As the winter months recede and temperatures warm across the United States, the schedule of Development Academy action continues to expand.
The Seattle Sounders Academy is back in action after a week off, and making another trip to California for a busy weekend. Both the U-16s and U-18s will face Irvine Strikers on Saturday, before taking on Pateadores on Sunday.
Leading at both levels in the Northwest Division standings, the Sounders Academy will look to continue and build their lead on Crossfire Premier, another Seattle-based club that is second in both age groups.
Crossfire will be making the same trip as the Sounders, and will flip-flop the competition, going up against Pateadores Saturday before visiting the Irvine Strikers on Sunday.
Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA will also send their respective academies into action. RSL’s Arizona-based side will welcome Real So Cal on Sunday, while Chivas takes on Nomads SC at the Home Depot Center’s auxiliary fields on Saturday.
Back East, the chase for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division’s South Conference for both the U-16s and U-18s is a tight one.
McLean Youth Soccer, whose U-16s are currently holding on to the top spot in the Atlantic Division, travels down south and will look to improve their record when they take on the North Carolina Fusion and CASL Chelsea FC Saturday and Sunday respectively.
The Richmond Strikers are making the same trip, and will play CASL Chelsea Saturday and North Carolina Fusion Sunday. And while Richmond’s U-16s have their work cut out for them as far as the playoffs go, the two games for the U-18s are important and with two wins the Strikers could grab the Atlantic Division’s top spot.
