Spirit United Kickoff opens with boys weekend, U-15 girls showcase
The opening leg of the 2015 Spirit United Kickoff Classic was played over the weekend, beginning with all boys age groups from U-9 to U-15 and three college showcase divisions for rising U-15 girls.
A total of 216 teams competed in the first weekend of the 29th edition of the event held in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, the state’s second-largest youth soccer event. More than 300 teams will play in the girls weekend from August 22-23, bringing this year’s event to over 500 accepted teams from seven U.S. states and Canada.
Local teams representing Eastern Pennsylvania clubs captured 16 of the 26 total boys divisions and three of the four U-15 girls divisions on the tournament’s opening weekend. Continental FC teams won two boys divisions and two of the three U-15 girls divisions, as the four titles were the most for any attending club. On the boys side, Continental FC Arsenal 05 won the U-10 Gold Division while Continental FC Dortmund 04 took the U-11 Championship Division.
After outscoring opponents by a combined score of 10-1 in group play, Continental FC DELCO ECNL 00 defeated Commack SC Academy 2000 by a score of 3-2 in the U-15 Girls Championship Division final. Continental’s 2000 NPL team scored 14 goals and allowed none in their run to the U-15 Girls Elite Division title, culminating with a 2-0 victory over LDC United Eclipse 00-01 in the final.
The other Pennsylvania club to win multiple division titles was Rage SC, which had its 2004 and 2002 Devils teams take the U-11 Elite and U-13 Gold Divisions, respectively.
Four Maryland teams representing three clubs – Baltimore Bays, FC USA and Pipeline SC – earned division championships at the Kickoff Classic. Bays Elite won the U-10 Elite Division, FC USA 05 and FC USA 03 captured the U-10 Elite and U-12 Championship (11v11) Divisions respectively, and Pipeline SC Red took the U-14 Platinum Division.
Both divisions won by New York teams were courtesy of Atletico FC, which had its 02 East Boys claim the U-13 Elite Division and its 01 Boys take the U-14 Championship Division.
New Jersey sides Mantua Township SA Man United Devils 03/04 (U-12 Elite 11v11 Division) and Real NJ Knights Red (U-14 Silver Division) took championships back to the Garden State, and Delaware Rush 03’s U-12 Elite Division title made it five U.S. states represented on the list of champions at the opening weekend. Ottawa South United Black claimed the U-12 Gold 8v8 Division, returning to Canada as champions of one of the top youth tournaments in the U.S.
See below for a full list of champions from the 2015 Spirit United Kickoff Classic boys weekend and girls U-15 showcase weekend.
Boys
U-9 Championship: Philadelphia Coppa Young Guns (PA-E)
U-9 Elite: TEYSA Bruins (PA-E)
U-10 Championship: Baltimore Bays Elite (MD)
U-10 Elite: FC USA 05 (MD)
U-10 Gold: Continental FC Arsenal 05 (PA-E)
U-11 Championship: Continental FC Dortmund 04 (PA-E)
U-11 Elite: Rage SC 04 Devils (PA-E)
U-11 Gold: West Chester United SC Eagles 04 (PA-E)
U-11 Silver: Penn Legacy 04 Black (PA-E)
U-12 Championship (11v11): FC USA 03 (MD)
U-12 Elite (11v11): Mantua Township SA Man United Devils 03/04 (NJ)
U-12 Championship (8v8): Lower Merion SC Legends Blue (PA-E)
U-12 Elite (8v8): Delaware Rush 03 (DE)
U-12 Gold (8v8): Ottawa South United Black (CAN)
U-12 Silver (8v8): Wyoming Valley SC 02 (PA-E)
U-13 Championship: VE Green Gunners (PA-E)
U-13 Elite: Atletico FC 02 East (NY-E)
U-13 Gold: Rage SC 02 Red Devils (PA-E)
U-13 Silver: Warrington SC Rampage (PA-E)
U-14 Championship: Atletico FC Boys 01 (NY-E)
U-14 Elite: North Union United 01 Cannons (PA-E)
U-14 Platinum: Pipeline SC Red (MD)
U-14 Gold: FC York 01 Elite (PA-E)
U-14 Silver: Real New Jersey Knights Red (NJ)
U-15 Championship: Future Player Academy Premier (PA-E)
U-15 Elite: South Central PA 00 Lions (PA-E)
Girls
U-15 Championship: Continental FC DELCO ECNL 00 (PA-E)
U-15 Elite: Continental FC Premier 00 NPL (PA-E)
U-15 Gold: Keystone FC 00 (PA-E)
