ECNL Preview: All eyes on Texas

ECNL Preview: All eyes on Texas
by J.R. Eskilson
February 20, 2014

The third national event of the season is on the schedule this weekend in the ECNL, as the teams descend on Fort Worth, Texas for the three-day event. There are plenty of talented teams heading to ECNL Texas and below is a look at just a handful of the games on the schedule.

U15

Crossfire Premier is in its early stage of the season, which should make the trip to Dallas an extra challenge for the Washington club. Crossfire has yet to taste defeat this year and sits in the second spot in the Champions League standings. Crossfire has a difficult schedule with FC Dallas, Dallas Texans, and Solar Chelsea Soccer Club ahead for the three-day event. The Sunday tie with Solar is the most enticing as the Dallas club sits in fifth in Champions League standings and undefeated on the campaign. Forward Kelsey Turnbow leads the charge for Crossfire with five goals to her name. Jamie Rita and MaKayla Woods have both scored three goals each. Solar relies on the talent of U17 Women’s National Team midfielder Taryn Torres who has scored five goals in eight games. Katelyn Termini leads Solar in scoring with six goals in 11 games.

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Colorado Storm is another team with its eyes on the postseason heading into the weekend. The kooky schedule of the Heartland Division has Storm finishing its regular season play this weekend. Storm takes on GSA, Texas Rush, and Concorde Fire. The division leaders will be depending on the potent attack of Elisabeth Geraghty and Allison Schlegel to navigate through this end of the season run.

U16

Mia Hoen Beck, girls club soccer, McLean Youth SoccerMia Hoen Beck

Dallas Sting, while third in the division standings, leads the Texas teams in the Champions League standings heading into the weekend. Sting hosts Washington Premier, Michigan Hawks, and Colorado Storm over the weekend. Sting is riding a six-game unbeaten streak thanks to a solid defense led by goalkeepers Lauren Curry and Justice Stanford. Cyera Hintzen leads the attack with eight goals to her name.

Real Colorado, one of the favorites to capture the national crown in this age group, takes on Carmel United, Santa Rosa United, and TSC Hurricane this weekend. Real will have to do it without star forward Mallory Pugh who was called into the U20 WNT camp in Florida. Shouldn’t be too much of a problem for Real as Cydney Billups and Tatum Barton have combined to score 25 goals this season.

U17

Can McLean Youth Soccer be stopped? The answer will be known pretty quickly this weekend with games against GSA (Southeast Conference leaders), Sporting Blue Valley (third in the Midwest Conference), and Michigan Hawks (second in the Great Lakes Divison) on the schedule. The clash against GSA on Friday is obviously the highlight as the trio of games as the matchup of Mia Hoen Beck against Jennifer Westendorf will be one to watch.

Dallas Sting, the second place team in the Champions League standings, takes on Michigan Hawks, Minnesota Thunder, and Atlanta Fire this weekend. Sting, always in the mix for a postseason run, returned from the high school break with a 2-0 win over TSC Hurricane on Sunday. The win extended Sting’s unbeaten run to 17 games this season. Mimi Asom leads the attack with eight goals to her name. Goalkeepers Alyssa Palacios and Katherine Lund have combined to only let in eight goals in 17 games.

U18

The U18 age group is also in action this weekend, but it is a much smaller slate of games with only a few teams from outside Texas making the trek to Rolling Hills. Crossfire Premier will be trying to keep the perfect record intact with games against D’Feeters Soccer Club, Lonestar SC, and AHFC on the schedule.

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