Jefferson Cup 2019 Boys Showcase Weekend: Day 1 Recap

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Boys Championship Division Previews:
U-16 | U-17 | U-18 | U-19

The 2019 Jefferson Cup Boys Showcase Weekend kicked off Friday, as 352 teams across the U16-U19 age groups aimed to capitalize on their opportunity to get off to a strong start.

Continue reading for a rundown of how the Championship Division competition played out on the opening day of competition.

U-16 Championship Division

Six teams started out of the gates with a victory on Day 1: HMMS Eagle FC 03 (PA), Syracuse Development Academy (NY), GPS Elite Red 03 (MA), Virginia Development Academy (VA), Arlington SA 03 Pre-Academy (VA) and Lake Grove Newfield Dynamite (NY).

Four of those teams – Eagle FC, GPS, Arlington and Lake Grove Newfield – earned clean sheets on the defensive end.

Leading the way heading into Day 2 is Eastern Pennsylvania side HMMS Eagle FC 03, which earned a decisive 3-0 shutout victory against Triangle United 03 Gold. Eagle FC will take on the Virginia State Cup champion Arlington SA on Saturday morning (8:00 a.m. at West Creek #10).

Syracuse DA also won by a three-goal margin in their opening match, an impressive attacking display in a 4-1 result against reigning US Youth Soccer Region III champion Piedmont Triad FC 03 Black (NC).

U-17 Championship Division

In a loaded 16-team bracket, seven teams came away with Day 1 wins, five of which came via the clean sheet. Florida side CES Strikers Blue, Delaware FC 02 and New Jersey State Cup champion SJEB Rush Academy earned the maximum 10 standings points thanks to excellent team-wide performances.

CES Strikers Blue turned in a dominant 4-0 win over Virginia State Cup champion Loudoun 02 Red in the tournament opener.

Delaware FC took down Canadian side West Ottawa Warriors in their first game, by a 3-0 margin. DFC faces another winning side from Day 1, NJ Stallions Academy Juve, on Saturday (11:20 a.m. at West Creek #8). NJ Stallions notched a 1-0 shutout against Penn Fusion in their opener.

SJEB Rush Academy came away with a lopsided 3-0 victory over 2018 US Youth Soccer Region III champion North Carolina FC 02 ECNL. On Saturday, SJEB Rush goes up against a tough GPS Elite 02 Red squad from Massachusetts, which held the reigning US Youth Soccer National Champions, Arlington SA, off the scoreboard in their opening game (11:20 a.m. at West Creek #5).

Baltimore Celtic SC 02 (MD), Manhattan SC Titans (NY) and West-Mont United Premier Blue (PA) also enter Day 2 with a win under their belts.

U-18 Championship Division

Five teams – Lake Grove Newfield SC 01 United (NY), McLean 01 Green (VA), GPS Elite Red 01 (MA), OBGC Rangers Blue (MD) and Wall Elite Cosmos (NJ) – secured Day 1 victories in the top U-18 bracket.

Eastern New York State Cup champion Lake Grove Newfield and Virginia State Cup champion McLean both collected the maximum 10 standings points, each storming to 4-0 results. Lake Grove heads into a marquee matchup against US Youth Soccer Region I champ OBGC Rangers Blue on Saturday (9:40 a.m. at West Creek #10). McLean will face another winning team from Day 1, GPS Elite Red, on Saturday afternoon in their second match (2:40 p.m. at West Creek #7).

U-19 Championship Division

At the U-19 level, Richmond Strikers 00/01 Elite (VA) represented the host club with a 3-1 win over Virginia State Cup champion McLean 01/00 ECNL. The Strikers will try to take down another reigning State Cup champ, Ohio’s Toledo Celtics SC 00 Black, on Saturday afternoon (1:00 p.m. at West Creek #6).

North Carolina FC Youth 01/00 ECNL came out on top of an offensive battle, 3-2, against Delaware FC 00 in their opening match. NCFC will try to make it two in a row on Saturday, as they go up against STA-MUSC 00 NPL from New Jersey (11:20 a.m. at West Creek #3).

New Jersey State Cup champion Washington United Arsenal emerged on the right side of a one-goal game, 2-1, against Manhattan SC Emelec on Friday. Washington United will face a major challenge Saturday afternoon against McLean (2:40 p.m. at West Creek #4).