Big weekend

This was a huge weekend in the IIFL. After 8 games the dust settled my prognostications ended at 6-2, but that isn't important.
First of all, an update on the Cup of 20,000 Lakes, the award that Kenosha, St. Paul and Racine County are all competing for. Of the three trophies in the Western Conference this is the only one which has had any games so far and the Barons have the award within reach. The standings as of week 2 are:

Kenosha (2-0)
Racine County (0-1)
St. Paul (0-1)

This week the Ohio River Cup starts as the Ohio Sentries visit the Charleston Chainsaws. This game is going to be intense for multiple reasons; both teams are coming off of losses and understand that they don't want to drop another this early in the season. This is especially crucial to the Chainsaws who doesn't want to drop to 0-3 going into Kenosha next week. The Sentries are looking for their strong defense to return (17 points given up in two games) and for an offense lead by hometown hero Joe Germaine to step up and score (11 points in first game, 13 in the second).

In the East this game is crucially important for the Conspiracy and the Growlers to win their respective games. Both teams are trying to avoid being 0-3 and need wins to establish some momentum going into the gauntlet of this season. The odd things about both of these teams is that they have shown flashes of brilliance (Columbia scored 30 in a week one loss and D.C. is averaging 15 points per game). As Midway comes to D.C. fresh off winning their opener they will be stoked to roll on their way to 2-0. The key is for D.C. to take their offense up a notch and try to break past 20 points.
As for Columbia, they need their offense to channel the great game they played in week one. If the Growlers first game is more indicitive of who they are then then should be fine, if not, then they would go winless for a while.
These teams need breakout games to avoid making their match-ups from the Independence Trophy from being a Toilet Bowl.