Four La Roca FC Girls Teams Competing for National Titles
The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the country’s most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing approximately 185,000 players on more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play.
Check out the four Utah teams competing in National Championships, how they got there and who they will be facing.
U15 Girls La Roca Premier PO (NL-B2), Head Coach: Francisco Ovalle
La Roca Premier PO (UT) advanced to a second consecutive National Championship after finishing as the National League Blue Runner-up with a 5-2-0 record. La Roca also finished as State Cup champs and swept their group at Regionals with a 3-0 record, scoring 16 goals and allowing only one against. La Roca defeated Rush 00 (HI) in the quarterfinals and then Palo Alto 00 Blue (CA-N), 6-2, in the semifinals. In the final match, La Roca defeated Carlsbad Elite 99 (CA-S), 3-2, to claim the Region IV title. La Roca will be looking to complete the NCS sweep with a championship win at Nationals.
La Roca Premier PO will start off the tournament against Solar Chelsea Elite 00 (TX-N) (RIII-R) on Tuesday, July 21 at 9:30 AM followed by a 1:30pm game on Wednesday, July 22 against Legends FC 99 (CA-S) (NL-R1). They complete preliminary’s on Thursday, July 23rd against Futura Pink Panthers Elite (MO) (RII-C).
U16 Girls La Roca FC (RIV-C), Head Coach: Felipe Diaz
La Roca FC (UT) advanced to the Region IV Championships after winning its third consecutive Utah State Cup. At Regionals, La Roca went 3-0 through group play while allowing one goal. La Roca defeated the Northwest Regional League team Seattle United (WA), 3-1, in the quarterfinals and then defeated Beach FC 98 Academy (CA-S), 3-0, in the semifinals. La Roca downed another Far West Regional League team, Arsenal FC S Bowers (CA-S), in the final, 2-1, to claim its first Region IV title and advance to Nationals.
La Roca FC will start off the tournament against Kings Hammer Academy Red (OH-S) (NL-R2) on Tuesday, July 21 at 11:30 AM, followed by a 7:30am game on Wednesday, July 22nd against Futura Academy Forte Elite (MO) (RII-C). They complete preliminary’s on Thursday, July 23rd against Tophat 17 Gold (GA) (NL-B1) at 11:30am.
U17 Girls La Roca Premier (RIV-C), Head Coach: Adolfo Ovalle
La Roca Premier (UT) advanced to Region IV Championships after winning the Desert Premier League and the Utah State Cup. La Roca put on a clinic at the Region IV Championships and advance to Nationals with a 6-0 record and a 26-to-3 goal differential. The Utah side went 3-0 in group play and defeated Northwest Nationals 97 Red (WA), 4-0, in the quarterfinals and then finished with a 3-0 semifinal win over Arizona Arsenal 98 Premier Team (AZ) and defeated Utah rival 98 Celtic FC Premier, 1-0, in a rematch of the Utah State Cup final.
La Roca Premier will start off the tournament against Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (FL) (NL-B2) on Tuesday, July 21 at 7:30am, followed by a 11:30am game on Wednesday, July 22 against Beach FC Academy 97 (CA-S) (NL-R1). They complete preliminary’s on Thursday, July 23rd against NJ Stallions Dynamite (NJ) (RI-C) at 7:30am.
U18 Girls La Roca PO (RIV-C), Head Coach: Pancho Ovalle
After winning the Utah State Cup La Roca PO (UT) advanced to the Region IV Championships. While not winning its group at the Region IV Championships, going 1-1-0, La Roca made the most of its second-place finish as it cruised through the elimination rounds. La Roca won its quarterfinal match, 4-0, against local side CDA Sting Premier (ID) then won its semifinal, 4-1, over Eastside FC 96 Red (WA). In the final La Roca avenged its only loss of the tournament with a 3-2 win against Rio Rapids SC 97 (NM).
La Roca PO will start off the tournament against Beach FC Academy (CA-S) (NL-B1) on Tuesday, July 21 at 11:30am, followed by a 7:30am game on Wednesday, July 22 against VSA Heat 96 Blue (VA) (NL-R2). They complete preliminary’s on Thursday, July 23rd against KC Metro Dynamos (KS) (RII-C) at 1:30pm.
