Jefferson Cup 2019 Championship Division Preview: U-18 Boys
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SoccerWire.com continues its article series previewing the top divisions for the 2019 Jefferson Cup showcase age groups. In this edition, we take a look at the teams competing in the U-18 Boys Championship Division.
Clay County SC 01 USA Rangers Red (FL)
Coach: Matthew Hollyoak
Florida National Premier League champion Clay County SC 01 USA Rangers Red captured the NPL title this fall with an unbeaten 8-0-1 record, finishing at the top of the 11-team table. Clay County led the division with 42 goals scored, and conceded the second-fewest goals, with just nine allowed on the season. The team makes the leap to the Jeff Cup’s top bracket after a strong showing in the U-17 Elite Division at the 2018 event.
Delaware FC 01 (DE)
Coach: Chibsah Abdul-Faisal
EDP League side Delaware FC 01 will aim to continue their run of outstanding performances at some of the top showcase events on the East Coast. The team has won division championships at the Penn Fusion Boys Winter Showcase and the FC DELCO Players Cup over the past year, and placed 2nd in the EDP Cup Spring Showcase in June 2018. Last spring, Delaware FC finished 2nd out of 12 teams in the EDP League’s 2001 NPL Division, losing only once in their 11 regular season matches. They racked up 27 goals and gave up only 6 all season, which was the best defensive total in the division.
GPS Elite Red 01 (MA)
Coach: Kaeghan Kelly
US Club Soccer New England Premiership champion GPS Elite Red 01 returns to the Jeff Cup’s top flight once again, after an undefeated run in the U-17 Championship Division in 2018. GPS went 2-0-1 at last year’s Jeff Cup, allowing only one total goal in three games. Over the past year, GPS has also finished 2nd in the Massachusetts State Cup, and won a division title at the GPS Thanksgiving Showcase. Most recently, they placed 2nd in the Disney Soccer Showcase’s U-18 Premier Red Division.
LA Breakers 01 Elite (CA)
Coach: Mike Erush
Southern California squad LA Breakers 01 Elite make the cross-country trip to the Jeff Cup in the midst of an impressive run through some elite level showcase tournaments. The Breakers captured division championships this fall in the prestigious North Huntington Beach Cup and the San Diego Surf College Cup Showcase. Earlier this month, they earned a 1st place finish at the Players Showcase in Las Vegas, sweeping their four opponents with 13 goals scored and only 1 allowed.
Lake Grove Newfield SC United 01 (NY)
Coach: Frank Stagnitta
Reigning US Youth Soccer Eastern New York State Cup champion Lake Grove Newfield SC United 01 is well-established as one of the Tri-State region’s top sides in the 2001 age group. LGN earned a 1st place finish in the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League last spring, and a 3rd place finish in the New York Club soccer League (NYCSL) NPL. Over the summer, the team claimed a division title at the NYC Cup Worldwide Invitational.
Loudoun Soccer 01 Red (VA)
Coach: Mark Ryan
Club Champions League (CCL) side Loudoun Soccer 01 Red has already captured a pair of 1st place trophies at showcase events during the 2018-2019 campaign, winning the top flights of the OBGC Capital Cup and their home club’s Loudoun Soccer College Showcase. This fall, Loudoun advanced to the semifinals of the Virginia State Cup. They had a strong showing last spring at the Potomac Memorial Day Tournament, winning two out of three games.
McLean Youth Soccer 01 Green (VA)
Coach: Alan Portillo
Northern Virginia squad McLean Youth Soccer 01 Green is the reigning champion of the Virginia State Cup and the Club Champions League (CCL). McLean had an unbeaten 11-0-2 record in CCL play during the 2017-2018 campaign, finishing at the top of the 16-team table. They also placed 3rd in the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League last spring. In the fall, McLean emerged over Arlington in the VYSA State Cup title match.
Millstone United Eagles (NJ)
Coach: Sadri Gjonbalaj
US Club Soccer Mid-Atlantic Regional champ Millstone United Eagles has consistently finished at the top, or near the top of the table across league and tournament play over the past year. Millstone placed 2nd in the EDP Spring League in 2018, and won division titles at both the EDP Cup Spring Showcase and the EDP Open Cup. Prior to their regional championship run over the summer, Millstone added another showcase tournament title at the prestigious Potomac Memorial Tournament.
OBGC Rangers Blue (MD)
Coach: Pete Wood
After winning the Jeff Cup Championship Division in 2017, OBGC Rangers Blue is back in the top bracket two years later, seeking the same success. OBGC won it all at the 2018 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships, where they swept the competition with five straight wins. They are also the reigning Maryland State Cup champions, and last spring they had a perfect 7-0-0 record in the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League.
Penn Fusion ECNL 01 (PA)
Coach: Keith Cappo
Boys ECNL squad Penn Fusion 01 is off to a hot start in league play this season, posting a 3-1-0 record against Northeast Conference opponents. They are coming off back-to-back 7-0 blowouts in Boys ECNL competition, bringing their scoring margin against conference foes to an impressive 22-4 differential. Fusion continues their tour of top showcase events, which includes stops at the Disney Soccer Showcase, their home club’s Penn Fusion Winter Showcase, and the 2018 Jeff Cup, where they earned a pair of draws in the U-17 Championship Division.
Wall Elite Cosmos (NJ)
Coach: Michael Turtle
New Jersey State Cup champion and US Youth Soccer Region I Championships finalist Wall Elite Cosmos joins the Jeff Cup’s top bracket following a remarkable run through several prestigious events over the past year. The team captured the US Youth Soccer New Jersey State Cup title in May 2018, and traveled to Virginia in July where they advanced all the way to the title match of the Region I Championships, coming up just short against McLean. Wall Elite Cosmos also captured the EDP League 1st Division East title last spring, posting an undefeated 5-0-1 record while outscoring opponents 23-2.
Yardley Makefield Premier Celtic 01 (PA)
Coach: David Simpson
Representing longtime Pennsylvania youth soccer staple Yardley Makefield Soccer (YMS), the Premier Celtic 01s have seen consistent success across some of the top competitive platforms in the region. The team lost only one game out of six during EDP Spring League play in 2018, placing 3rd in the 1st Division East. They also lost just once in seven games last spring in the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League, finishing 2nd in their eight-team table. YMS advanced all the way to the final of the US Youth Soccer Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup last May, and they followed that up with a run to the semifinals of the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships.
