Just three seasons into its USL tenure, Sacramento Republic FC has become a sure bet to contend for a title every year out of the Western Conference. Sacramento went through a couple small hiccups earlier in the season, but the club heads into the postseason with a full head of steam thanks to an 11-game unbeaten streak dating back to late July. The first full season under Head Coach and Technical Director Paul Buckle has gone according to plan, and now Sacramento looks to add to its 2014 crown.

2016 USL Playoffs: Quarterfinal matchup:
No. 1 Sacramento Republic FC vs. No. 8 Orange County Blues FC – Saturday, Oct. 1, 10:30 p.m. ET, Bonney Field

2016 USL regular season:
Records:
Overall: 14-6-10 (52 points) | Home: 7-3-5 (26 points) | Road: 7-3-5 (26 points)

Goals For: 43 | Goals Against: 27

Leaders:
Goals: 1. Cameron Iwasa 12; 2. (tie) Mike Da Fonte, Harry Williams 4; 4. (tie) 4 tied with 3
Assists: 1. Danny Barrera 9; 2. James Kiffe 5; 3. (tie) Cameron Iwasa, Tommy Thompson 3
Saves: 1. Evan Newton 35; 2. Dom Jakubek 31

Clinched its postseason … Sept. 3; clinched with a 2-1 win against Orange County Blues FC

Clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference … Sept. 24; clinched with a 4-0 win at Tulsa Roughnecks FC combined with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s 4-0 loss to Orange County Blues FC

Defining moment: There is plenty of room for debate in this choice, but Sacramento’s playoff-clinching victory against Orange County Blues FC on Sept. 3 was probably one of the team’s biggest gut checks of the season. The Blues were quite the aggressor on the road and gained the first-half lead thanks to a Didier Crettenand goal. That put host Sacramento in a pickle, but the team responded well with Matt LaGrassa’s first professional goal and then a late Harry Williams winner with less than 10 minutes remaining. It was labeled an ugly win, a gritty win – however you want to define a game that wasn’t as fluid as what the team was hoping for. Nevertheless, it was also the type of test that Sacramento needed for the final month stretch. Now things have come full circle as Republic FC and Orange County will meet once again at Bonney to open the conference quarterfinal stage in the USL Cup Playoffs.

Three keys to a championship run:
1. Barrera at the core: Colombian midfielder Danny Barrera is the centerpiece of this team, and he has lived up to the captain role to a tee. Barrera moved centrally heading into the 2016 season and he has relished the setup duties during the club’s transition from former captain Rodrigo Lopez who departed in the offseason to Celaya F.C. Barrera and Lopez are two completely different types of players, and Barrera and Sacramento know his strengths. Barrera’s left-footed influence on set pieces has been rock-solid, and he has posted an impressive nine assists – a club record – to go along with three goals this season. If Barrera has the ball at his feet within 30 yards of the goal and enough space to work, defenses better beware.
2. Quick out of the gate: For as much as Sacramento possesses and creates scoring chances for itself, you would think Republic FC would have the track record of jumping on its opponents. However, Republic FC is very much a second-half team, as evidenced by 30 of its 43 goals (70 percent) coming in the final 45 minutes. As a whole, the offense has improved in the final third as the season wore on. Republic FC cleared an early-season hurdle in which the team quite frankly wasn’t doing much in either half of the field, tallying just two goals through the first six games.
3. Bench influence: Should the slow-start tendency permeate in the postseason, that also means Sacramento’s bench has a greater influence with this squad more so than others. The latter third of the season has featured one of the more dynamic late-game options with Sacramento turning toward forward Wilson Kneeshaw for some late heroics. In five appearances off the bench, Kneeshaw has tallied three goals in 112 minutes of play. Two of them were late equalizers to earn a point against the LA Galaxy II on both occasions. Kneeshaw shouldn’t be singled out here. Sacramento’s got plenty of depth if it needs a jolt on offense. Harry Williams has split his time in both a starting and reserve role with success, and Mackenzie Pridham might be an afterthought in the eyes of some, but he certainly has a track record of influencing late in a game.

QUOTABLE:
“I think the team is in a very good place. They are together, and they’ll have the bit between their teeth now to try and make this a season to remember.” – Sacramento Republic FC Head Coach and Technical Director Paul Buckle, as told to the Sacramento Bee