FRISCO, Texas (Jan. 3, 2017) – Eight North Texas Soccer teams finished off their US Youth Soccer National League seasons with three games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports and ChampionsGate Sports Complex in Orlando Fla., as they played alongside the Disney Soccer Showcase from Dec. 27-29.
Overall North Texas teams went 11-8-5, with Under-18 Boys side Dallas Texans being the only North Texas team to win all three of its games. Full National League Standings
Girls Disney Rewind
Under-16 Boys
Both Solar teams fared well in the final three games of their National League season. After falling to current Black Division leaders 01 CASL Red North (NC) 1-0 on the first day of play, Solar Chelsea 01 Elite defeated 2016 US Youth Soccer Region III Champions West Pines United Carillo (FL) 4-1 thanks to goals from Alexander Wing, Brycen Drew, Dario Martinez and Samuel Coad. Coad and Martinez would score on Solar’s final day of play en route to a 2-1 win over BRYC 01 Elite (VA). The strong finish gave Solar a 4-3 record – good enough for a guaranteed top-half finish in its first National League season. Coad currently sits in a first-place tie for the most goals in the age group with seven.
After a 0-2-2 record to begin its second National League season, Solar Chelsea 01 Stricker showed why it finished in fourth place of the 2015-16 National League Red Division by going undefeated in its final three games. Solar defeated 2016 Region I Championships semifinalists Penn Fusion 01 Elite (PA-E) 1-0 thanks to Alexandre Swetnam’s goal, before earning a goalless draw with LOUD01 RED (VA). On the final day of play, Solar denied current Red Division leader Lobos Rush 01 Premier (TN) a shot at a perfect record with a 2-1 win. Kaleem Shabout and Connor Steele scored in the final match, as the National League veterans moved up to fourth place in the division with four teams still having to play three more games.
Under-17 Boys
FC Dallas 00 Che entered the weekend atop the White Division, and currently holds that post after going 1-1-1 in its final three matches. FC Dallas fell 1-0 to HMMS Eagle FC 00 Titans (PA-E) on the first day, before defeating 2015 US Youth Soccer National Championships semifinalist LFSC Geerling (MO) by the same score with FC Dallas’ goal coming courtesy of Simon Restrepo. TUSC 00 Red (TN) got the best of FC Dallas on the final day of play with a 2-1 win. FC Dallas will have to wait until March to find out if it has punched a ticket to the 2017 National Championships as four teams still have three games remaining in the White Division.
Under-18 Boys
After dropping its first two games, Dallas Texans 99 Red won its final two games of the opening weekend, and the North Texas side continued its momentum the second weekend with three straight wins. Texans started with a 3-1 win over Arlington SA Red (VA) as Austin Wills, Wyatt Priest and Amit Verma all found the back of the net. 99 North United Premier (PA-W) was next on the list when a Priest brace would earn the 2-1 win. The 2015 National Championships semifinalists finished off a five-game win streak by defeating Ambush 99 Red (GA) 2-0 thanks to a goal from Calum Sutherland and Priest’s fourth goal in three games. The Texans currently sit at the top of the Black Division, but OP Green (4-0) and Strikers FC North (3-1) still have three games left to play.
Solar Chelsea 99 Sawyer finished its first National League season by going 0-2-1 in its final three matches. A late goal would give BRYC 99 Elite (VA) the 2-1 win despite Jose Zertuche’s goal for Solar. 2014 National Champions UFA Premier (GA) would then defeat Solar 3-0, but Solar would respond to earn a scoreless draw against National League veteran Baltimore Celtic SC Chiristos (MD). Solar currently sits in 5th place of the Blue Division.
FC Dallas 99 Premier Dymond fell to 2015-16 National League Red Division winners Dix Hills Hurricanes (NY-E) 4-3 as Dorihan Funga-Mukaba, Ryan Wilson and Eddie Sanchez all found the back of the net. Funga-Mukaba’s brace would earn a 2-2 draw against CESA 99 Premier (SC) on the next day, and FC Dallas would end the 2016-17 season on a strong note with a 5-1 win over KSA 99 Pro Profile (KS) thanks to a brace from Aidan Tibbets and goals from Bryan Ordonez and Funga-Mukaba. FC Dallas finished the season with a 3-2-2 record and currently sits in second place of the Red Division and has scored the most goals so far in the age group with 19.
Under-19/20 Boys
FC Dallas 98 Premier Dymond drew a pair of Region III teams to open the weekend as FC Dallas first drew OFC 98 (OK) 1-1 with Julian Barajas finding the back of the net. A pair of goals from Ford Gurley combined with Jarvian Wigfall’s goal allowed the North Texas side to draw 2016 Region III Champions 98 CASL Red (NC). The final match of the weekend resulted in a 2-0 defeat by 2016 National Championships finalists and one of the more successful teams in National League history Loudoun 98 Red (VA).
Solar Chelsea Red 98/99 entered this season with the hopes of repeating as National League Red Division champions. Those hopes were dashed after the first weekend due to the two-time Region III Champions drawing three games and losing the fourth. Solar began this weekend by falling 5-0 at the hands of Penn Fusion 98 (PA-E), but the North Texas side was able to earn wins over Ohio Galaxies FC 98 Elite (OH-S) and CESA 98 Premier (SC) with goals coming from Diego Villanueva, Carlos Flores, Angel Ramirez and Jacob Dubose to finish off the season.
Under-15 Boys Solar Chelsea Red 02 Stricker will look to qualify for the 2017 National Championships when its National League season comes to an end in Las Vegas on March 10-12.