Today we unveil our latest update to Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide, releasing the latest standings for U13, U14 and U15 Girls. In two weeks, we will update the older age groups on the Boys side. We will update our Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25 for each age group at least once per month.

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Solar rises at U13

Thanksgiving weekend was a productive one for Solar Chelsea 01 Red. The team from Dallas travelled to Orlando to face some of the top teams east of the Mississippi, and had no problem taking the Disney Junior Showcase hardware back to Dallas, winning the semifinal and final each by a 3-0 margin. Solar will hold the second spot in the Lake Highland Girls Classic League until play resumes in February and holds the No. 5 spot in our rankings.

New to the rankings at the end of the fall season is Arsenal Elite West at No. 20. Not to be confused with No. 10 Arsenal Elite, Carlos Guerrero’s team holds the second spot in the Southern California Developmental Soccer League overall standings, one spot above its intra-club rival. These two teams will continue their battle for club bragging rights in the Pacific Developmental NPL in the spring season, hoping to earn a spot in the NPL finals next summer.

 

National League play begins at U14

Tophat 18 Gold helps the Atlanta club continue to make an argument that the ECNL would be a stronger conference if they were a part of it. Tophat finishes the fall season at No. 2 in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25. The Georgia Youth Soccer Athena A champions began US Youth Soccer National League play in November with a 4-0 record, then travelled to the Disney Junior Showcase to compete against some of the top teams in the ECNL. Tophat toppled No. 7 Charlotte SA in group play, then proceeded to take the semifinal over No. 25 Jacksonville FC Storm, finishing the tournament with a 4-0 defeat of Annandale United. Tophat will compete in the youngest division of the Region III Premier League in the spring.

The aforementioned Jacksonville FC Storm returns to our rankings this month. JFC is following in Tophat’s footsteps, also having a strong showing in the inaugural weekend of USYS National League play, and withstanding some tough competition at Disney before falling to the team from Atlanta. JFC opened national league play with a 3-0-1 record and defeated No. 3 World Class ECNL in group play at Disney, all in November.

 

Concorde clinches at U15

Brian Moore’s Concorde Fire ECNL U15’s finished the season in December with two strong wins over conference foes VSI West FL Flames and Orlando City to clinch the Southeast Conference and head into the high school break sitting pretty for the ECNL postseason. The Fire climbs to No. 9 in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25 and will be one of the teams to beat at the ECNL Showcase in Florida next week.

While Concorde Fire has completed its ECNL conference play, Ohio Elite SA continues its strong start and climbs to No. 20 with this update. IMG Academy 150 standout Abby McNamara, as predicted, has provided much of the offense with seven goals in just the four games played, propelling her team to a 4-0 record and top of the Ohio Valley Division.

Thursday January 9: U16, U17, and U18 Boys

 

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.