Champions crowned at US Club Soccer Florida Cup

PLANT CITY, Fla. | A competitive and balanced 2017 Florida Cup crowned a total of 14 teams from 10 clubs with state championships, May 12-14 at Ellis-Methvin Park in Plant City. This was the 13th annual edition of the Florida Cup.

The single-elimination tournament began in March with preliminary games. Space Coast United won three divisions (13-U boys, 14-U girls and 19-U girls) and Pinecrest Premier (13-U girls and 15-U girls) and ACYS each claimed a pair of age groups (14-U boys and 17-U boys).

For a couple 2017 Florida Cup champions, this year’s event was a continuation of previous Florida Cup success. Kendall SC won the 2016 Florida Cup’s 14-U boys bracket, only to follow that up with a 2017 title in the 15-U boys division. ACYS’s 17-U boys victory this year was a repeat of last year’s 16-U championship.

Thirteen of the 14 champions – 13-U through 19-U age groups – have now earned direct qualification to the National Cup XVI Finals, July 21-24 at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. The Finals is the culminating event of US Club Soccer’s cup-based national championship series that includes five Regionals and various state cups.