FRISCO, Texas (Dec. 12, 2016) – The opening boys weekend for the 2016-17 US Youth Soccer National League season is in the books with nine North Texas teams competing for a shot to advance to the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships.
Overall North Texas Soccer teams went a combined 14-12-10 over this previous weekend with Under-17 FC Dallas 00 Che being the only undefeated side with a 3-0-1 record.
National League Girls Rewind
Under-15 Boys
After victories in its first two National League matches, Solar Chelsea Red 02 Stricker found itself at the top of the Blue Division. Riley O’Donell’s last-minute goal allowed Solar to defeat CUP 02 Gold (OH-S) 1-0 in Solar’s debut, and Ilean Castorena’s hat-trick combined with Grant McCarty’s brace gave Solar the 5-2 win over CESA 02 Premier (SC) on day two. Solar had a little more trouble on day three when Bethesda SC South 02 (VA) took down Solar 2-1 with Solar’s goal coming from Harvey Castro. O’Donnell netted his second goal of the weekend in Solar’s final match against Penn Fusion Elite (PA-E), but the Eastern Pennsylvania side would equalize in the second half, resulting in the match ending in a 1-1 draw. Solar currently sits third in the Blue Division behind only Penn Fusion and Bethesda.
Under-16 Boys
Solar Chelsea 01 Elite used goals from Alexander Wing, Brycen Drew and Diego Sierra to defeat RPSC River 24k (OR) 3-2 in its opening National League match before Samuel Coad and Dario Martinez gave the North Texas side a 2-0 win over Beadling (PA-W) on day two. Coad would net a hat-trick in Solar’s third match against Raiders FC (IL), but the 2016 National Championships semifinalists scored six goals to give Solar its first defeat. 2015 National Championships finalists EC Real Salinas Galaxy 01 (CA-N) dealt Solar’s its second straight defeat 4-1 with Coad netting his fifth goal in four days. Solar currently sits at 2-2 in fourth place of the Black Division.
Solar Chelsea 01 Stricker didn’t get off to the start they wanted in their second National League season as they currently sit in seventh place in the Red Division. After drawing FC Golden State 2001 (CA-S) 0-0, Solar was defeated by defending National Champions Valparaiso United FC 01 JG (AZ) 2-0. Galaxy Soccer Club narrowly defeated Solar on day three with a 1-0 win, but Christian Nazier would find Solar its first goal of the tournament against South Carolina United FC 01 Elite (SC) in a 1-1 draw on the final day of play.
Under-17 Boys
FC Dallas 00 sits at the top of the White Division with a 3-0-1 record. After a 0-0 draw in its first National League match, FC Dallas defeated Baltimore Bays 00 (MD) 6-0 with Derek Norsworthy and Gabe Liebman each finding the back of the net twice to go with goals from Brandon Torres and Ernesto Rueda. Simon Restrepo and Torres would find the back of the net in an FC Dallas 2-0 victory over Seattle United Copa (WA) on day three before FC Dallas defeated 2016 National Championships semifinalists and 2015-16 National League Red Division runner-up Sparta 01 JK (UT) on the final day courtesy of a goal from Josh Stone and Torres’ third of the weekend.
Under-18 Boys
2015 National Championships semifinalists Dallas Texans 99 Red got off to a rough start to open the National League weekend with a 2-0 loss to Strikers FC North (CA-S) on day one and a 2-1 loss to OP Green (OH-S) on day two. Texans would earn its first points of the weekend with a 3-2 victory over Elm Grove Soccer Club (WI) thanks to goals from Tanner Keough, Nathan Saucedo and Calum Sutherland. Texans would then take care of business against EC Real Pumas (CA-N) with a 2-0 win as Zafir Patel scored his first goal of the weekend, while Marshall Board would net his second. The Texans currently sit in fourth place in the Black Division.
Solar Chelsea 99 Sawyer made a bang in its National League debut with a 2-0 win over 2015-16 National League Blue champions La Roca South CS 99/00 Premier (UT) with goals coming from William McLeod and Timothy Langford. After going down 2-0 in the first ten minutes to Sporting STL – McMahon Ford (MO), Trevor Martineau and Ian Meece would find the back of the net, allowing for Solar to secure a 2-2 draw. Solar would be handed its first loss of the weekend from Milwaukee Bavarians (WI) 2-0, but Solar would respond on the final day with a 2-2 draw against LA Premier FC LAFA (CA-S) in a match that saw Meece and Martineau each net their second goals of the weekend. While Solar currently sits in fifth place, it is only three points out of first place in a compact Blue Division.
FC Dallas 99 Premier – Dymond drew Fullerton Rangers White (CA-S) 2-2 in its opening National League games with goals coming from Dorihan Funga-Mukaba and Guy Esquivel. Noah Renfro’s brace combined with a goal from a Bryan Ordonez gave FC Dallas a 3-1 win over Libertyville FC 1974 (IL), before another Renfro brace combined with goals from Ryan Wilson and Esquivel resulted in a 4-1 FC Dallas win vs FC Montco Die Mannschaft (PA-E). FC Dallas would fall to division leaders WPFC 99 Black (WA) 2-0 on the final match of the weekend. FC Dallas currently sits in fourth place of the Red Division, three points behind first place.
Under-19/20 Boys
A second-half goal would give Chicago Fire Juniors South (IL) the 1-0 win over FC Dallas 98 Premier – Dymond on the first day of play. FC Dallas would respond with a 4-0 win over Baltimore Bays 98 (MD) thanks to Jarvian Wigfall’s brace in addition to goals from Duncan James and Johnathon Cox. Julian Barajas would score the match’s only goal in FC Dallas’ 1-0 win over National League veteran Albion SC White (CA-S) on day three, but a 79th minute goal from 2016 US Youth Soccer Region II Champions Challenger Crew Jrs Gold 98 (OH-N) would give Challenger a 3-2 win over FC Dallas despite goals from Ethan Moore and Bonifacio Zarate.
Defending National League Red Division champs Solar Chelsea Red 98/99 will find a back-to-back titles difficult to attain after a 0-1-3 record on the first weekend. Daniel Lopez would break the scoreless stalemate against Sporting St, Croix (MN), but the Minnesota side would equalize late in the second half, resulting in a 1-1 draw. That would be the only time Solar would score as the North Texas side drew Pipeline Soccer Club 98/99 Black (MD) and FC United (IL) 0-0 while also losing to USA 98/99 Premier (UT) 1-0.