The girls kick off their National League Quarterfinals when dozens of Elite 64 teams travel to Mesa, Ariz., to compete Nov. 8-11 at the Arizona Athletic Grounds. (View schedule)

Each age group features a champions pool, where teams will play in a tournament format to determine the event champion. In the 14U-19U age groups, teams in every pool are also playing for qualifying spots into the May 2025 National League Semifinals, where teams will compete for a chance to advance to the 2025 USYS National Championships, presented by New York Life.

While teams in the 13U age group will see a champions pool winner crowned, the Quarterfinals primarily serve an opportunity to earn seeding points for next season’s events. There is no semifinal advancement in the 13U age group.

Take a look at some of the teams, games and players to watch in the 14U-19U Girls age groups during the National League Quarterfinals in November.

There may not be an abundance of past results for teams in this age group, but for City SC Utah Elite 64 11G (UT), the team history that is available is overwhelmingly positive. The Utah side finished first in the Elite 64 Northwest last season, as it compiled an 8-1-1 record while scoring 28 goals and conceding just three. If it can recapture that form in Arizona, City SC Utah could be a strong contender in the champions pool.

A couple of other teams to watch in the champions pool come from the Elite 64 Pacific and feature similar resumes. AYSO United Elite 64 11G (CA-S) and Legends FC Elite 64 11G (CA-S) finished tied for second place in the league last season. AYSO put together a strong plus-13 goal differential, and the teams split their head-to-head matchups with a pair of high-scoring games decided by just one goal. AYSO has been the in-form team so far in 2024-25, as it is off to a perfect 11-0-0 start in league play.

Though it is coming off a mid-table finish in the Elite 64 Pacific, East County Surf Elite 64 11G (CA-S) may be another team to watch in the champions pool. Surf finished 4-3-2 in league play in 2023-24, but it put in several impressive showings en route to a plus-11 goal differential. East County is off to a slow start this season, but if it plays to its potential in Arizona, it could make a run in the champions pool.

Day 1 Game to Watch

In the wildcard pool, FC Premier Elite 64 11G (CA-S) takes on Cook Inlet SC Elite 64 11G (AK) on Nov. 9. The game will mark Cook Inlet’s first in Elite 64 competition, while FC Premier will aim to build on its early-season results from several close encounters in the Elite 64 Pacific. The winner of this game will set itself up with a chance to earn a berth to the NL Semifinals.

US Youth SOccer ODP Players

2011 West Region – Breeze Kaahanui – AYSO United Elite 64 11G (CA-S)

Over the past year, City SC Utah Elite 64 10G (UT) has proven to be a consistently strong side across various competitions. In 2023-24 league play, it won the Elite 64 Northwest with a perfect 10-0-0 record, and City SC Utah’s performance at national events was equally as impressive, as it earned its way to the 2024 National Championships. There, the Utah side won its group and advanced to the semifinals. It will aim to get back to that stage this season, and that journey starts with champions pool action in Arizona.

Another league winner from last season that is looking to make noise in the champions pool is Legends FC Elite 64 10G (CA-S). The Cal South side posted an unbeaten record in 2023-24 league play, as it went 8-0-2 in the Elite 64 Pacific — boasting the division’s top defense while conceding just seven goals. It will look to regain that form to challenge in the champions pool in Arizona.

East County Surf Elite 64 10G (CA-S) finished just one point behind Legends in the Elite 64 Pacific standings last season. East County claimed the division’s most potent attack, as it led the group with 44 goals scored to finish with a plus-31 goal differential. It will look to threaten the back lines of its opponents in Arizona to fuel a deep run in the champions pool.

In the wildcard pool, AYSO United Elite 64 10G (CA-S) heads to Arizona as one of the most in-form teams in the age group. To start this season, AYSO jumped into the top spot in the Elite 64 Pacific standings by winning six of its first seven games. After some recent close losses, AYSO will hope to get back on track during play in Arizona.

Day 1 Game to Watch

With its impressive resume from last season, City SC Utah Elite 64 10G (UT) will be challenged right away in Arizona when it faces Los Angeles Soccer Elite 64 10G (CA-S) on Nov. 9. LASC will aim to carry early-season momentum into the quarterfinals after it began its 2024-25 league campaign with a 6-1-2 record. Several of those wins came in close games, and a single goal may be the difference in this champions pool matchup.

Taka Players to Watch

Video clips and descriptions provided by Taka.

Jai Scipio (Forward – Los Angeles SC)
Tenacity, game awareness and versatility are just some of Scipio’s strengths. She’ll be hunting for goals and assists all weekend!

Ivy Jacobson (Defender – Utah Celtic)
Jacobson is alert, mobile and capable of playing an important role at both ends of the field for Utah Celtic in Mesa.

A collection of skilled teams with varying backgrounds suggest this age group could be wide open during the quarterfinals in Arizona. Valor Elite 64 09G (WA) will be out to make some moves in the champions pool after it finished in first place in the Elite 64 Northwest last season. The Washington side showed it could manufacture complete team performances, as its seven league wins included four shutouts and four victories by a margin of more than two goals.

Valor will be joined in Arizona by some teams that gained experience competing at the National Championships this past season. Fellow champions pool side East County Surf Elite 64 09G (CA-S) made it to Nationals in 2024 after strong event performances and a second-place league finish that saw it go 8-2-1 in the Elite 64 Pacific. Elite 64 newcomer Cook Inlet SC Elite 64 09G (AK) also played at Nationals, and it will look to tap into that experience when it competes in the wildcard pool this November.

One team that appears to have taken a step up since last season in Los Angeles Soccer Elite 64 09G (CA-S), which has already surpassed its win total from a season ago. LASC is 7-0-2 in 2024-25 league play and currently leads the Elite 64 Pacific standings.

Day 1 Game to Watch

The Nov. 8 matchup between Valor Elite 64 09G (WA) and Los Angeles Soccer Elite 64 09G (CA-S) will be one to watch. With a berth to the semifinals on the line, Valor will look to recapture the strong form that helped it win its Elite 64 division last season. Meanwhile, LASC is already deep into its league schedule this year and has shown it’s one of the most in-form teams in the age group.

Taka Players to Watch

Video clips and descriptions provided by Taka.

Quynn Campbell (Midfielder – Cook Inlet SC)
Campbell has played a year up at this age group but certainly doesn’t look out of place. She drives hard down the right flank looking to score and assist.

Emily Christensen (Forward – City SC Utah)
Powerful but also possessing good footwork and soccer IQ, don’t be surprised to see Christensen regularly on the scoresheet in Mesa.

After advancing to the semifinals of the USYS National Championships last season, Utah Celtic Elite 64 08G (UT) is looking to once again perform well on the national stage. Celtic posted an 8-0-2 record while winning the Elite 64 Northwest in 2023-24, and its strong play at national events helped it advance to the National Championships. The Utah side can begin a similar run with a good showing in the champions pool in Arizona.

The team that finished just one point behind Celtic in last season’s Elite 64 Northwest standings — City SC Utah Elite 64 08G (UT) — will be another side to watch in the champions pool. City SC Utah earned eight wins and a draw from its 10 league games, and it showed some grit in finding ways to win close games.

Another team that could challenge for the top spot in the champions pool is Los Angeles Soccer Elite 64 08G (CA-S). LASC finished second in the Elite 64 Pacific last season, and it is off to an even better start to its 2024-25 league campaign. LASC currently leads the standings after an unbeaten opening nine games, and it will bring that top form to the quarterfinals this November. East County Surf Elite 64 08G (CA-S) is just behind LASC in the league standings, as East County is 6-0-1 and playing well.

Day 1 Game to Watch

Two of the top teams in the Elite 64 Pacific meet on Nov. 8 with a spot in the National League Semifinals on the line when Los Angeles Soccer Elite 64 08G (CA-S) takes on AYSO United Elite 64 08G (CA-S). LASC came out on top when the two sides met earlier this fall, but anything can happen with the added excitement and atmosphere that comes with playing at the quarterfinals.

US Youth SOccer ODP Players

2008 West Region – Suri Parsia – Utah Celtic Elite 64 08G (UT)

Taka Players to Watch

Video clips and descriptions provided by Taka.

Hanley Larabee (Defender – East County Surf)
A versatile player who is crucial to East County Surf’s defensive efforts, Larabee’s qualities ensure she can also make a big impact at the top end of the field.

Leilani Phillips (Forward – AYSO United)
A powerful, prolific forward – Phillips scored four goals in one Elite 64 regular season game against Las Vegas Heat Surf in September.

With lots of experienced players, several teams could stake a claim to being a favorite to win the champions pool in this age group. Among them is Utah Celtic Elite 64 06/07G (UT), which finished second in the Elite 64 Northwest as a 17U side in 2023-24. Combining with some players from last year’s first-place 19U side will make Celtic a challenge for opponents in Arizona.

With more than 12 months of consistently strong play, East County Surf Elite 64 06/07G (CA-S) provides plenty of reasons to believe they’ll be a challenger for the champions pool title. The Cal South side finished near the top of the Elite 64 Pacific standings last season with a 7-2-2 record, and it’s off to an impressive start in 2024-25 at 5-1-1. The same can be said for So Cal Blues Elite 64 06/07G (CA-S), which currently stands in second place in a very congested top half of the Pacific standings. With strong recent performances, the Blues could make a deep run in the wildcard pool at the quarterfinals.

Elsewhere in the wildcard pool, Cook Inlet SC Elite 64 06G (AK) will be aiming to get one step closer to returning to the USYS National Championships. At Nationals in 2024, Cook Inlet came one goal away from advancing out of its group, and the Alaska side’s experience there and at past National League events could prove valuable in high-pressure moments in Arizona.

Day 1 Game to Watch

Last season’s second-place finisher in the Elite 64 Pacific, Legends FC Elite 64 06/07G (CA-S), takes on Los Angeles Soccer Elite 64 06/07G (CA-S), in a showdown on Nov. 8. Legends will be looking to replicate its league success from the 2023-24 campaign, while LASC will hope its current run of success carries over to Arizona. Prior to some recent hiccups, LASC began its 2024-25 season atop the Pacific standings by putting together a seven-game unbeaten streak.

US Youth SOccer ODP Players

2007 West Region – Kamri Yergensen – City SC Utah 06/07G E64 (UT)

Taka Players to Watch

Video clips and descriptions provided by Taka.

Brooklyn Bailey (Defender – Cook Inlet SC)
Strong positional sense and work ethic make Bailey a key part of the Alaska club’s defense. She also takes a mean free kick!

Mikaela Thibodeaux (Midfielder – CDA Slammers)
Thibodeaux thrives both centrally and on the left flank, where her quality crossing makes her a threat for opponents.