Jefferson Cup 2019 Championship Division Preview: U-19 Girls
Follow the Jefferson Cup
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Schedule | Website | College Coaches
Girls Previews: U-15 | U-16 | U-17 | U-18
With the 2019 Jefferson Cup upon us, SoccerWire.com continues its article series previewing the top divisions for the showcase age groups. In this edition, we take a look at the teams competing in the U-19 Girls Championship Division.
Beach FC 01/00 Red (VA)
Coach: Max Moore
Virginia State Cup champion Beach FC 01/00 Red is just a few months removed from winning the top flight title at the prestigious WAGS Tournament, where they swept all three opponents without allowing a single goal along the way. Beach FC has won more division championships at the VA Beach Sun Cup and the VA Beach Spring Classic over the past year, and claimed the VYSA state title in the fall. They are coming off a 4th place finish in the Club Champions League (CCL) during the 2017-2018 campaign.
Bethesda SC ECNL Union 01 (MD)
Coach: Trey Livingston
One of only two teams to finish unbeaten in the 2018 Jefferson Cup’s top U-17 Girls bracket, Bethesda SC ECNL Union 01 returns to the Championship Division at the U-19 level in 2019. Bethesda is off to a perfect 5-0-0 start in ECNL Northeast Conference play this season, outscoring conference opponents 14-0. Overall, Bethesda is 7-1-0 against all ECNL opponents, with a dominant 21-2 goal differential. They are well on their way to a high seed in the ECNL Champions League playoffs this summer.
+READ: Jefferson Cup to host two NCAA women’s soccer exhibition matches
BRYC Elite Academy ECNL (VA)
Coach: Tyler Mishalow
Another team bound for a coveted spot in the ECNL Champions League playoffs, BRYC Elite Academy racked up 16 wins over course of 20 games in the ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference. BRYC is 16-2-2 in conference play, with 46 goals scored and only 22 allowed. They rank 2nd in the conference behind only McLean Youth Soccer. The Northern Virginia side kicked off 2019 with two wins in three games at the ECNL Florida National Event, defeating Match Fit Academy and World Class FC.
Carolina Elite SA ECNL (SC)
Coach: Andrew Hyslop
The ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference will be well-represented at the Jeff Cup, as Carolina Elite SA (CESA) returns to the Championship Division once again in 2019. All of the current top-four teams in the ECNL Mid-Atlantic table will be competing in the Jeff Cup’s top U-19 bracket, including 4th-ranked CESA, which has posted a strong 13-4-3 record on the season. CESA has the 2nd-best scoring total in conference play with 49 goals, while conceding only 26.
Century 00 Gold (PA)
Coach: Randi Rohm
US Youth Soccer Region I champion Century 00 Gold is coming off a 2017-2018 season in which they posted strong performances in both the Region I Eastern Regional League (2nd place) and the US Youth Soccer National League (4th place). The Pennsylvania side went 5-1-1 while outscoring opponents 15-5 in the Eastern Regional League last spring, Century secured a spot in the National Championships during their title run at the Region I Championships last summer, where they went 4-0-1, culminating with a 1-0 shutout of Princeton SA in the Final.
Lower Merion SC Storm (PA)
Coach: Pete Gangl
Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup champion Lower Merion SC Storm is another team returning to the Jeff Cup’s Championship Division. LMSC placed in the top-five of the 2018 Jeff Cup’s top U-17 flight, earning points in two of their three group games. Last May, LMSC captured a division championship at the Columbia Invitational Memorial Day Tournament, and over the summer they finished as semifinalists at the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships.
McLean Youth Soccer ECNL 01 (VA)
Coach: Brent Leiba
National powerhouse McLean Youth Soccer ECNL 01 is the reigning Jeff Cup Championship Division title holder, after finishing No. 1 in the 12-team table last March at the U-17 level. McLean ranks 1st in the ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference, and No. 8 nationally in the ECNL’s U-18/19 age group, with a dominant 17-2-1 record in conference play. The team scores goals in bunches. They have netted 84 against conference opponents, which is 35 more than the 2nd highest-scoring team. They also have the top-ranked defense in the Mid-Atlantic, with only 11 goals allowed in 20 games. That’s half as many as the next-best defense.
NJ Stallions 00-01 Stampede (NJ)
Coach: Shaun Cryer
Returning Jeff Cup U-18 Championship Division winner NJ Stallions 00-01 Stampede will aim to defend their top flight title in the squad’s final appearance at the prestigious tournament. NJ Stallions was the only team with a perfect record in the 2018 Jeff Cup’s top U-18 bracket, as they did not concede a single goal during their three straight victories. The team’s 2017-2018 campaign was also highlighted by a 3rd place finish in the US Youth Soccer National League.
Ohio Elite ECNL (OH)
Coach: Doug Bracken
Coming off a top division title run at their home club’s Ohio Elite Girls College Showcase, the Ohio Elite U-19 Girls will aim to build on that success at the Jeff Cup. Ohio Elite has the bulk of their ECNL Ohio Valley Conference schedule still ahead of them, and will have a great tune-up for that with a challenging slate of opponents in the Jeff Cup U-19 Championship Division. Elite will take on two State Cup champions and one Regional champion during group play in Richmond.
Princeton SA National 00 (NJ)
Coach: Massimo Cedraschi
Last summer, Princeton SA National 00 followed up their championships in both the US Club Soccer and US Youth Soccer State Cup events by finishing as finalists in the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships and as semifinalists at the National Championships. In league play, Princeton captured division titles in both the US Youth Soccer National League and the Eastern Regional League. They placed 3rd out of 12 teams in the Jeff Cup’s U-18 Championship Division in 2018.
Richmond United ECNL (VA)
Coach: Andy Mcintosh
Currently holding the No. 3 spot in the ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference is Richmond United, which has lost only twice in their first 20 conference games. United has posted a 14-4-2 record on the season, racking up 46 goals and allowing 25. The team earned points in two three games in the 2018 Jeff Cup, posting a 1-1-1 record in the U-17 Championship Division.
SAC Showcase Premier oo (MD)
Coach: Sam Haddad
Reigning Maryland State Cup champion SAC Showcase Premier oo finished as national semifinalists in 2018, making a strong run at the US Club Soccer NPL Finals in Westfield, Indiana over the summer. SAC won their bracket in the EDP Spring League as well, posting a 6-1-1 record. They had the best offense in the EDP’s U-19 Girls flight with 25 goals scored, and the best defense with only 7 goals given up.
