State Cups

The Cedar Stars North 19U Boys came all the way back from a late 2-0 deficit to overtake Libertyville FC 1974 Elite of Illinois in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Final on Sunday, enabling the New Jersey team to complete a perfect postseason run as USYS 19U Boys National Champions. Cedar Stars North joins The Football Academy Black 13U Boys as New Jersey representatives who earned a USYS National Championship following the conclusion of the national tournament, which was hosted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

Cedar Stars North has repeatedly proven throughout the postseason that they are never out of a match, despite what the scoreline may say, and Sunday was no different. Down 2-0 in the 72nd minute, Cedar Stars North broke through following a well-struck volley that was sent forward from Kwaku Agyabeng at the midfield, finding the feet of Cristian Oliveira. After settling the ball, Oliveira touched into the middle of the box before changing direction and slotting his shot inside the near post, just as the Libertyville FC goalkeeper began to lean in the opposite direction.

The game-tying goal came 10 minutes later on a free kick that was placed just outside the top of the 18. Stepping over the ball was Agyabeng, who hit a perfectly struck ball that sailed over the Libertyville FC wall and curled into the upper left 90 of the netting. The golazo equalized for Cedar Stars North, 2-2, and set up the match for a dramatic finish.

The game reached that ultimate peak in stoppage time, as Harrison Garcia sent a left-footed ball towards the frame as he was losing his balance. The strike somehow found a lane through the opposing defense and bounced its way into the back of the net, sending the Cedar Stars North players and sideline into an uproar. After locking in defensively and preserving the 3-2 result through the remaining minutes of stoppage time, the Cedar Stars North 19U Boys were officially USYS National Champions. The win brings the James P. McGuire Cup home to New Jersey, which is the oldest trophy in youth sports.

The postseason journey for Cedar Stars North began with a NJYS State Cup Championship this past spring before they won six consecutive matches to claim the USYS Eastern Regional Championship for their age group. Over the course of the Eastern Regional Championships and National Championships, Cedar Stars North went undefeated and won 11 straight games. The victory on Sunday completed a perfect postseason campaign for the New Jersey side.

Also competing for a USYS National Championship on Sunday was The Football Academy Black 14U Boys, who battled Ponys FC 2010 of Illinois for the ultimate crown in their age group. The Football Academy Black put forth an incredible performance and fought all the way until the final whistle, but their national championship pursuit came up just short when the game concluded in favor of Ponys FC, 3-2.

The Football Academy Black 14U Boys arrived at the tournament final after going to penalty kicks against Yardley Makefield Soccer 2010 Boys Premier United in the semifinals. That game eventually concluded with The Football Academy Black outscoring Yardley Makefield in extended kicks, 9-8. Prior to the semifinals, the New Jersey representative went unbeaten in group play, earning seven points on a cumulative 2-0-1 record to claim the top spot in their bracket.

The USYS National Championships Presented by New York Life are the final stage of the USYS National Championships, which begin at the state level before progressing to the regional and then national stages. The event is a culmination of a year-long series of competitions, providing approximately 185,000 players on 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 54 State Associations with the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation.

To find out more information about New Jersey Youth Soccer or to contact us directly, please email communications@njyouthsoccer.com. Also make sure to follow us on social media: @NJYouthSoccer 

Less than a day after The Football Academy Black 13U Boys won the US Youth Soccer National Championship for their age group, two additional New Jersey Youth Soccer teams have advanced to the finals at the national tournament. The Football Academy Black 14U Boys and Cedar Stars North 19U Boys were both victorious in semifinal matches on Saturday to book one more reservation at the USYS National Championships, which are being hosted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

The Football Academy Black 14U Boys resumed tournament action on Saturday morning against Yardley Makefield Soccer 2010 Boys Premier United, battling the Pennsylvania East team in a highly competitive contest that ended at 1-1 following regulation. The two teams then progressed to a penalty kick shootout that eventually concluded when The Football Academy Black had outscored Yardley Makefield in extended kicks, 9-8. Prior to the semifinals, the New Jersey representative went unbeaten in group play, earning seven points on a cumulative 2-0-1 record to claim the top spot in their bracket.

Next up for The Football Academy Black is a 10:00 AM pairing with Ponys FC 2010 of Illinois to determine the USYS 14U Boys National Champions.

Also moving onto the USYS National Championship Finals is the Cedar Stars North 19U Boys, who continued their incredible postseason winning streak by defeating Indiana Fire 2005B NL in a thrilling semifinal match-up that eventually resulted in a 5-4 final score. Prior to the semifinals, Cedar Stars North opened up the national tournament by going undefeated in group play, pairing nine points and a 3-0 record with a 7-1 goal differential. The journey for Cedar Stars North began with a NJYS State Cup Championship this past spring before they won six consecutive matches to claim the USYS Eastern Regional Championship for their age group. Over the course of the Eastern Regional Championships and National Championships, Cedar Stars North has gone undefeated and won 10 straight games.

Cedar Stars North will now look to complete a perfect regional and national run when they play Libertyville FC 1974 Elite of Illinois for the 19U Boys National Championship on Sunday morning at 7:30 AM. That match will be televised to a national audience via a live broadcast on ESPNU.

The USYS National Championships Presented by New York Life are the final stage of the USYS National Championships, which begin at the state level before progressing to the regional and then national stages. The event is a culmination of a year-long series of competitions, providing approximately 185,000 players on 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 54 State Associations with the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation.

To find out more information about New Jersey Youth Soccer or to contact us directly, please email communications@njyouthsoccer.com. Also make sure to follow us on social media: @NJYouthSoccer 

The Football Academy Black 13U Boys scored three goals in the first half of the US Youth Soccer National Championship on Friday night, and the Florham Park-based team remained defensively compact throughout the second half to secure a 3-0 result that earned them the title of national champions. The win came over BLFC Premiership 11 of Illinois at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, with the match being televised live to a national audience on ESPNU.

The first goal for The Football Academy Black came in the 18th minute, as Joel Ahn chipped an incredible left-footed volley from outside the 18. His strike sailed over the head of the BLFC goalkeeper and into the back of the net, giving his team the go-ahead notch. The second tally came just five minutes later after Mason Cominski intercepted a BLFC back pass and raced into the left side of the box on a breakaway. He then touched around the goalkeeper before slotting in a perfectly weighted ball to make it 2-0. In the 34th minute, The Football Academy Black scored on a corner kick when Alejandro Berrio stayed home just off the far post after the delivery, where he one-timed a ball that was tapped to him through a pair of BLFC defenders.

Not only did the win enable The Football Academy Black to lift the USYS 13U Boys National Championship Trophy on Friday night, but it also avenged a tight 3-2 loss to BLFC Premiership 11 earlier this week in group play.

The Football Academy Black 13U Boys advanced to the USYS National Championship Final after earning the top seed from their bracket in the opening round. The New Jersey side concluded group play with six points on a 2-1-0 record before facing BLFC Premiership 11 (IL) in the 13U Boys National Championship. The journey to Friday night started for The Football Academy Black 13U Boys in the fall of 2023 when they lifted the NJYS State Cup for their age group. The next stop on their itinerary was at the USYS Eastern Regional Championships in West Virginia, where they won six consecutive matches en route to claiming the regional championship earlier this month.

The USYS National Championships Presented by New York Life are the final stage of the USYS National Championships, which begin at the state level before progressing to the regional and then national stages. The event is a culmination of a year-long series of competitions, providing approximately 185,000 players on 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 54 State Associations with the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation.

To find out more information about New Jersey Youth Soccer or to contact us directly, please email communications@njyouthsoccer.com. Also make sure to follow us on social media: @NJYouthSoccer 

Three New Jersey Youth Soccer teams are continuing their quest for a national title after advancing past group play at the US Youth Soccer National Championships, which are being hosted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. New Jersey representatives who are moving onto the next stage include The Football Academy Black 13U Boys, The Football Academy Black 14U Boys and Cedar Stars North 19U Boys.

The Football Academy Black 13U Boys advanced to the USYS National Championship Final after earning the top seed from their bracket in the opening round. The New Jersey side concluded group play with six points on a 2-1-0 record, and they will now face BLFC Premiership 11 (IL) in the 13U Boys National Championship on Friday night at 7:00 PM. The national spotlight will be on that match-up, with the game being televised live on ESPNEWS. The journey to Friday night started for The Football Academy Black 13U Boys in the fall of 2023 when they lifted the NJYS State Cup for their age group. The next stop on their itinerary was at the USYS Eastern Regional Championships in West Virginia, where they won six consecutive matches en route to claiming the regional championship earlier this month.

The Football Academy Black has a second team in the elimination rounds of the USYS National Championship as well, with their 14U Boys heading to the semifinals this weekend. After booking their spot in the national tournament via the National League P.R.O., The Football Academy Black 14U Boys went unbeaten in group play, earning seven points on a cumulative 2-0-1 record to claim the top spot in their bracket. Next up for the New Jersey representative is a Saturday morning reservation with Yardley Makefield Soccer 2010 Boys Premier United (PAE) at 10:30 AM.

Also moving onto the USYS National Championship Semifinals is the Cedar Stars North 19U Boys, who went undefeated in group play. After pairing nine points and a 3-0 record with a 7-1 goal differential, Cedar Stars North now advances to battle Indiana Fire 2005B NL (IN) on Saturday morning at 8:00 AM. The journey for Cedar Stars North began with a NJYS State Cup Championship this past spring before they won six consecutive matches to claim the USYS Eastern Regional Championship for their age group. Over the course of the Eastern Regional Championships and National Championships, Cedar Stars North has gone undefeated and won nine straight games.

New Jersey was represented by an additional six teams at the USYS National Championships. However, no quarterfinal round at the national tournament meant a smaller pool of teams advanced to the elimination rounds. Also competing at the USYS National Championships but unfortunately seeing their tournament run end after group play was NJ Nationals Elite (15U Girls), Torpedoes Red (16U Boys), Ironbound NAL (17U Boys), Cedar Stars North (17U Boys), PDA/Vistula Lewandowski (17U Boys) and The Football Academy Black (19U Girls).

The USYS National Championships Presented by New York Life are the final stage of the USYS National Championships, which begin at the state level before progressing to the regional and then national stages. The event is a culmination of a year-long series of competitions, providing approximately 185,000 players on 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 54 State Associations with the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation.

To find out more information about New Jersey Youth Soccer or to contact us directly, please email communications@njyouthsoccer.com. Also make sure to follow us on social media: @NJYouthSoccer 

The US Youth Soccer National Championships kick off today in Orlando, Florida, where nine New Jersey teams will fight for a national title. The USYS National Championships come on the heels of a successful USYS Eastern Regional Championship tournament for four New Jersey teams and a successful National League P.R.O. season for an additional five New Jersey teams.  

Last month, teams competed for a chance to secure a spot at the 2024 USYS National Championships in the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships, where The Football Academy Black 13U Boys, Torpedoes Red 16U Boys, Ironbound NAL 17U Boys and Cedar Stars Academy 19U Boys were crowned Eastern Regional Champions. Earlier this year, National League P.R.O. teams competed in a group play format to punch their ticket to Florida.  

The USYS National Championships are the final stage of the USYS National Championship Series, which also provides collegiate, pro and international coaches with the ability to identify and scout players. The event is a culmination of a year-long series of competitions at the state and regional levels known as the USYS National Championship Series, providing approximately 185,000 players on 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 54 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation.

Teams are competing at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which offers 17 fields with the backdrop of Walt Disney World, and the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, providing an additional eight fields. Group play competition begins after a team event on Monday that recognized all players and coaches in attendance while also featuring the infamous USYS National Championship Trophies, the ‘heirlooms of our sport.’

Follow the action on New Jersey Youth Soccer’s social media as we highlight and support New Jersey teams in attendance.

Best of luck to the nine NJYS Teams Competing for a National Title:

13UB: The Football Academy Black (Eastern Regional Champions)

16UB: Torpedoes Red (Eastern Regional Champions)

17UB: Ironbound NAL (Eastern Regional Champions)

19UB: Cedar Stars North (Eastern Regional Champions)

14UB: The Football Academy Black (National League P.R.O.)

15UG: NJ Nationals Elite (National League P.R.O.) 

17UB: Cedar Stars North (National League P.R.O.)

17UB: PDA/Vistula Lewandowski (National League P.R.O.)

19UG: The Football Academy Black (National League P.R.O.)

New Jersey is also represented by six referees at the USYS National Championships Presented by New York Life, who were chosen based on outstanding performances at the USYS Eastern Regional Championships.

Best of luck to the New Jersey Referees Officiating at the US Youth Soccer Championships: Catie Koenig, Bree Kozej, Connor Petrauskas, James Dolan, Simon Ribeiro and Nick Cardone

To learn more about New Jersey Youth Soccer, please visit njyouthsoccer.com or follow us on social media @NJYouthSoccer. All inquiries may be directed to communications@njyouthsoccer.com.