The 2017 USL regular season is officially two-thirds complete after the past weekend of action, and there’s a new leader at the top of the Eastern Conference after a remarkable day of action at the Sportsplex at Matthews. In the Western Conference, the standings began to split into three as the chase for the playoffs continue, with two road victories maybe the most important of the weekend’s action overall.

1. TOP OF THE CLASS: There was plenty of anticipation ahead of Saturday’s game between the Charlotte Independence and Louisville City FC, which was only heightened after a top-quality PDL Championship that had preceded it with the Charlotte Eagles notching two highlight-reel goals to earn the title. The man of the hour, though, proved to be Enzo Martinez, whose hat trick in a 3-1 victory saw him elevate the Independence to the top of the Eastern Conference standings in a display that highlighted his finishing as he moved into a tie with Jorge Herrera for the team-high with 12 goals. Herrera’s absence might have hindered the Independence on another day, but the team’s versatility came through in a big way against a defense that had been solid throughout much of the season.

2. SPOILER ALERT: The Independence knew they had a chance at first place going into Saturday’s showdown after the Charleston Battery’s recent slide in form continued earlier in the day against Toronto FC II. The Battery’s winless streak was extended to six games thanks to a 1-0 victory for Toronto, which defended well and saw the outstanding young talent of Shaan Hundal provide the goal to decide the game. Recently named the No. 4 player in the 2017 USL 20 Under 20, Hundal’s year to date has been a trying one thanks to injury, but his finish on Saturday was a moment of class that again highlighted his major potential and left the Battery flat.

3. FEAR THE BEARD: Tampa Bay Rowdies goalkeeper Matt Pickens made his 100th appearance for the club on Saturday night, and as a present, the rest of the team almost managed to get the veteran a night off. Pickens did have to make a pair of saves to record a shutout in a 3-0 victory against the Harrisburg City Islanders, but the performance was one that pushed the Rowdies back into the conversation for top spot in the USL Eastern Conference, now level on points with Charleston in third place, two points back of Charlotte. The Rowdies are now 4-0-0 in their last four games at Al Lang Stadium, and have outscored opponents 9-0 in the process. Tampa Bay needs to up its road form and will visit Saint Louis next weekend with that in mind, but right now, no one will be looking forward to a trip to Florida when the playoffs arrive if the Rowdies are in this sort of form.

4. BOLT FROM THE BLUE: It’s debatable what the biggest result in the USL’s Western Conference was this past weekend. What isn’t is which moment shone brightest over the weekend’s action. Didier Drogba’s superlative free kick for Phoenix Rising FC from 40 yards against the LA Galaxy II went around the world at the speed of Twitter, highlighting the quality the former Ivory Coast international still brings on the field. As big as the moment was, though, the win was just as big for a Rising FC side that had lost two consecutive outings to ding its pursuit of the postseason. A solid 2-0 victory that saw Phoenix get out-possessed but do more with the ball when its chances arrived, got the team back on track as other results fell Rising FC’s way on Saturday night.