National League teams capture 13-of-14 titles at USYS National Championships

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ORLANDO, Fla. — The 2024 US Youth Soccer National Championships wrapped up on Sunday in Orlando, Fla., as the week ended with National League teams claiming 13 of the 14 National titles.

Among the winners, 16U Boys Utah Celtic was the lone team to repeat as champions after the team won in 2023 as a 15U side.

“To go back-to-back is just surreal,” Utah Celtic forward Brooks Barker said. “The first time, we thought it was hard. This year, we came out and it was three times harder. We had to come back twice, and the glory of winning it twice is just unbelievable.”

The 13 champions from the National League came from eight different USYS State Associations. Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, and South Texas each had two teams win championships, while Kansas, Nevada and Utah each had one.

Elite 64 teams secured five National titles, while seven of the National Champions played in Premier 1 Divisions of the conferences, and one team played in a Premier 2 division. The majority of title-winning teams had very strong performances in the regular season, as six finished in first place in their National League division, while five finished in second place.

Eleven of the new USYS National Champions played in National League P.R.O. in 2023-24. Three of those sides won champions pool titles and two won silver pool brackets.

“We went against a lot of good teams and worked really hard,” said Alyssa Carrasco, center back for Las Vegas Surf SC 09G Elite 64 (NV). “It was a great experience. We’ve been working really hard at practice, so it feels great to finally accomplish this.”

The road to the title

Meet the newly crowned USYS National Champions from the National League and see the path each took to lifting the trophy.

13U Girls
HTX 12 (TX-S)

Path to Nationals

HTX 12 (TX-S) won the Premier 1 division of the Frontier Conference and secured the title at the Southern Regional Championships to move on to Orlando.

National final key moments

A tight defensive battle against fellow National League side Columbus United 11G Lions (OH) required extra time and penalties to decide a winner. HTX keeper Madison Smith saved one attempt and Caroline Synnott fired the winning penalty inside the left post to give HTX the 13U Girls National Championship.

13U BOYS
The Football Academy NJ 11B Black (NJ)

Path to Nationals

After winning the Premier 1 division of the Mid Atlantic Conference, The Football Academy NJ 11B Black (NJ) traveled to West Virginia and claimed the Eastern Regional Championship.

National final key moments

A strong first half powered The Football Academy to a 3-0 victory against BLFC Premiership 11 (IL) in the championship game. Joel Ahn opened the scoring in the 18th minute, and Mason Cominski doubled the New Jersey side’s advantage just a few minutes later. Alejandro Berrio pushed the advantage to 3-0 just before halftime, and The Football Academy remained organized in the second half to hold on for a clean sheet that secured the National title.

14U Girls
Galaxy SC 10G NL (IL)

Path to Nationals

Galaxy SC 10G NL (IL) finished fourth in the Premier 1 division of the Midwest Conference, but it showed fine form on the national stage. After advancing to National League P.R.O., the Illinois side won the champions pool in Oceanside to head to Orlando with momentum.

National final key moments

Galaxy broke open a tight championship game against defending champion Columbus United G10 Lions (OH) with three second half goals to secure a 3-0 shutout victory.

After a scoreless first half, Aubrey Guskey gave Galaxy the lead when she held off a pair of defenders to record a 42nd-minute goal. Columbus pushed for an equalizer, but the Illinois side instead managed to double its advantage with a headed goal from Quinn Fahey at the hour mark. Samantha Latawiec added a stunning insurance goal shortly after, as she caught the keeper slightly off her line and perfectly struck a shot from 30 yards out that flew into the back of the net — sealing the 3-0 win.

14U BOYS
Ponys FC 2010 (IL)

Path to Nationals

Last year’s National finalists, Ponys FC 2010 (IL) put together a fifth-place finish in the Premier 1 division of the Midwest Conference. In February in Tampa, the team won all three of its games to win the silver pool and secure a spot back at the National Championships.

National final key moments

After coming up just short in 2023, Ponys FC found itself moments away from another runner-up finish at Nationals. However, two stoppage time goals against The Football Academy 2010 Boys Black (NJ) set up a penalty kick shootout that the Illinois side won to claim the 14U Boys title.

TFA appeared to be on its way to the club’s second National title of 2024, as Evan Johnson and Alex Pando each scored in the opening 14 minutes to give the New Jersey side a 2-0 advantage. That scoreline held until the first minute of second-half stoppage time, when Andrew Collins sent a looping header off a long free kick into the net to give Ponys a lifeline.

Ponys won a free kick in the attacking half a couple minutes later on a play that resulted in the TFA keeper being sent off for a second yellow card. The ensuring free kick saw the substitute keeper make an initial save, but Anthony Vega finished the follow-up attempt to level the game and send it to overtime. A scoreless two overtime periods led to penalties, and Edgar Brigido netted the clinching penalty to give Ponys the National title.

15U Girls
Las Vegas Surf SC 09G Elite 64 (NV)

Path to Nationals

For the second straight season, Las Vegas Surf SC 09G Elite 64 (NV) put in an impressive regular season to win the Pacific division of Elite 64. On the national event stage, Surf continued its strong play, as it won the champions pool at National League P.R.O. in Oceanside — leaving the National Championship as the final competition to conquer.

National final key moments

Las Vegas Surf overcame an early deficit against MIFC 2009 Girls (FL) by responding with three unanswered goals to claim a 3-1 victory and the 15U Girls National title. The championship game saw MIFC take a 10th-minute lead behind a goal from Vienna Morgan. However, Surf equalized in the 54th minute when a shot from a tight angle deflected off a defender and into the net. The Nevada side took the lead on a long shot from Alondra Rivera in the 77th minute and added a stoppage time goal by Madalynn Smith to secure the National Championship.

15U BOYS
Aspire FC 09B Black (TX-S)

Path to Nationals

Aspire FC 09B Black (TX-S) finished in second place in the Premier 1 division of the Frontier Conference and secured advancement to the National Championships through National League P.R.O. in Tampa.

National final key moments

The South Texas side saved its best performances for Nationals in Orlando and capped its run with a 6-1 win over Miami Breakers FC 2009 Black (FL) in the final. Carlos Reyes had a standout game that saw him net an amazing five goals — including four in the first half, capped off by a deft chip of a bouncing ball in first-half stoppage time. Fernando Mendoza scored a 19th-minute goal for Miami that resulted in a 4-1 score line at the break, but the Breakers also went down a man late in the half. Reyes added his final goal in the 44th minute, and Santiago Arriazola added a late tally to cap the victory that gave Aspire the 15U Boys National title.

16U Girls
Team Boca 08G Elite 64 (FL)

Path to Nationals

Team Boca 08G Elite 64 (FL) showed consistency during the regular season en route to winning the Southeast division of Elite 64. The Florida side competed in the champions pool at National League P.R.O. in Tampa, where it qualified for the National Championships.

National final key moments

A back-and-forth 16U Girls championship game saw Team Boca hold off Fort Wayne United 08G Elite 64 (IN), 4-2, to win the National title. Adrianna Gonzalez powered a strong start for the Florida side, as she recorded a brace in the opening five minutes to put Team Boca in front, 2-0. Fort Wayne fought back early in the second half, as Grace Mann scored in the 44th minute, and Channing Xayarath equalized with a 53rd-minute strike from distance.

Team Boca recaptured the momentum in the 69th minute, as a low cross from the right wing found Colbie Pirchio, who finished inside the left post. Mary Hartofilis lifted an 80th-minute shot over the keeper to wrap up the 4-2 win and give Team Boca the National Championship.

16U BOYS
Utah Celtic FC 08B (UT)

Path to Nationals

Defending National Champion Utah Celtic FC 08B (UT) finished in second place in the Premier 1 division of the Desert Conference. After advancing to February’s National League P.R.O. event in Tampa, the Utah side won all three games to win the silver pool title and secure a berth to Nationals.

National final key moments

A second straight clean sheet helped power Utah Celtic to its second straight title, as it defeated Galaxy SC 08B Elite 64 (IL), 2-0, in the 16U Boys title game. Blake Stuart put Utah Celtic in front in the 26th minute, as he danced around the defense at the top of the box and cut his right-footed shot inside the left post. Galaxy pushed for an equalizer for nearly an hour before Brooks Barker sealed the victory for Utah. After his initial shot was saved, Barker quickly hit the rebound past the keeper to give Celtic the 2-0 win that helped the team lift the National Championship trophy for a second consecutive year.

17U Girls
Nationals Union 07 Girls Black (MI)

Path to Nationals

Nationals Union 07 Girls Black (MI) won the Premier 2 division of the Midwest Conference and qualified for the National Championships by winning the champions pool at National League P.R.O. in Tampa.

National final key moments

In a championship game full of twists and turns, Nationals Union held off Aztec 07 Girls (MA), 3-2, in extra time. Aztec gained an initial lead thanks to a Molly Vana goal in the 16th minute, but Presley Jones replied six minutes later to equalize for Nationals. That kickstarted a banner day for Jones, who gave the Michigan side the lead in the 40th minute by running on to a cross and finishing into an open net.

The Massachusetts side’s Georgia Prouty curled a left-footed shot past the Nationals keeper in the 61st minute to tie the game, and the two sides needed extra time to determine the National Champion. In stoppage time of the first overtime period, Jones made a back post run and tapped in a cross for what proved to be the championship-winning goal.

17U BOYS
Toca FC 07B Elite 64 (KS)

Path to Nationals

A second-place finish in the Midwest division of Elite 64 was an example of the consistency showed by Toca FC 07B Elite 64 (KS) this season. The Kansas side did well at its national events, and it earned its place in Orlando by winning twice in the champions pool at National League P.R.O. in Tampa.

National final key moments

After knocking off the defending champions in the semifinals, Toca completed its title quest with a 3-0 win against Hoosier FC 07 Elite Wolves I (IN) in the 17U Boys final. In the 12th minute, Crew Alvarez ran on to a through ball and found the back of the net from a tight angle to give Toca the 1-0 lead. The Kansas side doubled its lead through a 34th-minute corner kick, as defender Duncan Black made a near post run and headed the ball into the back of the net. Black added his second just minutes later, as he remained forward following a corner kick and got his first on a cross to redirect the ball past the keeper. Toca’s defense did the rest, as it kept its third clean sheet of the event to win the 17U Boys title.

18U BOYS
Strikers Miami FC 06B Elite (FL)

Path to Nationals

Strikers Miami FC 06B Elite (FL) finished in first place in the Premier 1 division of the Sunshine Conference and competed at National League P.R.O. The Florida side qualified for the National Championships by winning the Southern Regional Championship in June.

National final key moments

A defensive stalemate between Strikers Miami and Kansas Rush Academy 2006 (KS) required extra time to determine the 18U Boys National Champion. After a scoreless 90 minutes, the two teams moved on overtime. In the 94th minute, a foul at the top of the box resulted in a penalty kick for Strikers. Pedro Arrieta stepped up to the spot and hammered his penalty down the middle for the game’s lone goal, as the Florida side secured the National title.

19U Girls
Michigan Rangers FC 05/06G Elite 64 (MI)

Path to Nationals

Michigan Rangers FC 05/06G Elite 64 (MI) recorded a pair of second place finishes this season — starting with a runner-up finish in the Midwest division of Elite 64. Michigan advanced to the champions pool title game at National League P.R.O. in Tampa, where it qualified for the National Championships.

National final key moments

In a tight championship game, Michigan Rangers held on for a 2-1 win against Fort Wayne United 05/06G Elite 64 (IN) to win the National title. Rangers grabbed a 12th-minute lead in the matchup of Elite 64 sides when Alexa Boersma rose up to send a looping head a corner kick just under the bar for the opening goal. Michigan made it 2-0 in the final seconds of the first half when Ava Lutke’s tight angle shot flew inside the far post. Josslyn Goss finished from close range to pull Fort Wayne within a goal in the 87th minute, but Michigan held on to earn the 2-1 victory and claim the 19U Girls title.

19U BOYS
Cedar Stars 05/06B Elite 64 (NJ)

Path to Nationals

Cedar Stars 05/06B Elite 64 (NJ) finished second in the Northeast division of Elite 64, and it advanced to National League P.R.O. The New Jersey side won the Eastern Regional Championships in early July to earn a place at Nationals.

National final key moments

Cedar Stars added to the many dramatic moments in the history of the storied James P. McGuire Cup, as it came back to win, 3-2, in the 19U Boys championship game against two-time defending National Champion Libertyville FC 1974 Elite (IL).

The Libertyville side appeared on its way to a third straight title — and fourth overall — when it built a two-goal lead. Oscar Martinez scored on a spinning half volley in the 19th minute, and Frankie Jimenez used some superb individual skill to add a second for the Illinois side in the 40th minute.

Cristian Oliveira pulled a goal back for Cedar Stars in the 72nd minute, and Kwaku Agyabeng curled a perfectly placed free kick into the left upper-90 to level the score at 2-2 in the 82nd minute. In the first minute of stoppage time, a cross intended for Harrison Garcia from Martin Pulgarin Aguirre tucked into the far side netting for the goal that gave Cedar Stars the win and added it to the long list of McGuire Cup champions.