ECNL Inter-Conference Events to feature Under-14 teams
By Jimmy LaRoue
The Elite Clubs National League, following its first National Event in Arizona last weekend, will put the spotlight on its Under-14 teams this weekend, as Inter-Conference Events will take place in Seattle and Rockford, Ill.
The Seattle event will feature all 16 U-14 teams in the SoCal and Northwest Conferences, who will play Oct. 6-7 at 60 Acre Park. This is the first of two Inter-Conference events featuring these two conferences. The second takes place Apr. 5-7, 2013 at the same time as the ECNL’s National Event Series in San Diego.
De Anza Force is the early leader in the Northwest Conference at 2-0-0, while three conference teams–Crossfire Premier, Santa Rosa United and Washington Premier–will be playing their first matches of the season.
In the SoCal Conference, four teams are tied for the early lead at 3-0-0, including West Coast FC, So Cal Blues SC, San Diego Surf and Arsenal FC. Surf features Brazilian starlet Catarina Macario, who, in her first ECNL match, tallied three goals and an assist.
The other Inter-Conference Event in Rockford features 16 teams–eight of the nine teams from the Midwest Conference (Minnesota Thunder Academy, FC Milwaukee Eclipse, Sockers FC, Eclipse Select Soccer Club, Michigan Hawks, Vardar, St. Louis Scott Gallagher, Sporting Blue Valley), three teams from the Mountain West Conference (Utah Avalanche, Colorado Rush, Real Colorado) and four teams from the Texas Conference (Texas Rush, Dallas Sting, Albion Hurricanes FC, TSC Hurricane).
Texas Rush’s U-14s have started their inaugural ECNL campaign at 2-1-1 and sit just a point behind first place in the Texas Conference, while Michigan Hawks have started 3-0-0 in the Midwest Conference, while Real Colorado has raced out to a 5-0-0 start and outscored opponents 21-3.
In the only other ECNL U-14 league matchups this weekend, Ohio Premier Eagles host Carmel United Saturday, while SoccerPlus Connecticut hosts Connecticut FC Sunday and the Southeast Conference takes the field, with 3-1-1 Gwinnett Soccer Association taking on 0-2-2 Atlanta Fire and 2-0-1 CASL Chelsea Ladies taking on 0-2-1 Carolina Elite Soccer Academy.
The rest of the ECNL will see a mostly limited league schedule, with one Mountain West Conference matchup (Colorado Storm vs. Real Colorado) and four Texas Conference matches Saturday, with the U-15 Dallas Texans (5-0-0) looking to keep up its perfect start when plays D’Feeters Soccer Club (1-1-1).
A mix of Midwest Conference, Texas Conference Southeast Conference action will take place Sunday, with the Midwest Conference’s Michigan Hawks looking to maintain its perfect record against Vardar, while another Midwest Conference side, Eclipse Select Soccer Club hoping to do the same against Sockers FC.
Some ECNL clubs will have teams in action outside of league play this weekend in various Columbus Day tournaments, including FC Bucks, Freestate Soccer Alliance, Richmond Strikers and Albertson SC playing at the 37th Annual WAGS Rael Vodicka Memorial Tournament in the Washington, D.C. suburbs.
