USYS Boys National League Quarterfinals send 45 teams into February’s Semifinals

MESA, Ariz. — Four exciting days of action at the USYS National League Quarterfinals in Mesa, Ariz., have seen 45 boys teams qualify for the February 2025 National League Semifinals, while six sides claimed titles as the winners of the champions pool in their age group.

This January quarterfinals featured primarily teams from Elite 64, the top club-based platform in the USYS National League. The Jan. 17-20 action took place at Arizona Athletic Grounds and featured more than 160 boys teams across the 13U-19U age groups.

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For the 14U-19U age groups, the quarterfinals represent the first of two stages of National League events, which provide every competing team with a pathway to ultimately advance to the USYS National Championships. The 45 teams that earned advancement to the next stage — the National League Semifinals — will play Feb. 22-25 in Round Rock, Texas, for a chance to qualify to the National Championships.

“It’s very fun playing in this environment,” City SC Utah Elite 64 09B (UT) midfielder Nash Lassig said after his team clinched a spot in the National League Semifinals. “You get more experience, like going different places, playing different styles of the game. It feels good to be able to advance. I know we’re very excited to go and play for a spot in Nationals.”

Ten different USYS State Associations saw teams advance to the February semifinals, led by New Jersey with 11 teams. Kansas and Wisconsin followed, as they each had six teams advance.

In addition to earning a place in the semifinals, six teams also won the tournament competition within the champions pool of their respective age groups to claim event titles. Cedar Stars Academy led the way, as it was the lone club to capture multiple champions pool titles this weekend.

2025 NL Quarterfinals (January) | Boys Champions
*13U: PDA Hibernian Elite 64 12B (NJ)
14U: Cedar Stars Academy Elite 64 11B (NJ)
15U: MI Rangers FC Elite 64 10B (MI)
16U: Galaxy SC 09B Elite 64 (IL)
17U: Steel City FC Elite 64 08B (PA-W)
19U: Cedar Stars Academy Elite 64 06/07B (NJ)

*The 13U age group does not advance teams to the semifinals event.

PDA Hibernian Elite 64 12B (NJ) coach James Angiolino said his team earned valuable experience into learning how to play on the road in different environments and noted that winning their champions pool final in penalties will make the travel home a little sweeter.

“We played teams from Illinois, Utah and the top-ranked team from Kansas today,” Angiolino said. “This is what we want. We want the best competition. We’re not looking for 5-0. We’re looking for 2-1 or 3-2 — that’s what’s going to make our guys better.”

TITLE GAME RECAPS…

13U Boys 

PDA Hibernian Elite 64 12B’s (NJ) furious second half comeback propelled its 2-2 (3-0 PK) win over Toca FC 12B Elite 64 (KS) in the 13U Boys champions pool final. George Wallace put Toca in front in the fifth minute, and Levi Hayes doubled the lead just six minutes later to give the Kansas side firm control throughout the rest of the first half. An impassioned halftime speech amongst PDA set the stage for the rest of this game, though. The New Jersey side put on a full-out attack and was rewarded when Dominic Multari’s 39th-minute goal brought his team within one. PDA continued to ramp up the pressure and ultimately found the equalizer in the 52nd minute from Bennett Cucchiara, sending the two teams to penalties. In the shootout, PDA keeper Matthew Angiolino saved all three of Toca’s kicks to drive his New Jersey side to a win.

14U Boys

An improbable comeback for Cedar Stars Academy Elite 64 11B (NJ) in the 14U Boys champions pool final stunned Toca FC 11B Elite 64 (KS) and those watching. The Kansas side got out to a dominant start behind two quick goals from Tristan Zimmermann and Emyr Vargas and then added to its lead in the 27th minute once more with a Tripp Walters goal. Down by three, Cedar Stars took complete control of the game the rest of the way to fuel its storybook win. Kaleb Kelly put his team on the scoreboard just before halftime, and Lucas Donnelly added a second just three minutes into the second half to cut the deficit to one. Cedar Stars continued to create chances and found the leveler in the 51st minute behind a Karam Mohd goal. Samuel Kim’s 62nd-minute goal finally put the New Jersey side ahead for the first time and put the finishing touches on an impressive comeback.

15U Boys

Osiel Magana Nieves and MI Rangers FC Elite 64 10B (MI) proved too much to handle for in-state foe Michigan Tigers Elite 64 10B (MI) in the 15U Boys final. Nieves wasted no time getting his name on the scoresheet, scoring the game’s opening goal in the third minute. The Tigers leveled the game shortly after, but Nieves’ determination was more than they could handle. He added two more before the 32nd minute to cap off a first-half hat trick, and Massimo Mancini added the Rangers’ fourth in the 74th minute to cap off a decisive win in the champions pool title game.

16U Boys

A strong defensive performance helped lead Galaxy SC 09B Elite 64 (IL) over City SC Utah Elite 64 09B (UT), 1-0, in the 16U champions pool final. The Illinois side was no stranger to grinding out games after needing to overcome a scoreless penalty shootout to reach the final, so they were up for another test. Galaxy took the lead in the 38th minute off a Gavin Brown goal and stifled all City SC Utah chances from there to earn another hard-fought win.

17U Boys

A back-and-forth 17U Boys final required penalties to decide the winner, as Steel City FC Elite 64 08B (PA-W) outlasted PDA Hibernian Elite 64 08B (NJ) to claim the champions pool title. PDA grabbed an 18th-minute lead behind a Jayden Maxwell goal, but Steel City responded just 10 minutes later when Nicholas Niebauer slid his shot inside the right post to level the score. Both sides generated chances across the final hour of gameplay but a winning goal never developed. Steel City keeper Mason Smith made a key save in the shootout, and Sean Regan netted the deciding penalty to help the PA West side secure the title.

19U Boys

Cedar Stars Academy Elite 64 06/07B (NJ) scored two late goals to fuel a 2-2 (5-3 PK) comeback win against Toca FC 07B Elite 64 (KS) in the 19U Boys champions pool final. Toca opened the scoring when Bernardo Dickmann found the back of the net in the 26th minute, and the Kansas side doubled its lead in the 62nd minute with a goal from Kevin De Andrade. Cedar Stars continued to work the ball around the field and finally broke through the organized Toca defense in the 76th minute, when Raymond Diouf followed up his own attempt and knocked the rebound into an open net. Just minutes later, Amadou Hann converted a penalty kick to level the game and send the teams to a penalty kick shootout. In the shootout, Alpha Bah converted the final penalty for Cedar Stars to help the New Jersey side win the final.

NATIONAL LEAGUE SEMIFINAL QUALIFIERS

The following teams have advanced to the National League Semifinals (February) via their performance at the January 2025 Quarterfinals.

14U

• Cedar Stars Academy Elite 64 11B (NJ)
• Elmbrook United 11B Elite 64 (WI)
• Galaxy SC 2011B Elite 64 (IL)
• Madison 56ers Elite 64 11B (WI)
• Michigan Tigers Elite 64 11B (MI)
• Spire FC Elite 64 11B (OH)
• SPORTING BV Elite 64 11B (KS)
• STLDA Elite 64 11B (MO)
• Toca FC 11B Elite 64 (KS)

15U

• City SC Utah Elite 64 10B (UT)
• Club Ohio National 10B (OH)
• Galaxy SC 2010B Elite 64 (IL)
• Indy Premier Elite 64 10B (IN)
• Madison 56ers Elite 64 10B (WI)
• MI Rangers FC Elite 64 10B (MI)
• Michigan Tigers Elite 64 10B (MI)
• PDA Vistula Elite 64 10B (NJ)
• Toca FC 10B Elite 64 (KS)

16U

• City SC Utah Elite 64 09B (UT)
• Elmbrook United 09B Elite 64 (WI)
• Future SA Elite 64 09B (NJ)
• Galaxy SC 09B Elite 64 (IL)
• Madison 56ers Elite 64 09B (WI)
• PDA Vistula Elite 64 09B (NJ)
• PSC Academy Elite 64 09B (NJ)
• STA MOSC Elite 64 09B (NJ)
• Toca FC 09B Elite 64 (KS)

17U

• Cedar Stars Academy Elite 64 08B (NJ)
• Galaxy SC 08B Elite 64 (IL)
• Madison 56ers Elite 64 08B (WI)
• Ohio Galaxies FC Elite 64 08B (OH)
• PDA Hibernian Elite 64 08B (NJ)
• Sparta Elite 64 08B (UT)
• Spire FC Elite 64 08B (OH)
• Steel City FC Elite 64 08B (PA-W)
• Toca FC 08B Elite 64 (KS)

19U

• Cedar Stars Academy Elite 64 06/07B (NJ)
• Galaxy SC 07B Elite 64 (IL)
• Indy Premier Elite 64 07B (IN)
• MI Rangers FC Elite 64 06/07B (MI)
• Ohio Galaxies FC Elite 64 06/07B (OH)
• PDA Hibernian Elite 64 06/7B (NJ)
• PDA Vistula Elite 64 06/07B (NJ)
• Spire FC Elite 64 06/07B (OH)
• Toca FC 07B Elite 64 (KS)