This past weekend, EDP Soccer hosted the first half of the EDP Cup Fall 2021, featuring over 300 9U-15U boys teams playing at Tuckahoe Turf Farms in Hammonton, NJ and Green Branch Park in Pittsgrove, NJ. Twelve different state associations were represented from three different regions with numerous top ranked teams in attendance. Featuring teams from MLS Academies, MLS NEXT, USYS National League Conferences, ECNL, EDP League and more, the weekend saw top teams from across different platforms compete against each other, creating a best vs. best experience. In total, over 540 games were played over the two days.
Thirty-one different clubs won championships over the weekend, led by World Class FC winning three championships.
A look at some of the events brackets:
PLATINUM Baltimore Celtic 2008 started off with a very strong start on Saturday, keeping clean sheets against Lower Merion SC Thunder and again against Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 08B Black. On Sunday, they drew 0-0 with Ironbound SC 2008 United, giving them the point they needed to reach the final. In the final, they would take on USYS Eastern Regional Champion Brentwood SC 2009 Premier Man City, and after drawing 1-1 in regulation Baltimore Celtic won 4-2 on Penalty Kicks to win the championship.
GOLD World Class FC ‘08 went through the group stages unbeaten, allowing just one goal in their three games. In the final, they would come up against STA-MUSC 2008 who reached the final after two wins on Saturday and a 2-2 draw with AC Connecticut B08 on Sunday. In the final, World Class FC was victorious 3-1.
SILVER Eastern New York State Cup Finalist Stony Brook-LGN SC Wildlings Blue started the weekend with two close wins on Saturday, a 2-0 win over Keystone FC and a 2-1 win over UCFC Wolves. On Sunday, the squad would hit their stride recording a big win over Morris Elite B08 Pre-USL, and recording a 4-0 victory in the final over Arlington SA 2008 Academy, who had been unbeaten in the event.
BRONZE Cedar Stars Academy Bergen North reached the final after going 1-1-1 in group play, with scores of 1-0, 1-1 and 0-1. They would face Club Ohio Dayton 08B Elite in the championship game, a team who was 3-0-0 in group play with 10 goals scored and two goals against. However, the final game would see Cedar Stars Academy be the attack who clicked, scoring four goals and winning by the scoreline 4-1.
PLATINUM World Class FC ’09 and Achilles FC 2009 both won their matches on Saturday, and faced off on Sunday to see who would reach the final. In a back and forth match, neither side could find the winner, meaning World Class FC would advance to the final on the Goal Differential tie-breaker. They would come up against Valencia CF Academy NY 2009, who also reached the final on the Goal Differential tie-breaker, and it was World Class FC who would prove to be the better side in the match, winning 5-2.
GOLD Arlington SA 2009B Academy and Thunder SC Summit 2009 both finished group play with perfect 3-0-0 records. Thunder SC, who had kept two clean sheets in their 3 group stage games, were unable to stop Arlington SA attack, and returned to Illinois as runners up as Arlington won the final 4-2.
SILVER Torpedoes SC 2009B was firing on all cylinders right from the start, going 3-0 in group play with wins of 2-1, 4-2 and 4-0 before facing STA-MUSC 2009B ECRL in the final and defeating them 4-1.
BRONZE DUSC B2009 Blue attack was tough to stop all group stage long, recording big wins in each match. The final saw them matchup against league rival Brentwood SC from the USYS North Atlantic Club v Club division. Just as it was in their league opener verse one another, DUSC won the very close affair, claiming the championship.
PLATINUM ROYAL Philadelphia Union Academy 2010 won both matches Saturday, meaning they had reached the final despite their 2-1 loss to Club Ohio 2010 Aris on Sunday. Nationals Oakland 10B went 3-0-0, defeating NYCFC 2010 White on Sunday to reach the final as they looked to win the title in back to back years. Philadelphia Union Jr Academy would bounce back from their earlier loss, and would win the very entertaining final 3-1.
PLATINUM SCARLET NYCFC Blue 2010 showed why they are one of the best youth academies in the nation, winning all three of their group stage games in impressive fashion. They would come up against Cincinnati United CUP ’10 King, the #1 ranked team in Ohio who won two games and drew once in group play. The final was a high scoring affair, with NYCFC having the edge and winning the championship by the scoreline of 6-4.
SILVER The final was a battle of two 3-0-0 sides, with Achilles FC 2010B facing off against World Class FC ’10, with World Class FC claiming the championship.
BRONZE Ironbound SC 2010 Bulls and Match Fit FC 2010 Shore needed penalty kicks to decide the final, with the Ironbound keeper playing hero saving the final shot to make Ironbound champions.
PLATINUM In Group A, Lower Merion SC Irmaos Navy opened up their weekend with a 5-4 win over Coppermine SC 2011B Premier and a 3-2 win over The Football Academy NJ 2011B Black. On Sunday, they had a big 5-1 win over Nationals Oakland 2011B Black to reach the final. In Group B, Cedar Stars Academy Bergen Pre-Academy defeated Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 11B Black 1-0, and then had an important 5-2 win over Philadelphia Union Jr Academy 2011B. On Sunday, they won a thrilling 6-5 win over Juventus Academy Boston 2011B Bianco. The final ended tied 2-2, with Lower Merion’s Sam Horton scoring 2 set pieces. Lower Merion went on to win 4-3 in penalty kicks.
GOLD PDA Puyol opened up the weekend with a 1-1 draw, and then went on to win three straight games, defeating World Class FC 2-0 in the final.
SILVER Liverpool FCNJ 2011B Central and Morris Elite B11 Pre-USL both went through group play 3-0-0. Liverpool FCNJ scored some of the best goals of the tournament. In a tightly contested final, Liverpool came out with the win.
BRONZE Europa Lions FC 2011B went 3-0-1, winning the bracket with 10 points.
GOLD Philadelphia Union Jr Academy 2012B went 4-0-0, with wins over VE, The Football Academy NJ, STA, and Nationals Oakland to claim the championship.
SILVER Harrison SC Hurricanes 2012 went through group play with 3 wins allowing just 1 goal, and would go on to defeat STA-MOSC in the final.
GOLD Torpedoes SC Red and Philadelphia Union Jr Academy 2013B were on a collision course for the final all weekend long, dominating the group stage. The final was a battle of two very even teams, with neither team able to break the other down. Torpedoes’ Evan Quill played hero, making two saves in Penalty Kicks propelling Torpedoes to the championship.
SILVER Middletown SC Galaxy finished the weekend 3-0-1, winning their final game 1-0 over Valencia CF Academy NY to claim the championship.
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