Midseason Report: Central Warriors

Last season, the Central Warriors took a decent playoff bid and rode all the way through to the Hutton Cup Finals, knocking off the top-seeded Whitewater Shores to claim the trophy. Paired with a good pool season, the Warriors made no changes in the offseason. Now, they are right in the middle of the playoff field, currently holding down the fort in 10th place with an 18-14 record overall. The Warriors are a poor team at Nestle's Warriors Park, where they hold a 6-8 record so far. On the road, they are pretty good with a 12-6 record. They certainly aren't the brightest stars in the Northeast region or the East Division as a whole, but they haven't helped their cause with a 4-7 division record against an admittedly tough batch of teams, which could hurt them if tiebreakers become a factor for them.

As a team, the Warriors have a high-powered offense churning out 1622 points per game this season. Their de facto captain is Twilight, the first player on the roster but a captain in an unofficial sense because of previous pressures with the official title. Twilight leads the way in scoring over 453 points per game, accounting for 28% of the offense at a consistency rate of about 1.15. The low consistency helps her be an explosive force at the top of the lineup. Behind her is the fan-favorite Dustin, the shortest-tenured played on the roster. Dustin knocks nearly 413 points per game, producing 25.5% of the offense. Dustin's consistency is about 1.3 on the year, making him a more reliable source of production. Batting third is the underrated Noelle, who proved critical in last year's playoffs. Noelle has scored 392 points per game this season, factoring in as 24% of the offense at a consistency of nearly 1.6. Rounding out the group is Gizmo, who has thrived at the back of the order with a 363 average and 22.5% of the offense, which isn't all that bad given how strong the team is. Gizmo's consistency weighs in at about 1.5, making him a valuable option for the team. The Warriors should at least receive the opportunity to defend their title. They are never flashy in the regular season, but they can use momentum in the playoffs to be competitive when it counts the most.