Today we unveil our latest update to Grande Sports Academy TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide, releasing the latest standings for U16, U17 and U18 Boys. Next week, we will update the older age groups on the Girls side. We will update our National Top 25 for each age group at least once per month.

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New York Red Bulls take over at U16

Teams at this age group don’t stay on top for long this season in the Development Academy, and Crew Soccer Academy Wolves is no exception. Last month’s top-ranked Wolves followed a great start to the season with losses to FC Wisconsin and Sockers, and a draw with Shattuck St. Mary’s. The season is long, however, with plenty of time left to turn things around.

New York Red Bulls remains the sole team in the USSDA U16 age group unbeaten and untied, and for that reason, climbs from No. 3 to No. 1 with this update. The Red Bulls will face a tough Albertson side this weekend and will look to contain Albertson’s leading scorer Barry Sharifi, who had a hat trick in their last match against Revolution Empire.

PA Classics also remains unbeaten in Development Academy play, but earned a draw against Match Fit Academy on October 27. Despite the draw, the team climbs from No. 21 to No. 12 due to an almost impenetrable defense that has allowed just two goals all season thanks to netminder Trevor Clemens. Clemens has played every minute for the Pennsylvania-based side, earning five shutouts.

Boca United takes RIII PL East crown at U17

While many of the teams in this age group will begin their seasons at the first US Youth Soccer National League event later this month in North Carolina, Boca United 96/97 Gold has put three months of competition behind, and emerged as champion of the Region III Premier League’s East Division. The tough regional league included USYS National League qualifiers No. 11 North Atlanta SA 15 Elite, No. 2 Gwinnett SA Phoenix Premier, and No. 22 Concorde Fire Elite, and Boca finished the season with a single loss to NASA by a slim 2-1 margin. In addition, the team’s strong showing in its 3-1 defeat of No. 2 GSA helped it catapult from No. 25 to No. 20 in our standings.

Shattuck St. Mary’s vaults into top 10 at U18

Retaining the likes of IMG Academy 150 forward Ricardo Lopez-Espin from last season’s Development Academy runner up squad has proven to be beneficial once again for Minnesota’s Shattuck St. Mary’s Academy. The Creighton commit has led his team to an 8-0-1 record, which tops the Mid-America division, and has eight goals to date, putting him on the list as one of the Development Academy’s leading scorers. Tim Carter’s squad looks poised to make another postseason run, and climbs from No. 21 to No. 10 in our standings.

With an 8-0-1 record identical to that of Shattuck St. Mary’s, No. 6 PDA nears the top five with this update, its lone blemish to date a 1-1 draw with MLS Academy side Philadephia Union. The Development Academy’s leading goal scorer Brian White has produced 10 of his team’s 24 goals, putting PDA in a good spot with one match remaining before the winter break.

Next Thursday: U16, U17, and U18 Girls

Grande Sports Academy 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.

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