Okay, it's along shot for sure, but here is what needs to go down:

First and foremost, we need all 6 points from our last two games. We're currently sitting on 19 points and that would leave us with 25. That's a big improvement over last season's 18 points!

Real Maryland, 23 pts, can only tie one of their two remaining games. They play at home vs Bermuda and then close out in Wilmington. We need a strong performance from the Pigs! If Real ties both games they also have 25 points.

Crystal Palace, 22 pts, plays at Harrisburg tonight. If they lose or tie and we best them next week, we'll leapfrog them in the standings.

Western Ass, 20 pts, host Harrisburg on Wednesday and close out on the road vs the Eagles. I can see them dropping both, but for us to pass them they can only win one of those games, preferably vs Citah.

We could potentially tie the Eagles with 25 points if we beat them this weekend and then they drop their last game vs Ass (not likely).

As far as tiebreakers in the USL2 go, here are the scenarios concerning the Hounds:

First tiebreaker is league wins. So, we'd own the tiebreaker over the Eagles with 7 wins to their 6. Real could also finish with 7 wins and 25 points. The next tiebreaker would be goal differential. We both sit at -8 so if they tie both and we win both, we trump them. If Crystal Palace end up with 25 points, they'd have an advantage with their -3 goal differential going into the last game of the season vs the Hounds...so, we'd really have to pound them!

Confused yet? It's actually not that difficult. We just worry about ourselves and let the soccer gods sort it all out in the end...

player notes: T-Bone is out with an injury. Sean Bucknor is probable at best. Zewe is nursing a bad ankle as well which could require off-season surgery. Look for Jason Kutney to move from fullback to the wing.

The Riverhounds will play three games over the course of six days this week. The Hounds travel to Rochester on Tuesday to battle the Rhinos in a US Open cup match. We're looking for vengeance in the wake of last season's cup exit. On Thursday evening we host Bermuda. The Hounds look to leapfrog the Hogges (and Western Ass) by taking a full three points in the home contest. This Sunday we'll take on Richmond, who thrashed league leading City over the weekend. Good luck to the boys! This could be a huge week for the squad.

...will be presented before the kickoff on Saturday when the Hounds host Harrisburg at the Valley

The player of the year award is voted on and presented by the Steel Army Supporters Group, going to the player who not only exhibited on-field excellence in 2008, but has represented the Riverhounds organization well by communicating and working closely with the supporters

In what is to be a crucial game for both The Hounds and the Islanders, both teams will have more to worry about than just their opponents. Isolated thunderstorms are expected for Bridgeville starting at around 2 PM and continuing for the rest of the day. That means players fans and even reporters are going to have to adjust to the weather conditions, at Chartiers Valley Stadium. Of course the crowd will be a big obstacle for the visiting Islanders as well. Non stop noise is expected from the entire stadium but it has been especially loud behind the visiting bench. The Hounds will have to concentrate on the game itself despite needing a win from Wilmington over Western Mass, to stay within striking distance of the 6th and final playoff spot. Normally Harrisburg would be seen as heavy favorites coming into a match like this, the City Islanders have a firm hold on a playoff spot, are the defending champions and sit 11 points above the Riverhounds. Recent form however suggests otherwise, The Hounds are riding a 3 match home winning streak, and Boyzzz (3 goals in his last two games, as well as USL 2 player of the week) looks to be in top form. Then theres the Islanders who have jumped out to leads in each of their last two matches, only to see those leads slip away and result in just one point. The lose to Crystal Palace USA was especially heart breaking for Harrisburg as the Islanders not only held the lead just 6 minutes in but even after Palace equalized City would have one and two man advantages for the final 54 minues of the game. That advantage still wasn't enoguh to prevent a goal from giving the 9 man Palace side all three points. If the Hounds are to win they must slow down Harrisburg MF Mo Oduor who has been one of the few bright spots in the City lineup. Mo had 1 goal and one assist in Harrisburg's 2-2 draw with Western Mass this past Saturday. With niether team being able to settle for a point this should be a wide open and exciting game, hopefully the Hounds will come out on top. Kickoff is 7:05 Saturday and as always the best seats in the house will go unused as the Steel Army will be standing once again.