U11-U13 #NorCalStateCup Finals Recap

A journey that began all the way back in August is set to be completed Sunday when 82 different teams meet at Mary Grogan Park in Modesto to contest for 41 different titles in the State and Premier Divisions of the U11-U13 NorCal State Cup.

What started with over 1,000 teams is now fewer than 100 as teams played in a series of competitive semifinal matches Saturday to earn a coveted spot in the finals.

Overall, the defacto host club in Modesto Ajax United is the best represented in the finals, as they won all three of their semifinals to send four teams to title matches.

Also sending multiple teams to the championship games are Bay Area Surf, who have two squads competing. The other sides are California Odyssey, Clovis Crossfire, Santa Clara Sporting, SF United, and South Valley United.

During the competition, NorCal’s partners in Veo have recorded several matches, which they will continue to do this weekend in Modesto. To watch full games from select matches in the earlier rounds and recordings of the semifinals and finals after they’re played, click here.

To view all schedules and. scores, click here.

Parking for the event costs $5. For a complete list of rules and regulations at Mary Grogan, click here.

Here are your State Division recaps:

U11 Boys State Final
2/5	Bay Area Surf	3-1	Santa Clara Sporting
Santa Clara Sporting opened up the scoring in this match in the 22nd minute through a strike from forward Hanif Abas, but after that it was all Bay Area Surf. Bay Area equalized just seconds later through Aadi Gangal before scoring the eventual winner two minutes later on a Jayden Wu strike. The goal was Wu's second straight State Cup final winning goal and Surf's second straight title. Gangal added another goal to seal the result in the 47th minute.
U11 Girls State Final
2/5	Ajax United	0-2	Mustang SC
After cruising through the knockout stages and scoring at will, Mustang SC met their most difficult test in Sunday's final against Ajax United. Though United weren't able to hit the back of the net against a tough Mustang defense, the Central Californian club did give them a run for their money, though Mustang ultimately prevailed via a 2-0 scoreline.
U12 Boys State Final
2/5	South Valley United	0-3	Bay Area Surf
While South Valley United couldn't stop scoring goals in the lead up to the State Cup final, Bay Area Surf were able to keep them off the board entirely in the title game. Surf scored three early goals to bring the trophy back to the Bay Area.
U12 Girls State Final
2/5	MVLA	1-0	California Odyssey
While both MVLA and California Odyssey were stellar building out of the back, chances were few and far between in this State Cup final. A single goal from MVLA made the difference in a match that truly could have gone either way.
U13 Boys State Final
2/5	Ajax United	2-1	SF United FC
This match between two sides equally adept at advancing the ball up the field through stellar combination play went down to the wire. Deadlocked at 1-1 after regular time and after play was interrupted by a lightning delay, Ajax United's Austin Delaney struck a one-time cross into the back of the net to give his side a 2-1 victory over SF United FC.
U13 Girls State Final
2/5	Ajax United	2-1	Clovis Crossfire
One year after falling short in the final, Ajax United were back in the championship game, this time against Clovis Crossfire. The action didn't start well for the defacto host club as Alyssa Beltran's 25th minute shot gave Clovis the lead. However, they found an equalizer just after the break before Skyler Burford won the game on essentially the last kick in the 70th minute.