U14-U19 NorCal State Cup Preview
NorCal Premier Soccer is very excited to present the 2016-17 U14-U19 NorCal State Cup, kicking off this weekend.
In a short time, the NorCal State Cup has become one of the top State Championship competitions nationwide. The 2016 edition looks to be more competitive than ever.
The Girl State Cup has seen significant growth due to the high school soccer season change from Spring to Winter. This change has allowed many of the top clubs in the Sacramento and Central Valley areas to enter the Cup, joining the rest of the Northern California clubs who have competed consistently over the years.
An interesting change to the 2016-17 Cup comes due to the US Soccer mandate changes. Due to the birth year changes, NorCal Premier Soccer conducted a live random draw to determine Preliminary Round matches as well as teams for the Group Stage. This Winter, following the Group Stage, NorCal will host the highly anticipated Knockout Phase draw which will place teams into Knockout brackets. The date of the Knockout Phase live draw should be released shortly.
2015-16 NorCal State Cup Champions
The NorCal State Cup follows a Champions League style, year-round format.
The opening Preliminary Round is played by just over 50% of the teams this Sunday, September 11th and is a one game playoff between teams that border a Group Stage division of play. The winner of the Preliminary Round game will move into the higher State Cup division while the loser will move to the lower State Cup division.
NorCal State Cup Rounds of Play
Following the Preliminary Round, the Group Stage begins, consisting of all 1300 participants. The Group Stage scheduled dates are October 1st, 15th, and 16th – hosted by the home club. The top placed teams, after group play, move into the higher Knockout Phase bracket of play. The bottom 2 teams will play in the lower Cup Knockout Phase bracket. The Knockout Round will consist of elimination playoff games in the spring including the Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and finally the NorCal State Cup Finals being played on May 20-21
ECFC Real Salinas Galaxy 2016 US Club National Champions
Once again, the winners of the highest division of play, the State Cup division, will qualify for the 2017 US Club National Cup.
This past year, the U14 Boys NorCal State Champions, ECFC Real Salinas Galaxy, won the 2016 US Club National Cup. It was the 4th straight year a NorCal State Cup Champion, lifted the Doug Hamilton Memorial Cup, as West Coast Wild took home the title in 2014 and 2015 and Monarcas Academy Aztec Warriors won in 2013.
