With the opening weekend of the US Youth Soccer National League Boys season around the corner, we preview all of the North Texas Soccer teams competing in the competition.
Solar Chelsea Red 02 Stricker
Age Group: Under-15 Boys
Schedule/Roster
The Breakdown
Solar Chelsea 02 Stricker enters its first National League fresh off a US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Premier League (SRPL) West title. The 2016 US Youth Soccer North Texas State Cup champion was the only undefeated side in the age group while scoring 45 goals and conceding 11 en route to a 9-0-2 record. After falling in the group stage of the 2016 US Youth Soccer Region III Championships, Solar will look to qualify to its first US Youth Soccer National Championships via the National League Red Division.
Player Accolades
North Texas ODP: Harvey Castro, Christopher Edwards, Norberto Flores III, Richard Garcia, Grant McCarty, Mason Monroe, Riley O’Donnell, Ethan Orozco, Reese Perez, Nicholas Rhinehart, Skyler Striker
Region III ODP: Mason Monroe, Ethan Orozco
2016 ODP Thanksgiving Interregional: Ethan Orozco
The Field
CUP 02 Gold (OH-S)
Solar’s first National League match will be between two teams that come from clubs with plenty of National League success on the boys and girls side. CUP won the 2016 US Youth Soccer Ohio South State Cup and fell to fellow National League Blue team Michigan Wolves 02 (MI) in the finals of the Region II Championships. CUP also finished second place in the 2016 Spring US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional League (MRL) Premier I Blue Division with a 5-1-1 record.
CESA 02 Premier (SC)
Day two will feature two teams that finished third in their respective 2016 Region III Championships groups. The 2016 US Youth Soccer South Carolina State Cup finalist is coming off a second place finish in the SRPL East First Division North.
Bethesda SC South 02 (VA)
Solar will finish its opening National League weekend with two matches against Region I teams, with Bethesda SC South being Solar’s opponent on day three. The 2016 US Youth Soccer Virginia Fall State Cup champions have already qualified to the 2017 Region I Championships, but will look to secure a spot in the 2017 National Championships with a top-two finish in the National League Red Division.
Penn Fusion Elite (PA-E)
Solar will finish off the weekend by playing 2016 Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup finalists Penn Fusion Elite (PA-E). Penn Fusion won the Elite Blue Division of the 2015-16 US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League (ERL) and will look to continue that momentum in league play in its first trip to the National League.