US Youth Soccer National League Playoff event concludes in North Carolina
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Teams competing in the US Youth Soccer National League Playoffs completed their final games of the event on Monday, as 16 teams punched their ticket to the 2021 USYS National Championships by winning their Playoff groups.
National League North Carolina featured Playoff teams in the 15U-19U Girls age groups and 17U-19U Boys age groups.
Each of the competing age groups featured key games on Monday, many of which decided who earned a place at the National Championships. That was the case in the matchup between Galaxy SC 2004 Blue (IL) and SC Wave Juniors 04 Girls (WI), as the Illinois side needed a win to finish in first place. With the game tied, 1-1, in the closing minutes, Galaxy poked home a loose ball in the box to secure a 2-1 victory and win the group.
VIDEO: See and hear from some of the NL Playoff winners following Monday's exciting final day of action at NL North Carolina! pic.twitter.com/jXSArFKmOp
— National League (@NationalLeague) March 1, 2021
“Getting a spot to the National Championships feels amazing,” Galaxy 2004 Blue midfielder Ella Johnson said. “We were in the First Division of the Midwest Conference, and these past few years we have worked up to Premier II then Premier I and now Club vs. Club. We’ve had some devastating losses. We were supposed to be in Regionals last year. Coming back this season, winning the Playoffs, getting into Nationals — it feels like it was all worth it.”
Broomfield Blast (CO) and St. Louis Scott Gallagher (MO) led all clubs with two Playoff winners each, while North Texas led all State Associations with three teams that booked their ticket to Nationals.
“The National League has been one of the top leagues in the country for the last 10 years that I’ve been around,” said Grant Sawyer, coach of 19U Boys Group A winner Solar 02B Castro (TX-N). “Every year, you face the top teams. Every game is do-or-die. Our last game here came down to a 0-0 tie.”
2021 USYS National Championships | Qualifiers via the National League Playoffs
15U Girls
- Group A – Century V Steel 2006 Blue (PA-W)
- Group B – Broomfield Blast SC 2006 Prestige (CO)
- Group C – CUP 06 Gold (OH-S)
- Group D – 06 Lady Lobos Rush Premier (TN)
16U Girls
- Group A – Broomfield Blast SC 2005 Prestige (CO)
- Group B – Philadelphia SC Coppa 05 Rage (PA-E)
17U Girls
- Group A – Galaxy SC 2004 Blue (IL)
- Group B – CFC Red Star 04G Elite (GA)
18U Girls
- Group A – Nationals Union 03 Girls Black (MI)
- Group B – Indy Premier SC 03G Elite I (IN)
19U Girls
- Group A – FC Dallas Youth 02 Red (TX-N)
- Group B – Sparta FC 02 Elite (TX-N)
17U Boys
- Group A – SLSG 2004 Elite (MO)
18U Boys
- Group A – Kingdom SC 03 Red (MI)
19U Boys
- Group A – Solar 02B Castro (TX-N)
- Group B – SLSG 2002 Elite (MO)
The 2020-21 National League Playoffs will continue with more groups competing at National League Greensboro (March 12 – 14) and National League Orlando (March 19 – 21).
A look back at Monday’s action in the National League Playoffs…
15U GIRLS
Century V – Steel G2006 Blue (PA-W) used stout defense to win Group A. It allowed just one goal in three games, which helped it secure first place. In Group B, Broomfield Blast SC 2006 Girls Prestige (CO) secured a tight 2-1 win on Monday to finish atop the table. A 3-0 win on Sunday over second-place Chicago Inter 2006 Red (IL) proved to be the deciding factor.
CUP 06 Gold (OH-S) picked a 4-0 win on Monday in Group C action, while Legends Temecula Valley FC G06 (CA-S) secured a 2-0 win. The CUP victory allowed it to edge out Legends for the top spot in the group thanks to a goal differential advantage. Meanwhile, a 2-0 win on Monday helped 06 Lady Lobos Rush Premier (TN) finish on top of Group D with seven points from its three games.
16U GIRLS
Broomfield Blast SC 2005 Girls Prestige (CO) finished with shutout victories in North Carolina, as it finished in first place in Group A. Meanwhile, Philadelphia SC Coppa 05 Rage (PA-E) conceded just one goal in its three games, as it finished with back-to-back clean sheets en route to a Group B title.
17U GIRLS
Galaxy SC 2004 Blue (IL) used a late goal against SC Wave Juniors 04 Girls (WI) to earn a 2-1 win in its final Group A game, which allowed it to finish in first place. In Group B, CFC Red Star 04G Elite (GA) did enough in its first two games to clinch a first-place finish, and it rounded out its weekend with a 1-1 draw against Collierville 04 Lady Lobos Rush Premier (TN).
18U GIRLS
Nationals Union 03 Girls Black won all three of its Group A games, including shutouts in its last two games, to finish in first place. Meanwhile, Indy Premier SC 03 Elite I (IN) came away with a decisive victory in a must-win situation on Monday. The victory allowed it to move to seven points in the standings and hold off CUP 03 NL (OH-S).
19U GIRLS
In a winner-take-all Group A contest, FC Dallas Youth 02G Red defeated Savannah United 02 Girls Premier (GA), 2-1, to finish in first place with a 3-0-0 record. In Group B, Sparta FC 02 Elite (TX-N) did not concede a goal in North Carolina, while its goal output increased in each match — leading to a perfect record and the group title.
17U BOYS
With each of the Group A games ending in scoreless draws on Monday, SLSG 2004 Elite (MO) managed to maintain its advantage atop the standings and punch its ticket to the National Championships.
18U BOYS
Kingdom SC 03 Red (MI) was the lone team to come away unbeaten from Group A action, as it finished with two wins and draw. Its result on Monday helped it secure first place and a spot at Nationals.
19U BOYS
In Group A, Solar 02B Castro (TX-N) and Galaxy 2002 Boys Blue (IL) entered their Monday matchup tied atop the table. Galaxy, which needed a win, pressured the Solar goal several times in the late minutes, but the North Texas side held on for the draw it needed to win the group. Meanwhile, SLSG 2002 Elite (MO) finished a dominant weekend with a decisive win in a winner-take-all match against PFA 2002B (MD). The victory was SLSG’s third shutout in as many games, as it finished in first place in Group B.
The National League operates its primary league play across 13 Conferences that operate at a multi-state tier and provide high-level competition at a targeted local level, as well as a pathway for advancement into the regional and national stages of the USYS National Championship Series. The new National League Showcase Series and National League Playoffs represent the national tier of the National League, providing a platform for teams to compete in unique matches against uncommon opponents.
For more information on the National League and each of its competitions, including the National League Playoffs, click here.
