As the 2013-14 season reaches its end in the month of July, we unveil the penultimate updates to Grande Sports Academy TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide, releasing the latest standings for U13, U14, and U15 Girls. We will unveil the final rankings for all age groups on August 1.

(scroll down for system details)

FC Salmon Creek wins uphill battle at U13

With a fantastic run to end the season, FC Salmon Creek Nemesis 00 White from Vancouver, Washington debuts at No. 21. FCSC earned points for its top finish in the Oregon Premier League’s NPL division last fall, but then had some tough losses that kept the Nemesis out of the rankings, most notably in the semifinals of the Washington Youth Soccer State Cup. Not to be turned off by an uphill battle, the Nemesis entered the NPL Finals with determination and topped Michigan Hawks 01 in the semifinal, then No. 22 New England FC 00 in the final, earning national championship points and a spot in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25.

Michigan Hawks 01 may have been denied one national championship, but are still in the hunt for another. The Hawks won the US Youth Soccer Region II championships and are one their way to face No. 1 Surf Academy 1 in the USYS National Championship final. The Hawks now stand at No. 2 in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25.

Hawks soar at U14

Michigan Hawks ECNL began the season with a 2-1 loss to Sockers, but that loss proved to be the only one the Hawks would suffer all year. The Hawks entered the ECNL finals as the second seed from the Great Lakes Division thanks to that loss, but emerged as ECNL champion thanks to the leadership of IMG Academy 150 Class of 2018 No. 2 Alexa Spaanstra. Spaanstra scored eight goals during the week and after her performance, is making a case for her ranking to be bumped up to No. 1. She helped her team to a national title and a No. 2 spot in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25.

Tophat’s new position at No. 1 is precarious, having earned a come-from-behind stoppage time draw against USYS Region III champion and National League nemesis Ponte Vedra Storm to remain in contention for a USYS national title. The heat and humidity in Maryland provided for a battle between the southern rivals on Tuesday. If Tophat falls, Michigan Hawks may finish the season on top.

Surf’s Up at U15

PDA’s fairytale ending was just not to be as Surf scored on a corner kick to take the ECNL national title by a 1-0 margin. Surf, like Michigan Hawks at the U14 age group, finished the regular season second in their conference, but with the help of two players ranked in the top 10 in the IMG Academy 150, forward No. 3 Catarina Macario and midfielder No. 6 Chloe Frisch, Surf was loaded with talent and everything fell into place for a title run. Surf climbs to No. 1, and for the second season in a row, PDA’s finishes at No. 2.

August 1: Final standings for all age groups

Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25 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.

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