Sixteen North Texas Soccer teams began their quest for a US Youth Soccer National League title and ultimately a spot in the 2019 US Youth Soccer National Championships in North Carolina.
Teams in the 16-Under through 19-Under Girls age group played four games from Nov.29 – Dec. 2, while teams in the remaining age groups played their first two games on Dec. 7 and 8, but weather prevented the final two games of the weekend from being played.
The National League provides a pathway for four teams per gender age group to qualify for the US Youth Soccer National Championships, sending the top finishers in each division of the 14U through 19U Boys and Girls age groups to compete for the National title. The four National League representatives will join the four regional champions at the 2019 US Youth Soccer National Championships, July 23-29 at the Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kan.
Division Recaps
14-Under Girls
2018 US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Champions Liverpool 05 Elite fell 1-0 to the only 2-0 team in the division, PDA Shore Flash (NJ), in its National League debut. The third place finishers in the 2018 National Championships would respond in a big way with a 4-0 win against LSA 05 Gold (GA) thanks to goals from Bailey Malone, Erin Morgan, Katarina Campbell and Delmy Benitez.
14-Under Boys
Dallas Kicks 05 secured two draws to open National League play. In the opening match, Ivan Sanchez’s goal secured a 1-1 draw against LVSA 05 Red (NV), while Nicolas Lopez and Edson Marchan each found the back of the net in the second match, a 2-2 draw against group leaders Michigan Jaguars (MI). 2017-18 NL Frontier Conference champions fell 4-1 on the first day of play, be rebounded with a convincing 6-0 win over 05 Boise Timbers (ID) courtesy of goals from John Pelaez, Kevin Benson, Luis Pineda, Adam Schabon combined with Alexander Toledo's brace.
15-Under Girls
2018 National Championships semifinalists FC Dallas 04 Blue and 2018 Southern Regional Championships Dfeeters 04 Voutier each earned draws in their opening matches. Alexa Fernandez netted both goals for Dfeeters in a 2-2 tie with Michigan Jaguars 04 Green (MI), while FC Dallas and SDA Utica Blasters (NY-E) battled to a scoreless draw. FC Dallas rebounded from a one-goal deficit in its second match against Libertyville FC 1974 FC (IL), as Colleen Gilliland found the back of the net in 63rd minute, and Isabella Carrillo gave the Southern Regional champs a 2-1 lead in extra time to secure the first National League win for FC Dallas.
15-Under Boys
Dallas Kicks 04 were unable to fend of Union 04 Black's (MI) second-half comeback attempt as the North Texas side fell 2-1. However, Kicks would notch its first National League win a day later as Milton Lopex would score his second and third goals to go with a goal from Zackery Betzinger to win 3-1 over PSA Nationals 04 (NJ).
16-Under Girls
2018 Southern Regional Champions Liverpool 03 Elite drew Nationas Union 03 Black (MI) 2-2 in the opening National League game courtesy of goals from Ella Morgan and Kyleigh Rhodes. Liverpool would be on the wrong end of the next three games, with two being one-goal games.
17-Under Boys
Johnathan Sauceda and Gabriel Rodriguez found the back of then net to give Solar 02 Castro a 2-0 win against EFCB02R (WA) to open the National League season. Rodriguez would find the back of the net for a second straight game, but Solar would fall to Chicago Magic Soccer (IL) 2-1 on the second day of play. FC Dallas 02 Premier struggled in its National League debut, falling in both games. Ayden Nocus scored twice, while Emiliano Hernandez also added a goal for the 2017-18 National League Frontier Conference champions.
17-Under Girls
Kayla Smith, Jadyn Lopez and Maycie Massingill scored to give Sparta FC 02 Elite a 3-1 win in its National League debut against Beadling North 02 Red (PA-W). Savanna Riggs and Jordan Walker each found the back of the net to give the 2018 Southern Regional Champions a second straight win. Sparta would hit a speed bump in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of fellow 2018 National Championships competitor USA 00 Premier (UT), but the defending Southern Regional Champions would earn a point on the final day thanks to a Margaret Tepera goal to draw CSAIU 02 Black (OH-N) 1-1.
18-Under Boys
FC Dallas 01 Premier debuted in a big way with a 3-0 win against AC Brea 01 Red (CA-S) as Jide Adesanya netted a brace to go with Byron Aguilar’s goal. FC Dallas was unable to find the back of the net on the second day of play, ultimately falling to RSL AZ North 01 (AZ) 1-0. Christian Naizer, Justin Barnett and Alexander Bustamante all scored for Solar 01 Stricker as the North Texas side drew defending National Champions Galaxy 2001 Blue (IL) 3-3 on the first day of play. Naizer and Bustamante would find the back of the net in consecutive games to go with North Texas Soccer Olympic Development Program player Ian Miller’s goal to win 3-1 against Fullerton Rangers (CA-S) in the second match. Solar 01 Sawyer were defeated twice on the weekend as Dario Martinez-Tamez, Kobe Soto and Garrett Daulong scored for Solar.
18-Under Girls
Fever United 01 Penn rebounded from an 0-2 start with a 3-1 win against PDA Shore Fushion (NJ) with goals coming from Molly Lowe, Jacquelyn Helm and Cloey Seltzer. Lowe would finish the weekend with two goals, while Kathryn Harris and Kelsey White would also score for Fever.
19-Under Boys
FC Dallas 00 Premier and FC Dallas 00 Boys each rebounded from opening day defeats with wins over 2018 National Championships semi-finalists on the second day of National League play. 2018 Southern Regional Championships finalists FC Dallas 00 Boys defeated OC Surf 00 Armour (CA-S) 2-0 thanks to goals from Angel Medel and Malik Henry-Scott, while FC Dallas 00 Premier defeated Washington Premier 2000 Black (WA) 2-0 courtesy of goals from 2017 National Championships Best XI player Joseph Nelson and Eric Romero.