After most teams in Northern California enjoyed a weekend off thanks to Labor Day, NorCal Premier Soccer’s National Premier League is back in action in just a few days as early title favorites begin to separate themselves from the pack. It’s still early in the fall season, but as always, points are at a premium as clubs from all across the state battle to earn qualification into the spring’s prestigious Champions League competition.

Here are your NPL games of the week:

U15 Boys NPL North

San Francisco Glens – San Francisco United

Saturday, 9/10 10:20 a.m. @ Margaret Hayward James Lang Fields #2

Given that there are three different teams from inside the San Francisco city limits in the U15 Boys NPL North, there are three SF Derbies on the docket for the division this fall. The first comes this Saturday as the San Francisco Glens host San Francisco United, with only the Glens having played a match so far this season. The Glens opened their season with a 1-0 loss to Diablo Valley Wolves, while United are still waiting to play their first. Both clubs are behind San Francisco Elite Academy in the standings as the third SF side currently tops the table with three points from one game.

U17 Boys NPL South

Elk Grove Soccer – Turlock Academica Jrs.

Saturday, 9/10 11:00 a.m. @ Johnson Park

So far in the U17 Boys NPL South, there have been four matches played, each of which ended in victories. Given that each team in the division has played just one game, that leaves the table with a four-way tie for first place with Sacramento United, Elk Grove Soccer, Turlock Academica Jrs., and El Dorado Hills Soccer Club each sitting on three points. Two of those sides, Elk Grove and Turlock, meet this weekend in a contest that could propel one ahead of the pack.

U16 Girls NPL East

Association Football Club – Pleasanton RAGE

Sunday, 9/11 12:00 p.m. @ Castro Valley High School

Both Association Football Club and Pleasanton RAGE opened their NPL campaigns with resounding victories, placing them as two of the three teams tied at the top of the U16 Girls NPL East with three points apiece. RAGE currently are ranked higher due to goal differential thanks to a 7-1 win over Livermore Fusion three weeks ago, while AFC defeated Diablo Valley Wolves 5-1 the following weekend. Both will hope for a win in order to potentially move away from California Magic, who also have three points from one game.

U19 Girls NPL South

California Odyssey – Albion SC Merced

Sunday, 9/11 4:00 p.m. @ Mickey Cox Elementary

In the five-team U19 Girls NPL South, four sides are currently tied at the top of the table with three points: Manteca Futbol Club, California Odyssey, Albion SC Merced, and San Juan South. However, the former two teams have played just one game, while the latter have each contested two matches. As it stands, Odyssey have the opportunity to move three points ahead of Albion with a game in hand should they win this weekend. If Albion claim all three points, though, the standings will become much more jumbled and unpredictable. Manteca and San Juan play each other in a matchup featuring almost an identical scenario the day before.