Every year, the Disney Showcase Qualifier provides a conduit for top teams to qualify for December’s Showcase, which ropes in some of the best U15-U19 teams the nation has to offer. During last weekend’s qualifier at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, the top two finishers of each boys and girls age groups booked tickets to the final event later this year.

Here’s a glimpse at how it all went down on the girls side.

U15

Red

Based solely on group results, the U15 red flight looked as though it belonged to FC Florida and Davie United SC. Those two sides walked through their Brackets unimpeded with nine points from three games. Neither gave up more than a goal in group play, and they were positioned on opposite sides of the semifinal bracket. FKK didn’t have as much group stage gravitas after capturing five points in three games to sneak through its group, but its run in the knockouts quickly became legend. FKK bumped off FC Florida 2-0 in the semis before topping Clay County - which beat Davie United in the other semifinal - to capture its spot in the showcase in December.

 

Black

Nobody in this flight enjoyed quite the success the West Florida Flames’ ECNL side did. The Flames were the only team that went unbeaten in group play, and their 7-1 goal differential made it clear they were the team to beat in the knockouts. Meanwhile, Bay United and Houston Express both won their groups with seven points, and the Flames’ NPL affiliate also made it through. The Flames’ ECNL side knocked off their NPL counterparts before facing the Express in the final, a team that had scored nine and surrendered just two through four games. But the Flames were up to the challenge and won 2-1, meaning they won all five games to get through unharmed.

 

U16

Red

Space Coast United’s record seemed incredible. Through its first three matches, SCU didn’t surrender a goal and won Bracket A going away with all nine points. Meanwhile, all three other semifinals - West Pines United, FKK and Cape Coral - had gotten through with no more than seven points. Space Coast continued its incredible run with a 1-0 shutout win in the semifinal round, but their incredible defensive record stopped cold in the title match. Fresh off a 4-1 win in the semis, FKK broke Space Coast’s previously impenetrable back line and carried away a 1-0 victory to sprint into the December showcase.

 

Black

While Space Coast was a mere game away from securing a perfect defensive record in Orlando, Pinecrest Premier made it happen. The program went 3-0-0 in group play and scored eight goals while surrendering zero. Incidentally, they came up against an OCYS team that also hadn’t surrendered a goal in group play in the semifinal round, and Pinecrest walked away 1-0 winners for a shot at the crown. In the final, Pinecrest put the cherry on its odyssey here by claiming a 2-0 victory over Clay County to keep its fifth clean sheet in a row. They’ll head to the final showcase with an 11-0 goals record from qualifying.

 

U17

Red

Few teams in Orlando boasted the kind of attacking record that the Space Coast United U17s did. While the U16s nearly pulled off a perfect defensive record before falling a game short, the U17s used their heady front line to crush its group and win both knockout games to earn a spot in December. Space Coast scored 12 games in the group stage, easily the highest total in any girls age bracket at the event, which set them up in a semifinal against a West Pines United side that had given up just two in Bracket B. Space Coast came out 1-0 winners and then faced a Boca United team that scored nine through its first four. Again, Space Coast rode a single goal to a 1-0 victory to prove that though goals win games, solid defenses win groups.

 

Black

IMG Academy was the lone team to emerge from group play with a perfect record. With eight goals and three wins in three games, IMG booked itself a matchup with OCYS in the semis, a team that had given up a mere goal in Bracket B and hadn’t yet lost a game. IMG made quick work of a 2-0 victory to set up a meeting with Florida Fire, which won Bracket A on seven points and beat Creeks Soccer 3-1 in the other semifinal. IMG gave up just its third goal in five matches in the final, but it managed two goals itself to prove that sometimes cinderella doesn’t have enough oomph to upset the favorite.

 

U18

Red

The U18 division is the only one to have a four-group setup, meaning each of the semifinal combatants is a group winner. That didn’t seem to bother West Florida Flames, who added another unbeaten team to its ledger when the U18 side won the red flight going away. The Flames drew one game in the group but managed to avoid giving up a goal, but they seriously revved up the engine during group play. They trounced JYSC Fury 4-0 in the semis and then topped Tampa Bay United - previously unbeaten Tampa Bay United - 2-0 in the title game. The Flames went two teams to the final showcase in December with a combined 9-0-1 record.

 

Black 

What a final. JFC Storm and Boca United appeared to be on a crash course throughout the Black flight’s group phase, and when they were paired on opposite ends of the semifinal bracket it was all but confirmed. Both teams were perfect in the group phase and didn’t give up a goal (JFC scored eight while Boca United had nine), and both teams registered impressive shutout victories in the semis to book perhaps the most anticipated final of any age bracket on either the boys or girls side. The final didn’t disappoint, as Boca United was forced to leg out a 3-2 victory to get through. A fitting end to a thrilling run.