FRISCO, Texas (Sept. 18, 2019) — The first conference weekend for the 2019-20 US Youth Soccer Desert Conference is in the books after a thrilling weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah, that saw 60 teams compete in 90 matches.
This past weekend featured just the 12U-14U Boys and Girls teams. The older age groups will begin play at the second conference weekend in Phoenix this November.
Defending champions continued to assert their dominance while a handful of new teams turned heads throughout the weekend.
Below are some notes from each group.
12U Girls
Impact PB 08 (UT) and Players SC 2008 Girls Elite (NV) sit at the top of the group with seven points apiece. Impact PB 08 also scored a group high 11 goals while PRFC Scottsdale 08G Chapman (AZ), who sit third in the group, scored 10 goals. RSL-AZ North 08 Girls (AZ) showcased an impressive defensive display allowing just two goals over the weekend.
13U Girls
Things are tight at the top with five teams all locked in with seven points each. However, defending champ Wasatch SC 07G ZB (UT) holds the advantage thanks to an impressive weekend in which it scored seven goals and conceded zero. The teams Wasatch holds the goal differential advantage over are RSL-AZ North 07 Girls (AZ), Impact United SC (UT), La Roca PO (UT) and Rio Rapids SC 07 (NM).
14U Girls
New to the Desert Conference this season is Utah Soccer Alliance G06 (UT), which turned heads this weekend by winning all three matches while scoring a group-high seven goals with zero goals conceded. Last year's third-place finisher, LVSA 06 Girls Silver (NV), sits in second place with Arsenal Colorado (CO) in third.
12U Boys
SC del Sol 08 (AZ) steamrolled through this weekend's competition with an impressive offensive attack that netted the Arizona team a group-high 12 goals, which helped produce three victories. Trailing them by two points is La Roca South 08 CS (UT). Rangers FC Utah (UT), RSL-AZ South 08 Boys, and RSL-AZ North 08 Boys all sit in third place with six points apiece.
13U Boys
While last year's defending champions, FBSL Tuzos Academy (AZ), won all three matches, they were outpaced by newcomer Albion SCLV 2007 (NV), who also won all three matches. Separating these teams is the goal differential. Albion SCLV 2007 holds a plus-9 goal differential while FBSL Tuzos Academy and La Roca FC (UT), who also won all three matches, hold a plus-7 goal differential. Trailing these teams is NUU Cache Valley United (UT), who finished the weekend with six points after suffering a loss to FBSL Tuzos on Sunday.
14U Boys
Defending champion La Roca S 06 (UT) picked up where it left off last year by winning all three matches this past weekend. Trailing La Roca by two points are SC del Sol 06 Boys (AZ) and Rio Rapids 06 Boys (NM). Sitting three points behind the group leader are Utah Soccer Alliance (UT) and Sparta United B06 (UT), who scored a weekend-high 13 goals.
The top teams in the 13U-19U age groups have the opportunity to advance to the 2020 US Youth Soccer Regional Championships and earn a spot in next season's US Youth Soccer National League.
The Desert Conference is one of 13 conferences that fall under the scope of the US Youth Soccer Leagues Program and operate at a multi-state level — providing high-level competition on a consistent basis at a targeted local level (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah).
For more information on the US Youth Soccer Leagues Program, including the Desert Conference and the National League, visit USYouthSoccer.org/leagues.