The PDL Central Conference is different from the other three in that it only has two divisions. So the bracket for the Central is nice and clean: Finish in the top two of your division and you make the playoffs. The Heartland 1 seed will take on the Great Lakes 2 seed and the Great Lakes 1 seed will take on the Heartland 2 seed.

The Central Conference playoffs start July 20 and will be hosted by the Des Moines Menace.

Let’s take a look at the teams that will be heading to Des Moines next week.

(Be sure to also check out our preview of the PDL Southern and Eastern conference playoffs.)

Heartland Division

The Des Moines Menace have been exactly that — a menace. They wrapped up the Heartland division a week and a half ago. With a record of 12–0–1 and 37 points the Menace can seal the regular season title with a win July 13 against the St. Louis Lions.

Kino Ryosuke has tallied 15 goals, good for the league lead. He’s scored more goals by himself than 15 teams in the PDL have this season. Ryosuke is transferring from Marshalltown Community College to the University of Louisville this fall, so keep an eye on that kid at the next level.

The Menace have only allowed five goals this season, the fewest in the PDL. This team is loaded and poised to make a deep run in the PDL playoffs.

While the No.1 seed has been put to bed in the Heartland, the No. 2 seed still has some drama left in it. Kaw Valley FC (5–6–2, 17 points) lost last week, eliminating them from contention. The St. Louis Lions (6–5–2, 20 points) have one game left and need a win to come level on points with Chicago FC United (7–5–2, 23 points). (“Chicago FC United.” Seriously?) St. Louis, which is on a four-game winning streak, has a tough task though to get that final three points though: They have to visit Des Moines for their season finale tonight.

Great Lakes Division

In the Great Lakes Division, four of the six teams still have a shot at the playoffs. The Dayton Dutch Lions (7–2–2, 24 points) are currently sitting in first place. Three points behind them are the Cincinnati Dutch Lions (6–3–2, 21 points) followed by Lansing United (5–2–5, 20 points) and the Michigan Bucks (5–4–3, 18 points), all with a shot at playoffs. Forget what I said with the Southeast division in the Southern Conference having the most drama … this one’s better.

Dayton travels to Cincinnati July 13 before hosting Lansing United July 15. If I carried the one right, any result from Dayton gets them in the playoffs. A win against rival Cincinnati sees the team win the division for the first time in PDL franchise history.

Cincinnati hosts Dayton before hosting Michigan July 16. Cincinnati needs at least a win and a draw to make it. The tiebreaker scenarios are above my pay grade, but two wins from Cincinnati is their surest way in.

Lansing gets bottom-of-the-table Derby City July 13 before traveling to Dayton July 15. Derby City just got demolished by the Bucks 14–1 last week. FOURTEEN. TO. ONE. Lansing needs those three points and a result from their Dayton game to make things interesting.

The Bucks need a win at home against the West Virginia Chaos (3–4–6, 15 points) July 14 and also need all three points at Cincinnati July 16 to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Bucks have missed the playoffs only twice since they joined the league in 1996 and have won five straight division championships. Could we see the end to the Bucks dynasty this year?

Four teams competing for two spots and they all play each other at least once? That’s some high quality drama that even TNT would be proud of.

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