one against. ULL and the Crossroads Pool Boys are scheduled to play for pride in the group finale at a later date.

Next Saturday, April 26, LSU will take on CD Motagua in what will go a long way toward deciding Group B. (Details below)

UPDATED 4/12/14, 10:30 p.m.: CD Motagua have put itself on the verge of a berth in the 2014 USASA Region III Open Cup tournament with a 4-2 win over FC New Orleans on Saturday night at Harris Playground in the Crescent City.

With the victory, the path to the regional competition is simple. They can clinch with a win or draw against the LSU Tigers at home on April 26, or if they lose that game, they will need FC New Orleans, who has been eliminated, to help them out. If FC New Orleans can pick up a win or draw against the Tigers in the group stage finale, then CD Motagua will win the group. If LSU wins their two remaining games, then they will be tied with CD Motagua with 7 points and it will come down to goal difference.

The winner of Group A will take on Cajun SC in the Louisiana Open Cup championship game. Both state finalists will represent Louisiana in the Region III tournament which will take place the weekend of June 20-22 in Montgomery, Ala. and will decide which two teams will qualify for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. (Updated Standings/Results/Schedule below)

UPDATED 4/11/14, 11 p.m.: In a Friday night tilt, Cajun SC clinched Group A with a 5-1 home win over the Crossroads Pool Boys. Along with the group title and a spot in the state title game, Cajun also earns its first-ever berth in the USASA Region III tournament. This year, the regional tournament will take place the weekend of June 20-22 in Montgomery, Ala. The two teams that reach the Region III championship game will qualify for the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

UPDATED 4/6/14, 11 a.m.: On Saturday, April 5, FC New Orleans defeated the shorthanded LSU Tigers club team 2-0 to earn their first win in Group B of the Louisiana Open Cup qualifying tournament.

Andy Centeno took advantage of a mistake by the LSU backline and scored the opening goal in the 35th minute. A scramble in the penalty area gave New Orleans a two goal lead when Leonel Rivera put a loose ball into the back of the net.

The win puts New Orleans within a point of their next opponent, first place CD Motagua. The two teams square off next Saturday, April 12 at Harris Playground in New Orleans. If CD Motagua wins, they will qualify for the USASA Region III Open Cup tournament. If New Orleans wins, then the group is much more wide open.

On Sunday, April 6, the other NCAA club team, Louisiana Lafayette was scheduled to take on Crossorads Pool Boys in Alexandria but the match was postponed. Heavy rain created poor field conditions and the game is expected to be played on May 3.

Louisiana Group A P W L D Pts GF GA GD Cajun SC 4 4 0 0 12 12 1 +11 Crossroads Pool Boys 4 1 2 1 4 5 8 -3 UL-Lafayette 4 0 3 1 1 2 10 -8 Louisiana Group B P W L D Pts GF GA GD CD Motagua NO 4 3 0 1 10 15 8 +7 FC New Orleans 4 2 2 0 6 8 6 +2 LSU Tigers 4 0 3 1 1 5 14 -9

Schedule/Results (Home team on right)



Crossroads Pool Boys 2:2 UL Lafayette (March 14)

FC New Orleans 1:2 CD Motagua (March 22)

Cajun SC 1:0 Crossroads Pool Boys (March 23)

CD Motagua 2:2 LSU Tigers (March 29)

UL Lafayette 0:4 Cajun SC (March 29)

LSU Tigers 0:2 FC New Orleans (April 5)

Crossroads Pool Boys 1:5 Cajun SC (April 11)

CD Motagua 4:2 FC New Orleans (April 12)

Cajun SC 2:0 UL Lafayette (April 19)

LSU Tigers 3:7 CD Motagua (April 26)

FC New Orleans 3:0 LSU Tigers (Forfeit – May 3)

UL Lafayette 0:2 Crossroads Pool Boys (May 3)

State Championship / Third Place Game

Clark Field, Lafayette, La. – May 16

Third Place: Crossroads Pool Boys vs. FC New Orleans – 6 p.m. CT

Final: Cajun SC vs. CD Motagua NO – 8 p.m. CT

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PREVIEW

As the 2014 US Open Cup is ready to get underway next month, qualification has already begun for the 2015 edition in some states.

The Louisiana State Open Cup is underway to determine which two teams will take the next step toward qualifying for the 102nd edition of the national tournament. Among the six teams that are taking part in the competition, two are club teams from universities. Louisiana State University (LSU) and University of Louisiana-Lafayette join Cajun SC, Crossroads Pool Boys, FC New Orleans and CD Motagua New Orleans in the competition that began March 14 with two groups of three teams. The winner of each group will qualify for the 2014 USASA Region III Finals.

The teams attempting to qualify are hoping to do something no Louisiana-based USASA team has done in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present): qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The last Louisiana club of any kind to qualify was the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers who represented the USL’s A-League (2nd Division) in 1997. That team featured a young striker from Trinidad & Tobago by the name of Stern John.

In Group A, Cajun SC (Lafayette, La.) has a commanding five point lead over Crossroads Pool Boys (Alexandria, La.) and UL-Lafayette. Cajun SC opened up with a 1-0 victory over Crossroads Pool Boys on March 23 before cruising to a 4-0 victory over the ULL Ragin’ Cajuns on March 29. Martin Cheramie and Austin Clause are leading the line for Cajun SC with two goals each so far. Cheramie also tallied an assist in the four goal win over UL-Lafayette.

Over in Group B, CD Motagua New Orleans sit atop the standings with four points while the LSU Tigers and FC New Orleans each have one point. Due to the schedule, CD Motagua have already played twice while LSU and FC New Orleans have only played once. CD Motagua represented the state in the Region III finals last year, but it hasn’t been easy for them so far. Their first game was a narrow 2-1 win over FC New Orleans followed by a 2-2 draw with LSU Tigers. CD Motagua have seen four different players score at least once so far while Luke Sheeky has two assists.

The two group leaders are off this weekend as FC New Orleans takes on LSU Tigers this Saturday, April 5 in Group B action while Group A sees Crossroads Pool Boys take on UL-Lafayette on Sunday, April 6. This is the first time the tournament has been played out over multiple weekends allowing each team to play home and away for a more traditional, balanced format. Cajun SC can advance to the State Finals with a win over Crossroads Pool Boys next Friday, April 11.