ECNL: Two pairs of local clubs face off in weekend games

By Jimmy LaRoue

A pair of games this weekend among local Mid-Atlantic Conference clubs highlights the Elite Clubs National League Under-14 landscape.

Freestate Soccer Alliance, McLean Youth Soccer, Bethesda SC and FC Virginia will all take the field this weekend in U-14 matches, while FC Virginia plays a pair of matches among all of its ECNL teams.

In U-14 play, FC Virginia (3-0-1) is in second place with 10 points in four matches, led by Gabriella Gordon’s four goals and an assist, while Bethesda is off to a 3-2-0 start, McLean is 2-1-1 and Freestate is 1-3-0. Carmel United holds down the top spot with a 5-0-1 record. Bethesda’s U-14s are playing its first league games since the last weekend of September.

FC Virginia’s U-15s lead the conference with a 3-0-0 record, while McLean is 0-2-1. FC Virginia has seven players with at least one goal on the season, led by Emma Kershner and Sierra Lam with two apiece.

In U-16 play, FC Virginia is 2-0-1, while McLean is 1-1-1 so far on the season. McLean’s U-17s are tied for the early conference lead at 2-0-1 with Richmond Strikers, while FC Virginia is 0-3-0. McLean’s U-17s have a pair of two goal scorers in Kaila Williams and Emma Shumway, while Thyla Peterson has two assists.

FC Virginia’s U-18s have started strong to the season at 3-0-0, having scored 15 goals while giving up just two and once again have standout U.S. U-17 defender Brittany Basinger back in the fold, while McLean is 2-1-0 and led by standout Morgan Reuther’s three goals and an assist in three matches, while Emily Hester has scored twice. The two teams’ match on Sunday afternoon should prove to be a good one. Virginia Rush’s U-18s, meanwhile, are looking for their first point in four matches going up against the Strikers (1-2-0).

Here are this weekend’s matchups:

Sat. Oct. 20

12 p.m. – U-17: Richmond Strikers vs. Virginia Rush (West Creek 8)

1 p.m. – U-15: Richmond Strikers vs. Virginia Rush (West Creek 6)

2 p.m. – U-14: Freestate vs. McLean (Allens Pond Complex Huston Field)

2 p.m. – U-14: Bethesda vs. FC Virginia (Walter Johnson HS Turf Field)

2 p.m. – U-16: Richmond Strikers vs. Virginia Rush (West Creek 8)

2 p.m. – U-18: Richmond Strikers vs. Virginia Rush (West Creek 6)

Sun. Oct. 21

9 a.m. – U-15: FC Virginia vs. McLean (SYA Park #2)

11 a.m. – U-16: FC Virginia vs. McLean (SYA Park #2)

12 p.m. – U-14: Bethesda vs. McLean (Walter Johnson HS Turf Field)

1 p.m. –  U-17: FC Virginia vs. McLean (SYA Park #2)

3 p.m. – U-18: FC Virginia vs. McLean (SYA Park #2)

3:30 p.m. – U-14: Freestate vs. FC Virginia (Holy Trinity MS Bermuda Field)