ECNL Boys and Girls Regional League 2026 Playoffs: West Region Recap

ECNL RL Girls U18/19 Champions: Slammers HB Køge
Most Outstanding Player: Ryley Piche, Slammers HB Køge

In a thrilling contest to cap off the U18/19 ECNL Regional League season, Slammers HB Køge over game a two-goal second-half deficit, scoring three goals in 14 minutes to defeat Stanislaus Surf 3-2 in the U18/19 ECNL Regional League Playoffs – West Championship.

The two sides played a scoreless first half, but it was not without scoring chances from both sides. From the opening whistle, Slammers put Stanislaus on their back foot, getting quality scoring chances and looked like they would break through early. But Stanislaus weathered the attack and settled into the match, leading to a stretch of play with plenty of midfield battles and challenges. As the half came to a close, both Slammers and Surf earned multiple set pieces and scoring chances, but both goalkeepers denied every opportunity, sending the teams to halftime tied 0-0.

In the 60th minute, Stanislaus midfielder Chisa Wood was tackled inside of the box, earning her team a penalty, looking to take the first lead of the match. Kylie Farmer stepped up to the spot and buried her shot to break the deadlock with a 1-0 advantage.

(+READ: Bracket revealed for 2026 ECNL Girls U18/19 National Finals)

Just five minutes later, Stanislaus doubled its lead as Farmer found the back of the net once again. Surf worked the ball on the left side of the attacking third, when midfielder Caelan Lane sent in a cross to the right side of the box. Farmer won a battle with a Slammers defender then beat the goalkeeper on her right, putting the ball into the side-netting and giving Stanislaus a 2-0 lead.

With a hydration break following Stanislaus’ second goal, Slammers were able to regroup and began their comeback attempt. In the 71st minute, Slammers forward Lauren Park moved the ball toward the right corner flag before cutting back into the middle and chipping a pass into the box. Leaping into the air, forward Lily Collin knocked in the pass with a header, cutting Surf’s lead to 2-1.

Slammers continued to push for an equalizer, hemming Stanislaus in their defending third, and just six minutes later, they found an equalizer. Slammers earned a corner kick on the right side, and midfielder Ava Gollette put in a curling pass into the box. Her service kept going, over the head of the Surf goalkeeper and into the net for a highlight reel goal to move the game to 2-2.

Now tied at 2-2, both sides were desperate to get the go-ahead tally. Stanislaus earned a free kick just outside of the 18-yard box, but the shot went over the crossbar. Slammers pushed back down the field, and in the 85th minute, found their third of the game.

The Slammers midfield forced a turnover at the top of their attacking third, and quickly launched a scoring opportunity. A pass to the left side of the box was immediately sent back into the middle, where the Slammers attack was waiting. A quick deflection led the ball into the bottom right corner of the net, completing the comeback and giving Slammers a 3-2 with just minutes to go in the match.

In the dying minutes of the match, Stanislaus goalkeeper Jocelynn Kohoutek made back-to-back dying saves to keep her squad in the match, and then Surf marched down the field looking to equalize once again. Surf forced multiple big-time saves by the Slammers goalkeeper, and with one last long throw-in as a scoring chance, the Slammers defense held.

At the final whistle, the comeback was complete, and Slammers HB Køge were champions. It was the age group’s fourth ECNL Regional League Playoffs – West championship, having previously won in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

ECNL RL Boys U18/19 Champions: LAFC So Cal
Most Outstanding Player: Cambell Crosby, LAFC So Cal

LAFC So Cal withstood a furious SDSC Surf comeback attempt en route to a 3-2 victory in extra time at the ECNL Regional League Playoffs – West U18/19 Boys Championship match Monday morning.

The two teams spent a majority of the first half figuring out their opponents, methodically moving the ball up and down the field, searching for ways to break down the opposing defense. It seemed as if the two sides would head into the half tied, but in the half’s dying seconds, LAFC So Cal earned a corner kick on the right side of the pitch. The team put plenty of players in the box, and when a high service came in, Cambell Crosby rose above the rest and headed in a shot to give LAFC So Cal a 1-0 lead.

SDSC Surf opened the second half strong, putting pressure on LAFC’s back line, but the squad kept its 1-0 lead into the second half hydration break, when immediately after the pause, Crosby netted his second goal of the match. LAFC earned a corner kick on the left side of the pitch and restarted play with a quick, short play in. The team worked the ball to the top of the box for a shot on net, and the rebound came to Crosby on the near left post. He chipped a shot into the top left corner, past the goalkeeper, giving LAFC a 2-0 lead.

As SDSC Surf became more and more desperate to kickstart a comeback, the team got their best chance when they earned a penalty in the 85th minute. SDSC Surf stepped up to the spot and put a shot just past the diving keeper into the bottom right corner of the net, cutting into LAFC So Cal’s lead to 2-1.

SDSC’s comeback attempts took a hit as the team earned a red card in the 88th minute, but just two minutes later, down a player, SDSC equalized. Surf won a challenge in the midfield off a throw-in and quickly moved the ball forward. The SDSC midfield lofted a ball right in front of Domenic Calafato, letting him run onto the pass. He made an outside-inside cut, and ripped a shot low to the right corner, beating the goalkeeper and leveling the game at 2-2.

Ninty minutes wasn’t enough, and the U18/19 Championship was headed to extra time.

In extra time, both sides had opportunities, but it appeared the game was bound for penalties until that all changed in the 117th minute.

LAFC So Cal earned a corner kick from the right side and sent a ball into the box, but the attempt was cleared. LAFC So Cal regained possession, worked the ball back down low to the right, before sending a high cross to the back post. LAFC So Cal put the pass directly on net, which snuck between the Surf goalkeeper and the left post, clinching the championship for LAFC So Cal.

For his efforts in the final match, scoring two goals and assisting on the game-winner, Crosby earned Most Outstanding Player.

Teams Advancing to ECNL Regional League Finals

ECNL RL Boys U13: San Diego Surf Blue and San Diego Surf White
ECNL RL Boys U14: Rebels FC and Slammers FC White
ECNL RL Boys U15: Folsom Lake Surf and SF United FC
ECNL RL Boys U16: Legends FC and Playmaker Futbol Academy
ECNL RL Boys U17: Central Valley Premier FC and Northwest United FC

ECNL RL Girls U13: Slammers FC and So Cal Blues
ECNL RL Girls U14: Slammers FC and So Cal Blues
ECNL RL Girls U15: Mustang SC and San Francisco Elite Academy
ECNL RL Girls U16: Slammers FC and So Cal Blues
ECNL RL Girls U17: Legends FC and Utah Royals FC – AZ