Today we unveil our final 2012-13 season update to TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide. We have updated the standings each month during the season, and will begin tracking the 2013-14 top teams in September.

(scroll down for system details)

Boys SoCal teams prevail

In all but two age groups on the boys’ side, teams from Southern California ended the season at #1.

One of the most entertaining performances came at the youngest age group, where the U13 Los Angeles Futbol Academy capped off a season full of success with a US Youth Soccer National Championship. That championship run was thanks in part to the goal-scoring prowess of Kyle Holcumb, Bryan Perez, and Jason Pacas, who combined for a monumental 18 goals in the four games of the tournament.

More SoCal success came from the U14, U15, and U17 age groups where Pateadores Costa Mesa, Santa Barbara SC White, and West Coast FC all finished the season as USYS National Champions.

The U14 Dallas Cup champion Pats CM would not have qualified for the national tournament had there been a different result in a penalty shootout against in-club rival Pateadores San Diego in the CalSouth National Cup semifinal back in May.

Santa Barbara SC was the only team, boys or girls, to successfully defend its US Youth Soccer national title.  In a rematch of last year’s final, Santa Barbara drew 0-0 with 2012 runner-up Sunrise SC in the first match of group play, thanks to the goalkeeping of Edward Delgado, and advanced to the final where they outlasted Long Island side Dix Hills Elite for the repeat.

Girls #1s span the country

On the girls’ side, the final #1s pepper the country, from SoCal’s Legends FC at u13 to Ohio’s OP Eagles at U18.

But Eclipse Select’s U15s and PDA’s U17s have to be considered for the best of the best. Rory Dame’s Eclipse Select took both ECNL and US Youth Soccer national titles in the month of July, the only team in the nation, boys or girls, to hold two titles simultaneously this season. PDA dominated its competition, finishing the ECNL season undefeated, a near impossibility considering the length of the season and the level of competition in the ECNL. 

Coming in September: Initial standings for the 2013-14 season

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.

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