Today we unveil our latest update to Grande Sports Academy TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide, releasing the latest standings for U16, U17 and U18 Boys. Next week, we will update the older age groups on the Girls side. We will update our National Top 25 for each age group at least once per month.

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NY, Chicago heat up at U16

BW Gottschee returned to action after a three month hiatus in Development Academy play, earning two wins and a tie in the northeast division to finish March with a record of 11-2-4 and a climb to No. 8 in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25. IMG Academy 150 standout and TDS Combines alum Conor McGlynn leads this team from the midfield, and added two goals to his total in March’s three matches, including the game-tying goal against PA Classics on March 22.

Sockers FC enters the rankings at No. 22 after a 2-0-1 start to the spring leaves them in third in the mid-America division standings, just behind No. 11 Chicago Magic PSG. The Magic is just four points ahead of Sockers with two games in hand, so as the spring heats up, so will the battle for bragging rights in the Windy City.

More:  IMG Academy 150 rankings | USYS National League coverage | Commitments

NL ends, spring begins at U17

Even without the help of IMG Academy 150 standout and U. S. U17 MNT Residency member Keegan Kelly, who was instrumental in the team’s climb to the top last year, No. 1 Baltimore Celtic is once again in the hunt for a US Youth Soccer national championship.  Celtic finished the USYS National League season on top of the Blue Division standings, earning an automatic berth to Tulsa. Next on the agenda for Quaranta’s No. 1s is the Region I Champions League, where Celtic has already earned its first win, against Ironbound SC Premier Strikers.

The only team to beat Celtic in National League play was Fullerton Rangers, who jumps from No. 19 to No. 10 in our standings after finishing the season third, just behind Celtic and Sunrise Elite. The Rangers suffered just one loss on the season, and will head into Cal South National Cup play this month hoping to earn a spot in the post-season.

Chicago Fire enters top 10 at U18

Chicago Fire climbs from No. 11 to No. 7 this month after securing two wins against divisional opponents. The wins put the Fire one point ahead of No. 4 Shattuck St. Mary’s in the mid-America standings and is good enough for the top spot in the division heading into the final two months of the regular season.

Concorde Fire is also making a late season rally, securing nine points in March to climb back into second place in the southwest division and No. 17 in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25. Leading scorer Christian Duncan earned a hat-trick in the team’s defeat of Chargers SC on March 15.

Next Thursday: U16, U17, and U18 Girls

Grande Sports Academy TeamRank is the comprehensive team-ranking system devised by TopDrawerSoccer.com to provide an objective and common-sense approach to determining which elite youth soccer teams are the best in the nation.

The rankings, updated monthly, are primarily results-based, with a nod toward the league and championship competitions that emulate how excellence is determined in leading soccer nations around the world.

Tournaments are also included but at a reduced value due to the many mitigating factors involving such events, including attrition and guest players.

A final layer of executive evaluation is provided to account for variables that often impact results, thus ensuring that the monthly lists are not subjective, but are not purely mechanical.