Today we unveil our latest update to TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide. Today we release the initial standings for U16, U17 and U18 Boys in the 2012-2013 club soccer season. Next week, we will update the younger age groups on the girls side. We will update our National Top 50 teams of each age group at least once per month.

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U16s return to the lineup

The New York Red Bulls, at #1, seem to be the club to beat this year in the USSF Development Academy. Several players from last year’s championship squad (Brandon Tetro, Kevin Politz, and Steven Echevarria just to name a few) are with the U16s again this season, and with the added firepower of a few transfers from last year’s NY Cosmos Academy (now BW Gottschee) that made a trip to the NPL Champions Cup in July, the Red Bulls are likely to be a dominant force within the DA.

FC Dallas, another MLS Academy side, begins the season at #2 in our rankings, while St. Louis Scott Gallagher begins at #3. SLSG returns Mark Sebgers to the lineup, who had 9 goals last season, and has already started his 2012-13 campaign with a pair of goals against Chicago Magic PSG.

Rounding out the top five are #4 Albertson SC and #5 Sporting Kansas City. Albertson has garnered shutouts in its first two outings this season, and SKC enters a new conference with new competition, but has fared well right out of the gate with a 2-0 defeat of Colorado Rush.

Jaguars top U17s

Topping our ranking for September is Michigan Jaguars, last season’s US Youth National Champion. The Jaguars were on a roll through the end of US Youth soccer play, but are on hiatus until the US Youth National League begins in late November.  The layoff for high school may allow for other teams to take over the top spot.

In fact, 4 of our top 5 are all on a break of sorts, though #3 Soccer Domain FC Gauchos attended Surf Cup in early August, finishing as a semifinalist, and will look to better their third place finish in the national league as well as the Region I Premier League come spring. Others on break are #2 CUP Crew Juniors Gold, last season’s Midwest Regional League champion and Region II semifinalist, and #5 Lehigh Valley United, the Region I Premier League regular season champ.

Fram Soccer Club, our #4, is making a bit of a statement in non-Academy southern California and is undefeated so far in the Southern California Developmental Soccer League.  Granted the season has just begun, but Fram also had a respectable showing at Surf Cup in August, going 1-1-1 in group play, with a sole loss to #3 SDFC Gauchos by a slim 2-1 margin.

 

New York Red Bulls start with a… whimper

After advancing quite a few starters from last season’s Academy finals-winning U16 squad to the U18 roster, the New York Red Bulls opened 2012-13 with a draw.  Of course, if you consider that Alex Muyl and Adam Najem’s et al.’s 2011-12 season opened with a 4-1 loss to FC Delco, then maybe there is another championship run ahead.  With that in mind, the Red Bulls open the year at #1 in our standings.

In contrast, DC United has started with a bang, scoring a total of 10 goals in just 2 matches, and begin the season at #2 in our rankings. Crew Soccer Academy Wolves, #3, start the U18 age group right where they left off at U16 and we’ll see if the returning starters from the U16 squad that made it to Finals Week can keep up the momentum at the older age group.

Rounding out the top five are #4 Chicago Fire, who’s season has yet to begin, and #5 PDA, who, like DC United, started the season with a five goal rout, but will face the reality of USSF Academy play in a tough Baltimore Bays Chelsea squad on September 30.

 

Next Thursday: U13, U14, and U15 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.