Today we unveil our latest update to Grande Sports Academy TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide, and we release the latest standings for U16, U17 and U18 Girls. Next week, we will update the younger age groups on the Boys side. We will update our National Top 25 of each age group at least once per month.

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Texas triple play at U16

Two Texas Conference teams take a few steps closer to the top of the rankings with this update, while a third enters the rankings for the first time.

Both TSC Hurricane and Dallas Texans proved that being tops in Texas also means tops in the country. TSC holds the top spot in the Texas Conference and climbs from No. 15 to No. 7. Dallas Texans have a virtually identical record to TSC in Texas, but lost to the Hurricane in a close head-to-head match-up in October. Both teams travelled to Phoenix and earned draws with No. 5 West Coast FC, but the Texans also earned a draw with No. 3 San Diego Surf. The Texans performance in Phoenix helped raise their ranking from No. 9 to No. 6, leaving the two teams virtually tied in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25 as well.

FC Dallas earned shutouts in all three matches in Phoenix and currently sits in third in the Texas Conference. With an overall record of 10-3-1 and with two of its losses to the top ten conference opponents mentioned above, FC Dallas climbs into the top 25 at No. 25.

More: ECNL Scoreboard | IMG Academy 150 Rankings | ECNL Phoenix Recaps

Solar attacks at U17

Solar Chelsea is putting together a memorable season in the ECNL, and climbs this month from No. 21 all the way to No. 8. Having already handed No. 2 Dallas Sting its only loss of the season, and a 4-0 beat down at that, Solar has amassed a conference record of 6-1-2, good for second, and an overall record of 9-1-2 which includes wins over So Cal Blues, Heat FC, and CASL in Phoenix. Part of their success is due to the combination play of Claire Gantzer and Alexis Thornton, arguably the tallest attacking duo in this age group (both measure 5’11”). Gantzer, who played up on Solar’s U18s last season, and Thornton, who has given her verbal to SMU, have combined for 15 goals and 10 assists in the team’s 12 matches.

Unbeatens climb at U18

A couple of unbeatens keep ticking up the rankings and one makes the list for the first time this season just before the USYS National League begins play.

Unbeaten Dallas Sting keeps its No. 1 ranking, but Eclipse Select, Colorado Rush, and McLean YS all move up as their streaks continue.  Eclipse climbs to No. 2, and Rush and McLean, whose early records are still perfect, climb to No. 5 and No. 7 respectively. One of these is likely to fall from the ranks of the unbeaten in December, however, as Eclipse and McLean are scheduled to face each other at the Sanford showcase.

While No. 10 DMCV Sharks had a couple of key wins early in the season to boost their fall ranking, Beach FC 97 Academy, last season’s US Youth Soccer national champion, has remained unbeaten in the SCDSL, secured a win over the Sharks at the end of October, and is now second behind DMCV in the league standings. With that win, Jeffrey Joyner’s squad seems poised for a good run when the National League season starts in Raleigh this weekend, lifting them back into the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25 for this season at No. 22.

Next Thursday: U13, U14, and U15 Boys

Grande Sports Academy TeamRank is the comprehensive team-ranking system devised by TopDrawerSoccer.com to provide an objective and common-sense approach to determining which elite youth soccer teams are the best in the nation.

The rankings, updated monthly, are primarily results-based, with a nod toward the league and championship competitions that emulate how excellence is determined in leading soccer nations around the world.

Tournaments are also included but at a reduced value due to the many mitigating factors involving such events, including attrition and guest players.

A final layer of executive evaluation is provided to account for variables that often impact results, thus ensuring that the monthly lists are not subjective, but are not purely mechanical.