Rules of play

Pools

Pool play and advancement

Teams are assigned to a pool — Pools 1, 2, 3 and 4. Won/loss records dictate the first place team in each pool.

The champion from each of the four pools advances to Sunday's semi-final. The two winners advance to a final game.

Seeding

Tiebreakers — two teams

If two teams are tied with the same won-loss record, the following tiebreakers are used in sequence to determine the highest seed.

1. Head-to-head record (when applicable)
2. Fewest total goals allowed against common opponents
3. Greatest combined goal differential against common opponents
4. Most total goals scored against common opponents
5. Coin flip

Tiebreakers — three or more teams

If three or more teams are tied after pool play, the following tiebreakers identify the top two teams involved in the tie. Once those two teams are identified, the two-team sequence above settles the tie between them.

1. Fewest goals allowed in all pool games, regardless of whether any of the teams played each other
2. Greatest combined goal differential in all pool play
3. Most total goals scored in all pool play
4. Coin flip

High school

Gameplay — NFHS rules apply

• Refs keep clocks on every field unless told otherwise
• Four 12-minute running-time quarters
• 1 minute between quarters
• 3-minute halftime
• One time-out per team, per game. It cannot be used during overtime. The clock stops at a time-out
• 4-minute sudden death overtime periods. After a sudden death overtime period, the game is listed as a tie
• Penalty clocks start when the ref resumes play and run continuously
• Stick check exception — based on the refs, a coach may request one stick check per game of a specific player without penalty

Youth

Gameplay — middle school rules apply

• Refs keep clocks on every field unless told otherwise
• Four 10-minute running-time quarters
• 1 minute between quarters
• 3-minute halftime
• One time-out per team, per game. It cannot be used during overtime. The clock stops at a time-out
• 2-minute sudden death overtime periods. After one sudden death overtime period, the game is listed as a tie
• Penalty clocks start when the ref resumes play and run continuously
• Stick check exception — based on the refs, a coach may request one stick check per game of a specific player without penalty

On the field