It is early in the season, and there is really no reason to prognosticate at this point, but it is difficult to overlook the start of a couple of players in the USSF’s Development Academy.

Chicago Fire U18 forward Jeffery Farina managed to score hat tricks in back-to-back games last weekend as the MLS Academy made quick work of visitors from Ohio. This weekend, Farina and his cohorts make the short trip to St. Louis for a fixture against St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro on Saturday.

Farina is not the only Fire player off to a hot start. Indiana Fire Academy, an affiliate of the Chicago club, U18 midfielder Lindo Mfeka has six goals in his first three games. Mfeka, a South Florida commit, is in his first season in the Academy this year. The South African teenager is a left-footed center midfielder who arrived in Louisville in 2009.

Mfeka is graduating high school early and enrolling with South Florida in January, so Academy fans should enjoy the fireworks while they last. Indiana Fire Academy takes on Vardar SC Freiburg on Saturday.

West Conference:

Real Salt Lake AZ takes on Chivas USA in the desert on Saturday. For Chivas USA Academy coach Mike Munoz, it is a return to where it all began. Munoz’s Academy career started at the Grande Sports World two years with the inception of Real Salt Lake’s Academy.

Both teams are in the infancy of the season and still getting their feet wet, but already a couple of standouts have emerged from the MLS Academies. Chivas USA U16 forward Caleb Calvert has three goals in his first two games. The tall striker is a bit of a Ben Spencer clone in terms of style of play.

On the older Chivas USA squad, Daniel Moreno has made his impact felt immediately with a trio of tallies to start the season. The midfielder was exceptional during Chivas USA U18’s run to Finals Week last season and has not slowed one bit this fall.

For the residency, new addition Riggs Lennon is enjoying his introduction to the Development Academy with three goals in his first two games for RSL-AZ. Marquette commit Jose Navarro also has three goals.

In Northern California, Cal Odyssey hosts San Jose Earthquakes in the first game of the season for both academies. Earthquakes U18 boast the return of Elisama Padilla who scored 13 goals for the U16 team last season. Odyssey has talented winger Tren Biswell back for his final season in the Development Academy. Biswell has played in the U18 age group for the past two seasons.

East Conference:

D.C. United U18 takes on the top team in the Atlantic Division on Saturday when McLean Youth Soccer homes to visit. United is 2-1-0 to start the season after the 4-2 defeat to PA Classics last week. Denis Najar and Kennedy O’Shea lead the team in scoring with three goals. Matthew Ledder is the top scorer for McLean U18 with a trio of strikes.

In the younger age group, D.C. United has been untouchable in the early stretch of the season with 11 goals scored, but only one conceded. Salvadorian Gerson Umana has been the key for the attack with five goals.

Down the coast in the Southeast Division, North Carolina Fusion and CASL Chelsea FC Academy travel to Florida this weekend for games against Weston FC and Kendall SC.

Weston FC U18 forward Nicholas Pappacena has three goals in two games to start the year. Pappacena scored 21 goals last year in the U16 age group, so he is well on his way to matching that tally in the older age group.

New York Red Bulls make their first trip north of the border this weekend with a clash against Montreal Impact. The Red Bulls have not let in a goal yet at the U16 level with a pair of shutout victories to start the season. Impact’s U16 has scored nine goals in three games, so that defense will be tested this weekend.

Central Conference:

FC Dallas finally kicks off their season on Saturday with a road game against Classics Elite. The San Antonio club has yet to record a point in either age group this season. The MLS Academy has a number of new players this season including youth national team defender/midfielder Christian De Luna and former Kendall SC midfielder Ethan Sonis.

Shattuck-Saint Mary’s Soccer Academy heads to Ohio this weekend for games against Internationals and Crew Soccer Academy. SSM U16 winger Akeem Ward is leading his side in scoring with three goals on the year.