Jefferson Cup 2020 Championship Division Preview: U-18 Girls

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SoccerWire continues its annual article series previewing the Jefferson Cup Championship Divisions. In this edition, we take a look ahead at the U-18 Girls age group.

*All standings & statistics current as of March 2, 2020

Beadling SC Showcase 02 (PA): Pennsylvania side Beadling SC Showcase 02 has climbed to the Jefferson Cup’s top flight after competing in the U-17 Elite Division in 2019. During the 2018-2019 campaign, Beadling earned a solid 4th place finish in the US Youth Soccer National League and secured a berth in the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships, where they placed 2nd in Group C.

HMMS Eagle FC 02 Impact (PA): Reigning US Youth Soccer Region I champion HMMS Eagle FC also makes the leap from the Jefferson Cup’s Elite Division to the top bracket for 2020. They placed 4th out of 16 teams at last year’s Jeff Cup, and have since gone on to win division titles at the Columbia Invitational Memorial Day Tournament and the Penn Fusion Winter Showcase.

PA Dominion FC 02 (PA): One of three Pennsylvania teams competing in the U-18 Championship Division, PA Dominion FC has seen continued success in EDP events over the past year. Dominion won their division at the National League EDP Conferences Girls Showcase last spring, conceding 1 total goal, and went on to place 2nd at the EDP Summer Showcase in July.

Herndon Thunder Black (VA): This fall, Herndon Thunder Black captured the US Youth Soccer Virginia State Cup championship and won the top U-18 bracket at the Bethesda Premier Cup. Those impressive results came on the heels of a 2018-2019 season in which they finished at the top of the table in the Club Champions League (CCL) and picked up a division title at the Loudoun Soccer College Showcase. 

Charlotte Independence 02 North (NC): During the fall of 2019, Charlotte Independence 02 North finished 1st out of eight teams in the South Atlantic NPL, posting a 9-4-0 record while outscoring opponents 31-14. At the same time, they earned a 3rd place finish out of 10 teams in the US Youth Soccer Piedmont Conference, going 6-2-0 along with a dominant 44-8 scoring margin. 

Pipeline SC Pre-Academy (MD): Highlighting the long list of Pipeline’s accomplishments from just the past year are the following: a Maryland State Cup title, a 1st place finish in the US Youth Soccer National League and a trip to the US Youth Soccer National Championships, where they advanced all the way to the final and placed 2nd overall. Pipeline is back in the Jefferson Cup Championship Division once again, looking to add to their history of showcase tournament success.

Jersey Shore Boca Jr FC Fusion (NJ): With a resume consisting of several standout performances in EDP competition, Jersey Shore Boca earned a spot in the Jefferson Cup’s top division. Boca is coming off a championship run at the 2019 EDP Summer Showcase, along with 2nd place finishes in the EDP Cup Fall Showcase and the EDP Cup Spring Showcase. 

PDA Ajax (NJ): Returning Jefferson Cup champion PDA Ajax ran the table in the U-17 Elite Division last spring, and will aim to do the same in the top flight this year. PDA is the reigning champ of the US Club Soccer New Jersey Cup, and is coming off a division title run at the VisitRaleigh Girls College Showcase in November.

New Jersey Rush 02 Grey National League (NJ): The 2018-2019 season saw New Jersey Rush finish 2nd out of 8 teams in the US Youth Soccer National League’s 17U Black Division with a 4-1-1 record. They also reached the New Jersey State Cup title match in 2019, and finished as semifinalists in the USYS Region I Championships. In November, Rush won the U-18/19 Diamond Division at the EDP Cup Fall Showcase.

SUSA 02 ECNL (NY): At the 2019 Jefferson Cup, SUSA turned in a remarkable defensive effort as they conceded only 1 total goal against tough competition in the U-17 Championship Division. The 2020 Jeff Cup will pose as another challenging test for the New York side which will be in the midst of ECNL Northeast Conference play this spring. 

Savannah United 02 Premier (GA): Heading up from Georgia once again, Savannah United will seek to continue their recent string of impressive results in high-level showcase action. They are fresh off a pair of championship runs at the 2020 Disney Girls Soccer Showcase and the Adidas Senior Cup College Showcase. In the fall, Savannah placed 1st out of 10 teams in the US Youth Soccer Piedmont Conference. 

GPS Elite Red 02 (MA): US Club Soccer Mid-Atlantic Regional champion GPS Elite Red is coming off a successful season which ended in the national semifinals of the 2019 NPL Finals. Prior to their regional championship run, GPS earned a 1st place finish in the New England Premiership (NEP) last spring, and advanced all the way to the final of the US Club Soccer Massachusetts State Cup.