Soccer Watch: Playoffs This Weekend ... With Beer!

The Austin Aztex host the PDL Southern Conference Championships this Saturday-Sunday, July 26-27 at House Park, with a semifinal doubleheader Saturday, and the championship Sunday. The Aztex have made the playoffs in each of their three years in PDL, and host them for the second year in a row as the conference's top seed, after finishing the regular season at 11-1-2. The winner this weekend moves on to the national championship final four next weekend, with the location still to be decided, though the defending champion Aztex will put in a bid to host if they qualify.

Longtime fans will be thrilled as well by a long-awaited off-field development: The Aztex have navigated the choppy waters of the TABC, AISD, and the city of Austin to create a never-before-seen-at-House-Park biergarten in the small triangle of land that's not school property, and is therefore available for that purpose under state law. Huzzah! But drink responsibly, and don't be any ruder to our out-of-town enemies visitors than you usually are.

Austin Aztex PDL Playoff Schedule

Saturday, July 26: Southern Conference semifinals

Ocala Stampede vs. Laredo Heat, 5pm

Austin Aztex vs. SW Florida Adrenaline, 7:30pm

Ocala are the Southeast Division champions, but they'll have their hands full with a very physical Laredo squad that handed the Aztex their only defeat of the season. The Aztex face the Southeast runners-up, riding a five-game unbeaten streak that earned them their first-ever playoff spot.

Sunday, July 27: Southern Conference championship

Conference championship, 7:30pm

Playoff tickets are $10, with kids 10 and under free, and your unused regular-season tickets can be redeemed for playoff tickets at no charge.

www.austinaztex.com