NorCal College Showcase: U19 Promotion and Title Races
Among some of the hundreds of games to be played this weekend at the NorCal Spring College Showcase in Davis are a series of important matchups that will determine league titles, potential promotions, and relegation battles.
In what’s expected to be an exciting series of matches, NorCal Premier Soccer is ramping up its coverage of the showcase by previewing all the divisions in which there’s something left to play for.
Today we highlight the U19 age group. Unlike with the U17s, there is no promotion as this season marks the end of many youth soccer careers. Additionally, two teams from the ECNL-RL will make the postseason, while the top team in the NPL 1 earns a spot in the NPL National Finals.
Boys ECNL-RL
So far no one in the U19 Boys ECNL-RL has clinched either the title or one of the two postseason spots, but just three teams are still alive for both. Each of those three teams, De Anza Force, Elk Grove Soccer, and El Dorado Hills Soccer Club, play two games this weekend. Force currently have the inside track on the title, coming into the weekend with 30 points, while Elk Grove are just behind on 28. El Dorado Hills are just behind with 26, but will face De Anza on Sunday.
Girls ECNL-RL
Much is on the line this weekend in the U19 Girls ECNL-RL as three teams are at the top within two points of each other, all fighting for the title as well as the two playoff spots. West Coast Soccer currently have the most points at 26, while Walnut Creek Surf have 25, and San Carlos United have 24. West Coast and Walnut Creek each have two games to play this weekend, while San Carlos only have one, giving the former two squads a slight advantage.
Boys NPL 1
There are three undefeated teams left in the U19 Boys NPL1: De Anza Force, Walnut Creek Surf, and Clovis Crossfire. However due to a discrepancy in games played, Force have actually played twice as many matches as Clovis. De Anza currently have 16 points from six games, Walnut Creek have 11 from five, and Clovis have nine from three.
Girls NPL 1
Sitting on 13 points from five games, De Anza Force currently control their own destiny in the U19 Girls NPL 1. Should they win both of their matches this weekend, they’ll claim the title and the spot in the NPL National Championship. However, Palo Alto SC are tied on points with 13, but Force have the head-to-head tiebreaker. Palo Alto will play third place Sacramento United (10 points) Saturday, who are also still in contention. Meanwhile, Central California Soccer Alliance have nine points and multiple games in hand on most teams in the division.
Boys NPL 2
Only two teams in the U19 Boys NPL 2 are in contention for the title and they just so happen to face off this weekend. San Jose Rush currently lead the table with 16 points and will play Richmond Sol, who have 15 points, Saturday. Rush can claim the championship with a win or draw, while Richmond have to win.
Girls NPL 2
With two games to play and a lead at the top of the table, Davis Legacy appear to have the inside track in the U19 Girls NPL 2. Given that they have 13 points, a win in either match will see them finish ahead of San Ramon FC, who have 11 points. Legacy can also draw both of their matches and win the division. If they draw one and lose one, it will go down to goal differential if San Ramon also wins.
Boys NPL 3
Thanks to an emphatic win over Albion SC Central Valley earlier in the season, SF Glens will claim the U19 Boys NPL 3 title this weekend with a win no matter what, However, if Albion SC better the Glens’ result, they will claim the championship. If both teams lose, it becomes complicated because Placer United and Stockton Storm are both three points behind and if they both win, it will come down to a series of different tiebreakers.
Girls NPL 3
Albion SC Central Valley come into the weekend with a perfect record in the U19 Girls NPL 3, a game in hand on everyone else in contention, and the head-to-head tiebreaker as well. A win either Saturday or Sunday will give Albion the title. The only way they can not win the championship is if they lose both of their games and either SF United or Livermore Fusion win their last match. SF United are currently tied with Albion on 15 points, while Livermore have 13.
