As we near the end of the 2011-2012 season, we continue unveiling our latest update to TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide. Today we release the latest standings for U16, U17 and U18 Boys. Next week, we will update the younger age groups on the Boys side. We will update our National Top 50 of each age group at least once per month.

With almost all competitions for the year having been completed, except for the US Youth Soccer National Championships and the National Premier Leagues’ inaugural Champions Cup, we will be unveiling our final updates for each age group this month. With some very minor tweaking based on the aforementioned competitions, we will publish our final standings for each age group by August 1, and will begin updates for 2012-2013 in September.

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New York Red Bulls overtake #1 at U16

The New York Red Bulls ended the regular season in second place in the Liberty Conference behind our former #1 PDA (now #9), but cruised past FC Dallas, CASL, and Georgia United in the Academy Playoffs.  The Red Bulls weren’t finished yet, and only allowed a single goal at the National Finals to finish the season as the #1 team in the U16 age group.

Like the Red Bulls, St. Louis Scott Gallagher seemed to cruise through the Academy Finals, but didn’t have an answer for Alex Muyl’s 16^th minute goal in the final, and ends the season at #2. In third place is Crew Soccer Academy Wolves, who finished behind #4 Chicago Fire in the Great Lakes Division regular season.  The Wolves tied and lost to the Fire during the season, but thanks to a couple of stops from goalkeeper Robbie Beckwell in a penalty kick shootout, the Wolves end the season with the edge.

Finally, at #5 is Pateadores, whose regular season was so tough that the team finished 6^th out of nine teams in the SoCal Conference, but was still able to qualify for the playoffs via a wildcard.  The Pats’ 3-3 tie against Dallas Texans during the Academy Playoffs was enough to keep the Texans (formerly #2 in our standings) from making it to Finals week.

Top Five at U17 All Headed to US Youth Soccer Nationals

With the US Youth Soccer National Championships having just begun on Wednesday, the final #1 spot in the U17 age group will be determined in a matter of days.  Our best guess is that Raiders FC, also last month’s #1, will finish the season in that top spot.  Second in the US Youth Soccer National League red division behind Eastside FC (#2), the Raiders are on a roll in 2012, with wins at the Disney Showcase and in the Midwest Regional League, the NISL’s National Premier League Division, and championships in the Illinois State Cup and Region II. Eastside FC remains second having qualified for this week’s championships through National League play.

Albion SC drops from the third spot to sixth this month, since the San Diego area club has finished competition for the 2011-12 season, which moves Sereno SC, Solar Chelsea, and Galaxy SC from Illinois to third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

FC Dallas Academy #1

FC Dallas finished the 2011-12 season with an 11 game unbeaten streak, culminating in a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps in the Development Academy Finals on Sunday.  The 18s were led by Daniel Garcia who had 20 goals on the season, and were the only DA squad to finish 2011-12 with 30 wins. Vancouver Whitecaps end the season in second place in our standings, having made it to the Development Academy final match after clinching 1^st place in the Northwest Division, and knocking off #3 North Carolina Fusion and #7 De Anza Force on the road to the final game. 

The Fusion had the most improbable run into the top five, having qualified for the playoffs via a wildcard spot (4^th in the Southeast Conference behind Charlotte Soccer Academy, CASL and McLean) and going 2-0-1 in the DA playoffs to reach the final eight, advancing to the 3^rd place match and defeating Solar soundly (4-1) on Sunday.

 

Next Thursday: U16, U17, U18 Girls

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.