USYS National Championships this week! Kicks '01 / Solar '03

Just to be fare Sol Cal does have better tactical teams than So Cal Blues. My kiddo has played with and against several 03 SoCal teams.

bigheadpena wrote:Just to be fare Sol Cal does have better tactical teams than So Cal Blues. My kiddo has played with and against several 03 SoCal teams.

Agreed. Just like Solar has teams that play very direct. In this case I'm glad possession won over direct.

So solar red had the dream team playing with all the players from Hopkins and 03 red and the two star that play up.  I wonder if So Cal had their dream team as well

Adrenalinetx wrote:So solar red had the dream team playing with all the players from Hopkins and 03 red and the two star that play up.  I wonder if So Cal had their dream team as well

If they could of they would of.... But they can't so they won't.

Wannabe wrote:It was fun to watch a NTX team win the true national title at U13. The support from all the fans at the game was fantastic. My kid doesn't play for Solar and I bet many other in attendance don't either. But it is nice to see NTX cheering together.

For all the talk on here about style of play from west coast teams, So Cal didn't show much beside clear from the back and try to play over the top to 1 lone forward. Solar played the better game with possession through the midfield and sophistication in the attacking third with multiple players making runs in the box.

All very true

Adrenalinetx wrote:So solar red had the dream team playing with all the players from Hopkins and 03 red and the two star that play up.  I wonder if So Cal had their dream team as well

SoCal did have at least one or two that played up on their U14 ECNL National Championship team.

Adrenalinetx wrote:So solar red had the dream team playing with all the players from Hopkins and 03 red and the two star that play up.  I wonder if So Cal had their dream team as well

Are you saying they played the best players they could in a National Championship? This is outrageous.

Well I know solar did put their dream team to win it. Than if that's the case impressed by So Cal

I don't know if SoCal Blues Baker had any guest from SoCal Blues Holley but they definitely had the 4 players from the National Championship winning u14 ECNL team playing in the game vs Solar Red. Both sisters up top, the holding mid and the GK played with the ECNL team. Two of those girls are the #4 and #6 leading scorers for that ECNL team. It sure looked like you got the best of both clubs in that game and a Texas team came out on top while stringing passes together and not slide tackling and shirt grabbing to keep the game tight. Congratulations and we'll done. The game was indeed fun to watch online.

We tuned in late and was astonished at the different styles of play. Looked to me like Blues were lucky score was only 3-1.

You could count on both hands the number of times SCBs used the side of their foot. It was all-laces, all the time.

And one of the SoCal Blues forward is "11 years old". Both good teams, great soccer played, better team won. Both teams had technical sound players.

outonthelimb wrote:I don't know if SoCal Blues Baker had any guest from SoCal Blues Holley but they definitely had the 4 players from the National Championship winning u14 ECNL team playing in the game vs Solar Red.  Both sisters up top, the holding mid and the GK played with the ECNL team.  Two of those girls are the #4 and #6 leading scorers for that ECNL team.  It sure looked like you got the best of both clubs in that game and a Texas team came out on top while stringing passes together and not slide tackling and shirt grabbing to keep the game tight.  Congratulations and we'll done.  The game was indeed fun to watch online.

4-4-2 wrote:And one of the SoCal Blues forward is "11 years old". Both good teams,  great soccer played, better team won. Both teams had technical sound players.

outonthelimb wrote:I don't know if SoCal Blues Baker had any guest from SoCal Blues Holley but they definitely had the 4 players from the National Championship winning u14 ECNL team playing in the game vs Solar Red.  Both sisters up top, the holding mid and the GK played with the ECNL team.  Two of those girls are the #4 and #6 leading scorers for that ECNL team.  It sure looked like you got the best of both clubs in that game and a Texas team came out on top while stringing passes together and not slide tackling and shirt grabbing to keep the game tight.  Congratulations and we'll done.  The game was indeed fun to watch online.

4-4-2, which forward is 11 years old? S. Jackson is an '03 birth year and 13 y/o per the birth date on her ECNL profile and c/o 2021 per the USYS SoCal Blues team page. R. Turner is an '02 birth year and also 13 y/o per the birth date on her ECNL profile page and c/o 2020 per the USYS SoCal Blues team page. There is a defender S. Holley who is an '04 birth year (c/o 2022) per the tweet the Blues sent out about her making the 2004 ODP roster.

Regardless, I agree with you that there were some really good players on the field both technically and tactically. The US YNT coaches also agree that the players were pretty good. 1st time I've ever seen a youth game with 6 players on the field with recent US National Pool experience.

SoCal Blues: R. Turner (Forward - 2002), S. Jackson (Forward - 2003), L. Morales (Defender - 2003)
Solar Red: R. Powell (Forward - 2002), T. Byars (Forward - 2003), A. Missimo (Midfield - 2003)

Another interesting note....I'm amazed at the number of SoCal Blues players on the team that are graduating in 2020 which would make them a definite 2002 birth year (I think). 9 of 17 is a lot.

outonthelimb wrote:

4-4-2 wrote:And one of the SoCal Blues forward is "11 years old". Both good teams,  great soccer played, better team won. Both teams had technical sound players.

outonthelimb wrote:I don't know if SoCal Blues Baker had any guest from SoCal Blues Holley but they definitely had the 4 players from the National Championship winning u14 ECNL team playing in the game vs Solar Red.  Both sisters up top, the holding mid and the GK played with the ECNL team.  Two of those girls are the #4 and #6 leading scorers for that ECNL team.  It sure looked like you got the best of both clubs in that game and a Texas team came out on top while stringing passes together and not slide tackling and shirt grabbing to keep the game tight.  Congratulations and we'll done.  The game was indeed fun to watch online.

 4-4-2,  which forward is 11 years old?  S. Jackson is an '03 birth year and 13 y/o per the birth date on her ECNL profile and c/o 2021 per the USYS SoCal Blues team page.  R. Turner is an '02 birth year and also 13 y/o per the birth date on her ECNL profile page and c/o 2020 per the USYS SoCal Blues team page.  There is a defender S. Holley who is an '04 birth year (c/o 2022) per the tweet the Blues sent out about her making the 2004 ODP roster.

Regardless, I agree with you that there were some really good players on the field both technically and tactically.  The US YNT coaches also agree that the players were pretty good.  1st time I've ever seen a youth game with 6 players on the field with recent US National Pool experience.

SoCal Blues:  R. Turner (Forward - 2002), S. Jackson (Forward - 2003), L. Morales (Defender - 2003)
Solar Red:  R. Powell (Forward - 2002), T. Byars (Forward - 2003), A. Missimo (Midfield - 2003)

Another interesting note....I'm amazed at the number of SoCal Blues players on the team that are graduating in 2020 which would make them a definite 2002 birth year (I think).  9 of 17 is a lot.

got 'em with a formation change

outonthelimb wrote:
6 players on the field with recent US National Pool experience:

SoCal Blues:  R. Turner (Forward - 2002), S. Jackson (Forward - 2003), L. Morales (Defender - 2003)
Solar Red:  R. Powell (Forward - 2002), T. Byars (Forward - 2003), A. Missimo (Midfield - 2003)

One observation from me is that the best players in the final were not these national players, I would vote for the #14 (right mid) and #10 (holding mid). There are so many talents on this team, hope they will continue represent NTX .....

14 is one of those kids.

5050Ball wrote:14 is one of those kids.  

Thank you, I will take my word back. She was the best.

Left forward , #7.
Happen to sit to next to her parents.
She was impressive but quite didn't have her legs yet !

outonthelimb wrote:

4-4-2 wrote:And one of the SoCal Blues forward is "11 years old". Both good teams,  great soccer played, better team won. Both teams had technical sound players.

outonthelimb wrote:I don't know if SoCal Blues Baker had any guest from SoCal Blues Holley but they definitely had the 4 players from the National Championship winning u14 ECNL team playing in the game vs Solar Red.  Both sisters up top, the holding mid and the GK played with the ECNL team.  Two of those girls are the #4 and #6 leading scorers for that ECNL team.  It sure looked like you got the best of both clubs in that game and a Texas team came out on top while stringing passes together and not slide tackling and shirt grabbing to keep the game tight.  Congratulations and we'll done.  The game was indeed fun to watch online.

 4-4-2,  which forward is 11 years old?  S. Jackson is an '03 birth year and 13 y/o per the birth date on her ECNL profile and c/o 2021 per the USYS SoCal Blues team page.  R. Turner is an '02 birth year and also 13 y/o per the birth date on her ECNL profile page and c/o 2020 per the USYS SoCal Blues team page.  There is a defender S. Holley who is an '04 birth year (c/o 2022) per the tweet the Blues sent out about her making the 2004 ODP roster.

Regardless, I agree with you that there were some really good players on the field both technically and tactically.  The US YNT coaches also agree that the players were pretty good.  1st time I've ever seen a youth game with 6 players on the field with recent US National Pool experience.

SoCal Blues:  R. Turner (Forward - 2002), S. Jackson (Forward - 2003), L. Morales (Defender - 2003)
Solar Red:  R. Powell (Forward - 2002), T. Byars (Forward - 2003), A. Missimo (Midfield - 2003)

Another interesting note....I'm amazed at the number of SoCal Blues players on the team that are graduating in 2020 which would make them a definite 2002 birth year (I think).  9 of 17 is a lot.

PowerKick wrote:

5050Ball wrote:14 is one of those kids.  

Thank you, I will take my word back. She was the best.

With the large allotment of talent on display by both teams and just abut everyone I saw brought their "A" game it is hard to pick a "player of the match" but if I was forced to vote then #14 would have received my vote as well.  I could see a strong case for (in order) #24, #9 and #5 as well.

Fantastic victory by Solar. First natty by NTX in any age group after 97s.

Few points...I don't think NTX is consolidating their super stud talent down into their natural age groups like some other regions. Solar 03 did it for this one @u13, but think about those studs on Texans 99s....once they played up, they never came back. I can think of several others playing up that would've been major difference makers had they been brought down to play at age. Meanwhile socal keeps a player like catarina macario playing at age. So maybe NTX is actually MORE focused on development than winning?

Other thing to keep in mind is (IMO) the blues don't represent the top echelon style of play in socal. They are more direct than the most direct teams in NTX, and definitely more direct than most in socal. Their style of play does not translate to national success at the higher age groups, and their style is not one that gives NTX trouble when physical gaps diminish as players mature.

In case you want to watch the game...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLHu03ppc3A

May want to mute the audio ;-)