Last year, 19 teams entered the Super Y-League North American Finals in Orlando with an unbeaten record and only the U13 Vancouver Whitecaps Boys side made its way throug
h unblemished for a championship. This year, 26 teams in nine of the 10 brackets are in the mix to achieve that feat, but it won’t be easy. Just ask the U19 MetroStars.
One of three unbeatens in the U19 Boys championship earlier this year in New Jersey, the MetroStars entered the tournament with a 10-0-2 record and looked to be headed toward a championship with a pair of wins and a scoreless draw in group play to reach the final with an overall record of 12-0-3. They played HC United to a 1-1 draw in the final to finish unbeaten, but the championship eluded them as they fell in sudden death penalties 6-5.
Last year, only one other unbeaten of the 19 even made it to a final in Orlando. The U14 Concorde Fire SC Girls team added onto their 7-0-1 regular season record with four wins in group play and the semifinal before falling 2-0 in the championship match to the Cleveland Internationals.
Every girls bracket in this year’s tournament will have at least two unbeatens while the boys side will have a minimum of three in each with the exception of the U16 bracket, which has none.
For the most part, the unbeatens have their groups all to themselves with a few exceptions. The two-group U17 girls bracket will see Match Fit Academy and Charlotte Soccer Clubs square off in group play. Charlotte will also face the unbeaten MPS Boston Renegades in the opposite group in their crossover match of group play. Those matches are Friday and Saturday, respectively.
On the boys side the Cleveland Internationals and New Hampshire Phantoms will meet in the U15 boys bracket in the group stage and the Chicago Magic and Richmond Kickers will tangle in the U17 boys bracket. Both games are Sunday.
On the boys side of the event, the Great Lakes Division has the most unbeatens with three while the Metro Division has the most on the girls side with four. With none on the boys side, the Metro Division is tied with the most overall with the South Atlantic which has two boys and two girls unbeaten teams.
U13 Boys
Michigan Wolves 10-0-0
FC Calgary 9-0-0
