Top leagues in full swing at U13

No. 1 New York Red Bulls and No. 2 FC Golden State PDA 02 have started their respective seasons strong. The Red Bulls have hit the back of the net 20 times in just three matches while allowing just a single goal (in a 10-1 win over New York SC) in Northeast Pre-Academy League play, and FCGS, who fell just short of a Surf Cup championship in August thanks to a very strong team from Mexico, has amassed a 5-0 record so far in the Southern California Developmental Soccer League’s first division.

There are a couple of teams whose early season league play has boosted their status in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25. Ohio-based Internationals started the season with a win over Crew Soccer Academy in the Midwest Development League, and followed that with a 13-0 defeat over FC Wisconsin and a draw with Sockers to lift them from No. 13 to No. 10. Lonestar enters the Top 25 this month at No. 25 after beginning their season in the Texas Pre-Academy League with wins over Texans SC and Andromeda.

Two teams debut at U14

Philadelphia Union’s start in the U14 division of US Soccer’s Development Academy was a disappointing non-conference 3-1 loss to Met Oval, but the Union is quickly putting that in the past. Union followed that defeat with resounding wins over PDA, Continental FC Delco, and Richmond United, and look to climb higher than their current No. 24 ranking as the season progresses. The club has added a couple of southern stars to the roster this season and both have already factored in the team’s success. U.S. U14 Boys National Team defender and IMG Academy 150 Class of 2018 No. 19-ranked Rayshaun McGann moved to the Union Academy from Boca United, and Class of 2018 standout as well as former US Club Soccer id2 participant Carter Emack moved north from Birmingham United, and has already scored for his new club.

New York Soccer Club, which debuts at No. 25, finished the month of September with a 3-0 record, and has yet to concede a goal in Development Academy play. Justus Boyhen leads the team with three goals.

MORE: Development Academy U14 scoreboard | IMG Academy 150 rankings

Southeast, So Cal moves at U15

With so many states concentrating on high school soccer in the fall, it’s not a bad idea to take a second to check out Sheldon Shealer’s Fall FAB 50 High School Rankings. But for those that do play league seasons in the fall, there have been a couple of standout teams worth a closer look.

No. 2 United FA remains on top of the Southern Premier League standings, even without the help of IMG Academy Class of 2018 No. 1 Andrew Carleton, so we’ll have to wait to see how this team fares once the USYS National League season gets underway in November, but for now it looks like they could be in the mix for back-to-back USYS championships. Just behind United FA in league standings is Concorde Fire Elite, who climbs from No. 16 to No. 12. Concorde currently holds the second spot in the Southern Premier League standings, and has a 4-0 record in the Region III Premier League East.

San Diego Surf Aguilar has a 4-0-0 record in the SCDSL at this young point in the season, helping them break into the top ten at No. 8.  Surf’s toughest league matchup doesn’t come until November, however, when they face No. 21 FC Golden State White, who are also having a good season in the SCDSL as well as a respectable start in the California Regional League South.

Next Thursday: U13, U14, and U15 Girls

Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25 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.