U.S. Soccer names final 22 clubs to Girls Development Academy for total of 74

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Mike Woitalla  @MikeWoitalla, Aug 17, 2016

U.S. Soccer has accepted an additional 22 clubs to the Girls Development Academy, which will kick off in fall of 2017 with 74 clubs fielding teams in U-14/15, U-16/17 and U-18/19 competition.

The final 22 clubs named on Wednesday are:
Cedar Stars Academy-Monmouth (Tinton Falls, N.J.)
Burlingame SC-MVLA (Burlingame, Calif.)
Empire United (Rochester, N.Y.)
FC Fury New York (Bay Shore, N.Y.)
FC Kansas City (Prairie Village, Kan.)
Houston Dash (Houston, Texas)
Houston United (Houston, Texas)
Indiana Fire (Westfield, Ind.)
La Roca Futbol Club (Kaysville, Utah)
Nationals (Royal Oak, Mich.)
Oakwood Soccer Club (Glastonbury, Conn.)
Pateadores (Costa Mesa, Calif.)
PA Classics (Manheim, Pa.)
PSV Union (Palo Alto, Calif.)
Real So Cal (Woodland Hills, Calif.)
SC del Sol (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Sereno Soccer Club (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Sporting Blue Valley (Overland Park, Kan.)
Texas Rush Soccer Club (The Woodlands, Texas)
FC United (Northfield, Ill.)
West Coast Futbol Club (Laguna Hills, Calif.)
Western New York Flash (Elma, N.Y.)

California is the best represented state, with 11 Southern California and six Northern California entrants. Texas comes in with four North Texas and four South Texas clubs.

2017-18 U.S. Soccer Girls Development Academy Clubs (complete field)
CALIFORNIA-SOUTH (11): Beach FC, Eagles SC, LA Galaxy San Diego, LA Premier, Legends FC, LAFC-Slammers, Pateadores, Real So Cal, San Diego Surf, So Cal Blues, West Coast Futbol Club.
FLORIDA (7): Boca United, Clay County SC, IMG Academy, Jacksonville Armada Youth Academy (JFC), Orlando Pride/City SC, West Florida Flames, Weston FC.
CALIFORNIA-NORTH (6): Burlingame SC-MVLA, Davis Legacy-San Juan SC, De Anza Force, Lamorinda, Mustang, PSV Union.
NEW YORK (5): East Meadow SC, Empire United, Fury New York, Western New York Flash, World Class FC.
NEW JERSEY (3): Cedar Stars Academy-Monmouth, Match Fit Academy, Sky Blue FC-PDA.
TEXAS-SOUTH (4): Lonestar SC, Houston Dash, Houston United, Texas Rush.
TEXAS-NORTH (4): Dallas Texans, Sting Soccer Club, FC Dallas, Solar Chelsea SC.
MICHIGAN (3): Michigan Hawks, Midwest United, Nationals.
VIRGINIA (3): FC Virginia, Virginia Development Academy, Washington Spirit-Virginia.
WASHINGTON (3): Eastside FC, Crossfire, Seattle Reign.
COLORADO (2): Colorado Rush, Real Colorado.
GEORGIA (2): Concorde Fire, Tophat NTH.
ILLINOIS (2): Eclipse Select, Sockers FC.
KANSAS (2): FC Kansas City, Sporting Blue Valley.
MASSACHUSETTS (2): FC Stars, Boston Breakers.
ARIZONA (2): SC del Sol, Sereno SC.
NORTH CAROLINA (2): CASL, Charlotte Soccer Academy.
PENNSYLANIA (2): PA Classics, Penn Fusion SA.
CONNECTICUT (1): Oakwood SC.
INDIANA (1): Indiana Fire.
ILLINOIS (1): FC United
MARYLAND (1): Washington Spirit-Maryland.
MINNESOTA (1): Shattuck-St. Mary's.
OHIO (1): Cincinnati Development Academy/Kings Hammer/CUP.
OKLAHOMA (1): TSC Hurricane.
OREGON (1): Portland Thorns.
UTAH (1): La Roca Futbol Club.

U.S. U-15 girls reach Concacaf Championship semis

The U.S. U-15 girls national team, coached by Mark Carr, beat Bermuda, 12-0, at 2016 Concacaf U-15 Girls Championships to book a Aug. 19 semifinal against the Costa Rica-Saint Lucia quarterfinal winner. The USA, which opened with a 22-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago in the Orlando, Florida-hosted tournament, has outscored its five opponents 42-0.

(Photo courtesy U.S. Soccer)

Payton Linnehan (FC Stars of Mass) and Mia Fishel (San Diego Surf) scored hat tricks in the quarterfinal win over Bermuda. Fishel also scored the gamewinner goal in the USA 1-0 group win over Mexico. In its other close game, a 1-0 win over Haiti, Sunshine Fontes (Honolulu Bulls SC) scored the decider.

U.S. U-15 girls Concacaf Championship Game Summaries

USA and Brazil women tie two U-17 friendlies

The anticipated USA-Brazil meeting in women's soccer at the Rio Olympics didn't take place, but the USA and Brazil met twice in Michigan in under-17 women's internationals. Both games ended in ties -- 2-2- in Lansing and 1-1 in Holland. They were tune-ups for the U-17 Women’s World Cup that kicks off Sept. 30 in Jordan.

The USA scored two late goals from Ashley Sanchez (18 goals in 16 U-17 international matches) and Jaelin Howell to take a lead and then gave up an 89th-minute equalizer in the 2-2 draw at DeMartin Soccer Stadium on the campus of Michigan State University.

The second game was played at Hope College.

The games were among the final chances to evaluate the players before Coach B.J. Snow picks the team he'll take to Jordan.

Aug. 9 in Lansing, Mich.
USA 2 Brazil 2. Goals: Sanchez 71, Howell 81; Thais Regina 55, Nycole 89.
USA -- Ivory; Wiesner (Rodriguez,72), Girma, Rodriguez, Pickett (Wesley, 78); Pinto (Godfrey, 61), Howell (Torres, 84), S.Smith (Spaanstra, 46); Kuhlmann (Richardson, 72), Sanchez, Tagliaferri (Canniff, 61).
Brazil -- Kemelli; Isabella Fernandes; Camila, Thais Regina, Angelina, Thais Reiss; Jaqueline (Maria Julia, 84), Ana Vitoria, Micaely (Nycole Sobrinho, 72); Kerolin, Kawane Ribeiro (Raquel Batista, 46).
Att.: 2,250.

Aug. 12 in Holland, Mich.
USA 1 Brazil 1. Goals: E.Smith 48; Kerolin 55.
USA -- McClelland; Sanchez (Tagliaferri, 75), Pickett, Pinto (Godfrey, 46), Girma, Kuhlmann (Richardson, 57), Wiesner (Abello, 68), Howell, Zandi (Torres, 46), Wesley (E.Smith, 46), Canniff (Spaanstra, 46)
Brazil -- Kemelli; Isabella Fernandes; Camila, Thais Regina, Angelina, Thais Reiss, Jaqueline, Ana Vitoria, Micaely, Kerolin, Raquel Batista.
Att.: 2,278.

U.S. U-18s open with two wins in Czech Republic

The U.S. U-18 men's national team opened the Vaclav Jezek Tournament in the Czech Republic with a 3-1 win over Slovakia on Tuesday thanks to goals by Nick Taitague, Justin Rennicks and Shaft Brewer.

Taitague, who played four games as an amateur player for the NASL's Carolina RailHawks and recently trained at German club Schalke 04, scored twice in the USA's second group game, a 3-1 win over Hungary in which Jose Carranza of D.C. United also scored.

The U-18s, coached by Omid Namazi, face Russia on Friday in group play. The USA won the tournament two years ago.

(Photo courtesy U.S. Soccer)

Aug. 16 in Rakova
U.S. U-18s 3 Slovakia U-18s 1. Goals: Taitague 25, Rennicks 38, Brewer 80; Bedats pen. 80.
USA -- Scott, Zarris, Vom Steeg, Stanley (Gruno 75), Jones, Gonzalez (Paoli 75), Pomykal, Espinoza, Dorsey, Rennicks (Carranza 82), Taitague (Brewer 64).
Slovakia -- Valach, Majdan, Filinsky, Dybala, Flak (Kozlovsky 59), Bedats, Bednar (Livora 46), Tomic (Koval 73), Spyrka, Gresak, Almasi (Martinka 46).

U.S. U-17 boys train in Utah

A 24-player U.S. U-17 boys national team squad is training in Park City, Utah, in hopes of being selected by Coach John Hackworth  for a 20-player squad to compete at the 2016 Torneo Naciones de Mexico Aug. 22-29 in Mexico City.

The U.S. U-17s rallied to beat Utah Valley University, 4-3, on Tuesday. They will also face the USL's Real Monarchs during the camp.

At the 2016 Torneo Naciones de Mexico, the USA will face Portugal (Aug. 25), Qatar (Aug. 26) and Mexico (Aug. 28).

U.S. U-17 boys national team
GOALKEEPERS (2): Alexander Budnik (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Justin Garces (Kendall FC; Miami, Fla.).
DEFENDERS (8): Jake Arteaga (LA Galaxy; Glendora, Calif.), Carlos Asensio (Atlanta United; Roswell, Ga.), Kelee Cornfield-Saunders (LA Galaxy; San Marcos, Calif.), Kendall Edwards (Atlanta United; Atlanta, Ga.), Christopher Gloster (New York Red Bulls; Montclair, N.J.), Rayshaun McGann (Philadelphia Union; Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), Jose Rivera (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Arturo Vasquez (FC Golden State; Mira Loma, Calif.).
MIDFIELDERS (8): George Acosta (Weston FC; Hollywood, Fla.), Taylor Booth (Real Salt Lake AZ; Eden, Utah), Christopher Durkin (D.C. United; Glen Allen, Va.), Blaine Ferri (Solar Chelsea SC; Southlake, Texas), Christopher Goslin (Atlanta United; Locust Grove, Ga.), James Sands (New York Soccer Club; Rye, N.Y.), Adrian Villegas (Portland Timbers; Hood River, Ore.), Akil Watts (IMG Academy; Fort Wayne, Ind.).
FORWARDS (6): Ayomide Akinola (Toronto FC; Brampton, Ont.), Andrew Carleton (Atlanta United; Powder Springs, Ga.), Patrick Cassagnol (SIMA; Silver Spring, Md.), Zyen Jones (Atlanta United; Clarkston, Ga.), Joshua Sargent (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; O’Fallen, Mo.), Timothy Weah (Paris Saint-Germain; Rosedale, N.Y.).