USL League One playoffs: AC Boise's bid for "true" promotion, Charlotte Independence roll on & everything else

The first round of the League One postseason is in the books, and the weekend’s action was a showcase for the diversity of styles across the division. From Chattanooga’s anti-possession game to Charlotte and Madison’s rip-roaring transition styles and the sheer poise of Boise, the four clubs that advanced to the semifinal all did so thanks to a distinct sense of identity.

How did we get down to a final four, and what stood out from the first round? Let’s dig in.

Boise’s bid for “true” promotion

When North Carolina FC won the USL League One title in 2023 ahead of their return to the USL Championship, it felt like a proper pro-rel moment where a title-winning club was allowed to climb up the pyramid. Boise will be joining the Championship next spring, and they entered their first round playoff matchup against One Knox looking to start a title run of their own. In front of more than 7,500 fans, manager Nate Miller trusted his system to get the job done in a 2-0 win.

Notably, Boise was able to start Blake Bodily, Charlie Adams, and Nick Moon – three core pieces with shared San Diego Loyal lineage – in the same lineup for the first time since late August. Bodily and Moon brought spark from wingback; Adams’ ability to hit final balls from the edge of the final third was his chief contribution. Boise’s biggest challenge was to build a coherent structure to support and platform those players.

Miller stuck to a typical 5-1-2-2 in the high press, leaning into Philip Mayaka’s ability to cover space as a lone No. 6. What the 5’7” Mayaka gave up in size, he made up for in sheer energy – a must, given Knoxville’s predilection for starting build short to draw numbers upfield and then hitting a long ball. In that sense, Jonathan Ricketts’ redeployment in central defense was also a major asset. Ricketts has mostly played as a wingback in the second half of the year with Moon and Bodily often injured, but his physicality proved to be a boon whenever One Knox tried to play over the top.