Jefferson Cup 2019 Championship Division Preview: U-15 Girls
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With the 2019 Jefferson Cup coming up fast, SoccerWire.com continues its article series previewing the top divisions for the showcase age groups. In this edition, we take a look at the teams competing in the U-15 Girls Championship Division.
Group A
Sunrise Sting 04 X1 (FL)
Coach: Andres Camacho
Reigning Florida State Cup champion Sunrise Sting 04 X1 returns to the Jefferson Cup in 2019 aiming to build on a very strong performance at the 2018 event. The team won all three of their group games and placed second overall in the highly competitive U-14 Elite Orange Division. After advancing all the way to the final of the US Youth Soccer Region III Championships this summer, Sunrise garners a spot in the Jeff Cup’s top flight.
Marin FC 04 Blue (CA)
Coach: Chris King
West Coast powerhouse Marin FC 04 Blue will travel to Richmond this March for tests against three group opponents from up-and-down the East Coast. Marin FC is coming off an outstanding fall season in the extremely challenging US Club Soccer NorCal NPL, as they went unbeaten (4-0-2) to place first in the U-15 Champions League division. They are the reigning State Cup champions of Northern California, and recently won division titles at top level showcase events including the San Diego Surf Cup and the Placer United Girls Cup.
SUSA ECNL 04 (NY)
Coach: JR Balzarini
US Club Soccer New York State Cup champion SUSA ECNL 04 will get a major test at the Jefferson Cup as a tune-up for their upcoming spring schedule in ECNL league play. SUSA is not only a reigning state champion, but also a regional champion squad. They captured the U-14 Premier Group title at the US Club Soccer National Cup XVI Mid-Atlantic Regional over the summer in Somerset, N.J.
Richmond United ECNL 04 (VA)
Coach: Aaron Brunner
Hometown side Richmond United ECNL 04 has proven itself as one of the most dominant U-15 teams in the ECNL this season, having lost only once in their first 18 games. Richmond is currently in first place in the 11-team ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference with a 14-1-3 record, while outscoring opponents by a margin of 51-11 on the season.
Group B
South Shore Select 04 AP (MA)
Coach: Driton Mustafoski
Massachusetts State Cup champion South Shore Select 04 AP has maintained top form over the past year, collecting hardware in tournament and league play in the Northeast and nationally. South Shore finished at the top of the table in the New England Premiership this fall, posting an undefeated 6-0-2 record. Over the summer, the team captured a national title at the US Club Soccer National Cup in Westfield, Indiana.
Philadelphia SC Coppa Swarm 04 (PA)
Coach: Karla Schacher
US Youth Soccer Region I champion Philadelphia SC Coppa Swarm 04 hasn’t slowed down at all this season after advancing all the way to the title match of the US Youth Soccer National Championships over the summer. PSC Coppa’s 2017-2018 campaign also included an Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup title, and division championships at the FC Europa Turf Cup and EDP Open Cup. They also placed second in the top U-14 flight of the Jefferson Cup and in the EDP Spring League. During the Fall 2018 season, PSC Coppa finished at the top of the EDP Mid-Atlantic Blue Division table with an unbeaten 5-0-1 record.
STA-MUSC 04 NPL (NJ)
Coach: Tim Verschuren
New Jersey’s STA-MUSC 04 NPL is coming off a championship run at the 2018 US Club Soccer Mid-Atlantic Regional, where they won the U-14 Super Group. The team went on to place second in the Super Group of the US Club Soccer National Cup in Westfield, Indiana in July. STA’s strong play continued this fall at the prestigious Bethesda Premier Cup, where they went unbeaten in three group matches, earning three straight clean sheets.
Maryland United 04 ECNL (MD)
Coach: Harry Caneallkis
ECNL Northeast Conference side Maryland United 04 gets a challenging warm-up ahead of the bulk of their league schedule this March at the Jefferson Cup. United will be aiming to continue their success in showcase play, which includes a top division title at the Bethesda Premier Cup in November 2018. The team did not concede a single goal over the course of four games in the Premier Cup’s Potomac Division. They won all three group games, and the title match against Bethesda SC ECNL 04 Force, all by 1-0 score lines.
