For the vast majority of U11 and U12 squads, the NorCal Premier Soccer State Cup concluded last Saturday and Sunday as Finals Weekend was played at Mary Grogan Park in Modesto and Robertson Park in Livermore.

Over the course of the two days, teams from the Gold, Silver, and Bronze divisions battled out, with those winning their semifinal matchups qualifying for Sunday’s finals.

Ultimately, 50 different teams were awarded titles, with still a few more on the way as the State and Premier divisions are set to conclude in February.

“Our unique seeding format ensured that almost every single game was competitive this past weekend at the U11 and U12 State Cup,” said U9-U13 State Cup Coordinator John Stoppelmann. “Not only did the action deliver, but most of the games went down to the wire, giving everyone involved a truly unforgettable experience all while fostering development in teams and individual players.”

A LOOK BACK: PATH TO FINALS 

The U11 and U12 State Cup began back in September with a three-game group stage that featured matches against nearby clubs who participated in leagues that were around the same skill level.

From there, teams were split into different round of 32 pairings based on how they finished in their groups–the higher each team placed, the more challenging bracket they were put in.

The round of 32 resulted in the final seeding, with the winner of the match advancing to one single elimination round, and the loser earning a spot in a lower single elimination round.

After that, all teams met a neutral site within the past month, with the winners of the round of 16 playing a quarterfinal on the same day and the losers going home. Only the victors from those quarterfinal matchups advanced to Finals Weekend.

“At this age, it’s important to play as many games as possible against teams of a similar skill level,” Stoppelmann said. “We felt we really succeeded in this aspect this year, though we’re always reflecting to see how we can improve to make the competition even better.”

STAGE PHOTOS & GAME RECORDINGS

To view stage photos from the event, click here.

Veo was on hand to record several of the matches, all of which will be uploaded and sent to team managers and coaches by Thursday.

UPCOMING: STATE & PREMIER DIVISION FINALS WEEKEND

The U11 and U12 State Cup returns in late January as the State and Premier Division teams will begin their round of 16 process, using the same format, which will culminate at Finals Weekend, set to take place on February 22 and 23 at a to-be-determined location.

For more information on the younger State Cup, click here.