The USASA Region III Open Cup tournament is set to kick off on Friday at the Eagle Harbor Soccer Complex in Orange Park, FL, with the draw to divide the teams into two groups of four taking place tonight.

USASA Region III Finals Fruit Cove Middle School St. John’s, FL (Map) Group 1 Baton Rouge Classics (LA) Greenwood Wanderers (SC) Lynch’s F.C. (FL) Pumas F.C. (AL - NPSL) Group 2 Atlanta F.C. (GA - NPSL) Dynamo New Tampa (FL) Legends F.C. (N. TX) Rocket City United (AL - NPSL) Schedule/Results | Twitter

Leading the pack is one of the two teams out of the eight to have qualified for the Open Cup in the past, Lynch’s F.C. Previously known as D.S. United and Lynch’s Irish Pub, Lynch’s F.C. has joined the Florida Elite Soccer League this season. The club as qualified for the cup twice, in 2003 & 2008, and also saw striker Tony Taylor called up to the U.S. U-20 squad for the U-20 World Cup qualifying tournament.

The other team with Open Cup experience is Legends F.C. of the North Texas Premier Soccer Association. Legends last made the Cup back in 2006, when they dropped a close 3-2 decision to the Des Moines Menace (PDL). Legends F.C. finished third in the recently completed NTPSA season, qualifying them for the league playoffs.

New to the Region III tournament is the participation of clubs from the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Atlanta F.C. began NPSL play in 2008, and qualified for the playoffs after finishing first in the NPSL Southeast division. They qualified for the competition with a dominating 12-0 win over Atlanta United of the ADASL. Atlanta F.C. missed out on a cup berth last year, finishing second to the Clearwater Galactics in Group A.

Joining them from the NPSL will be a pair of teams from Alabama, Pumas F.C. and Rocket City United. Pumas are a new team this season, while Rocket City begain NPSL play last year. All three NPSL teams have started off the league season with 1-1 records, with the only match between the three ending in a 5-2 win for Rocket City United over Pumas.

Another team from Florida is Dynamo New Tampa from the Florida Suncoast Soccer League, where the club finished third in the 08-09 Fall season. Dynamo dropped their initial match to Lynch’s F.C. in the Florida Open Cup tournament, but made the Region III field when 2008 Cup qualifier Clearwater Galactics were disqualified for using ineligible players in a cup match against Lynch’s.

Returning from last year’s Region III finals is the Greenwood Wanderers from South Carolina, The Wanderers finished last in Group B with an 0-2-1 record, but the draw was a 4-4 shootout with eventual qualifiers ASC New Stars. Greenwood are currently tied for first with the Death Penguins (a former Region III participant who holds the title as the best USASA team name, as voted on by the staff of USOpenCup.com) in the Columbia Soccer Central League spring season.

Rounding out the field is a newcomer from Louisiana, Baton Rouge Classics, who won the 2009 Louisiana State Cup.