Development Academy recap: February 25
In the limited history of the Development Academy, there has only been one team that finished the season undefeated, the 2010-11 Dallas Texans U18.
Well, the storied club from Texas does not want to talk about it, but this season’s U16 team might just join that elite company.
It is a big might, at this point, with four months of play remaining combined with a likely trip to the playoffs, but the Texans have survived six months of competitive games in the Texas Division without a loss.
However, the run of 19 games without a loss nearly came to an end on Saturday.
The Texans trailed Solar Chelsea SC late, 1-0, when coach David Hudgell, who also coached the undefeated Texans U18 team last season, inserted 15-year-old Cooper Whitfield into the game.
Saturday’s appearance was only the second of the season for Whitfield who has played a grand total of 31 minutes this year.
Whitfield made the most of his limited time on the field this weekend, as the youngest player on the Texans’ roster scored the equalizer in the final minute against Solar SC Chelsea.
West Conference:
Real So Cal U18 and Arsenal FC fought to a 1-1 draw in one of the few games in California on Saturday. Jamie Enriquez notched his sixth goal of the season for Arsenal, which remains a point behind Real So Cal for fourth in the SoCal Division. In the later game, the U16 squads drew 0-0.
LA Galaxy U18 retook the top spot in SoCal with a 2-0 win over Pateadores. Jaime Villarreal continued his stellar debut season in the Development Academy with two goals. He now has 15 goals in 14 games played.
In the U16 game, Justin Dhillon and Kevin Labastida scored for Galaxy, as Kenny Arena’s team is now within one point of division leaders, RSL-AZ.
Up in Northern California, California Development Academy U18 picked up its first division win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Seattle Sounders. Michael Gallagher scored the only goal for the visitors, but Tanner Thompson and Tommy Thompson found the back of the net to give the home team the win. Sounders U16 won the later contest 3-1 to sweep the season series.
The match between Crossfire Premier and Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed due to inclement weather in the Seattle area.
MORE ACADEMY NEWS: DA recap: Feb. 18-19 | Superclasico ends in two draws
South Conference
Richmond Kickers U18 won the local derby 2-1 on Saturday thanks to a late goal from Ryan Clapman. Zachary Harris scored the other goal for the Kickers and Michael Kibler found the back of the net for the Strikers.
Strikers U16 picked up its first division win of the season on Saturday over the Kickers via a second half goal by Gil Topaz.
Elsewhere in Virginia, McLean Youth Soccer U18 ran riot on Virginia Rush, 5-0. Joel Teston scored twice and Conor Nogueira, Amado Oakley, and Matthew Ledder all scored once in the win.
Central Conference:
Solar SC Chelsea U18 battled back from a goal down in the last 18 minutes with a tally from Eric Dinka and an own goal to claim all three points against the Dallas Texans. Solar is in third place in the division.
Houston Texans SC cruised to 5-0 victories over Classics Elite on Saturday in both the U18 and U16 games.
FC Dallas U18 recorded another comfortable win against Andromeda over the weekend with a 7-0 result. The U16 game ended in a 1-1 draw.
J.R. Eskilson is a staff reporter at TopDrawerSoccer.com. Follow him on or send him an email.
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