60 total teams earn advancement to the 2024 USYS National Championships
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TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 28, 2024) — Five exciting days of action at National League P.R.O. in Tampa, Fla., saw 30 boys teams and 30 girls teams qualify for the 2024 USYS National Championships. Ten teams also claimed National League P.R.O. titles as winners of the champions pool in their age group.
The games in Tampa featured top teams in the 14U-19U age groups from the USYS National League’s club-based platform — Elite 64 — and team-based conferences, as each competing side earned its place in the event through its performance at playoff events earlier this season.
Many of the coaches and players talked about the value of proving themselves on the field and seizing the opportunities available to each team.
“It’s really exciting and fun to play in because you know the level of soccer is so high,” said Brandon Marquez of MSC Academy 05B (IL) after his team came back from a three-goal deficit to win and clinch a berth to the National Championships. “Anything that you’re going to do right now depends on you and depends on your team — if you’re going to Nationals or you’re not going to Nationals. It was a really important match for us and exciting to play in and come back.”
The action at National League P.R.O. was extremely competitive, as all games were decided by an average goal difference of just 1.84, and the games to decide berths to the National Championships often came down to the wire. The pool finals featured some of the most competitive matches of the event, as the average goal differential in those 26 games was just 1.07 and included nine penalty kick shootouts.
The 60 teams that qualified for the National Championships came from 22 different state associations, led by Illinois with seven qualifiers. Florida had five teams qualify for Nationals, while Kansas, Tennessee and Utah each had four qualifiers.
Twelve different clubs had multiple teams qualify for the National Championships. Greater Libertyville Soccer Association and Toca FC led the way, as they each had three teams advance to Nationals.
In addition to teams earning their place in the National Championships, six boys teams and six girls teams won tournament competition within the champions pool of their respective age groups to claim National League P.R.O. titles.
2024 National League P.R.O. (Tampa) | Girls Champions
14U: Columbus United G10 Lions (OH)
15U: MIFC 2009 NL (FL)
16U: Germantown Lady Legends 08 Black (TN)
17U: Nationals Union 07G Black (MI)
19U: Chattanooga Red Wolves 06G (TN)
2024 National League P.R.O. (Tampa) | Boys Champions
14U: LI Slammers 10 Black (NY-E)
15U: Sporting PA 09 Boys (PA-E)
16U: Toca FC 08B Elite 64 (KS)
17U: La Roca J Milla (UT)
19U: Indiana Fire 05B NL (IN)
“We love each other so much, and it’s just a huge family — that’s really what helps us win these games,” said Phoebe Scott of 19U Girls National League P.R.O. champion Chattanooga Red Wolves 06G (TN). “It means everything to us. To come out on top, it gives us the confidence to go into Nationals with a better mindset. I think this is our strongest year, and we’re ready for it.”
The 10 National League P.R.O. champions represented nine different state associations, as Tennessee was the lone state to have two title winners.
Two 2023 USYS National Champions — 14U Girls Columbus United and 17U Boys La Roca — won National League P.R.O. titles, while 16U Boys Toca FC followed up its 2023 Elite 64 National Finals title by winning National League P.R.O.
NATIONAL LEAGUE P.R.O. TITLE GAME GOAL SCORERS
14U Girls
Columbus United G10 Lions (OH) – 1 (Cali Hejduk 38’)
BVB IA Pittsburgh 10G Premier (PA-W) – 0
15U Girls
MIFC 2009 NL (FL) – 4 (Kendall Seays 16’, Mariela Zavala 24’, Ruby Schlegel 32’, Anyah Ricketts 73’)
WNY Flash Rochester 09G Elite 64 (NY-W) – 0
16U Girls
Germantown Lady Legends 08 Black (TN) – 2 (Payton Biggs 23’, 30’)
Coppermine SC 08G Elite 64 (MD) – 1 (Logan Gilmore 8’)
17U Girls
Nationals Union 07G Black (MI) – 0 (PK winners)
AFA Fillies 2007G Ruthless (MO) – 0
19U Girls
Chattanooga Red Wolves 06G (TN) – 4 (Ava Duffey 50’, Phoebe Scott 67’, 69’, Corinne Hessler 79’)
Michigan Rangers FC 05/06 Elite 64 (MI) – 1 (Mia Rae Gutierrez 20’)
14U Boys
LI Slammers 10 Black (NY-E) – 2 (Oscar Avilez 39’, 46’)
Oregon Premier 10B Elite 64 (OR) – 0
15U Boys
Sporting PA 09 Boys (PA-E) – 0 (PK winners)
Team Boca 09B White (FL) – 0
16U Boys
Toca FC 08B Elite 64 (KS) – 1 (PK winners) (Liam Morrison 80’)
SMS 08 Strikers Red Premier (MD) – 1 (Nathaniel Williams 40’)
17U Boys
La Roca J Milla (UT) – 4 (Jorge Beltran Lara 26’, 74’, Patrick Stevenson 65’, Juan Cubillas 85’)
Oregon Premier 07B Elite 64 (OR) – 2 (Vance Sheffield 45’, Sarp Erdem 79’)
19U Boys
Indiana Fire 05B NL (IN) – 2 (Ely Detty 15’, Denis Paz 62’)
Galaxy SC 05B NL (IL) – 1 (Joshua Weigel 72’)
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