ECNL National Event Phoenix Preview + Must-See Games
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The first ECNL National Event for the older age groups kicks off on Friday from the Reach 11 Sports Complex in Arizona. The 07, 06, and 05/04 age groups will be in action over the three-day event. PrepSoccer will be…
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Continue ReadingThe first ECNL National Event for the older age groups kicks off on Friday from the Reach 11 Sports Complex in Arizona. The 07, 06, and 05/04 age groups will be in action over the three-day event.
PrepSoccer will be on hand during the event. Check back throughout the weekend for daily standouts, and post-event Best XI.
Check out a preview of some of the top teams in the U16, U17, and U19 age groups below as well as one must-see game from each group. The National Selection Game is also back for this event. Check out the roster at the bottom of the post.
07/U16
Defending ECNL National Champions Slammers FC HB Koge have not slowed down this season. Slammers Koge are 12-0 on the season heading to Phoenix. The Southern California team is averaging more than 3 goals scored per game this season, and only four goals conceded in the dozen games total. Slammers Koge opens up the three-day event against OK Energy on Friday. They also face Sporting Blue Valley and Michigan Hawks. The star studded Slammers squad is led by ECNL Player of the Year Ayva Jordan Ayva Jordan F Delta Academy | 2026 State #1 Nation CA , one of the top 2026 forwards in the country. Finley Lacher, another 2026, was also an All-Conference First Team honoree last season.
Michigan Hawks (8-0-2) are also unbeaten on the season. Hawks takes on Real Colorado, OK Energy, and the aforementioned Slammers FC HB Koge. Hawks’ defense has been especially impressive this season with only three goals conceded. Mya Brandon, Reese Canada, Emily Filbrun, and Kadance Radwanski were all First Team All-Conference honorees last season.
Legends FC, last year’s finalist in this age group, is another team to highlight at the event. Legends take on Concorde Fire Platinum, Solar SC, and Indiana Fire during the three-day event. The game on Saturday against Solar will probably have the sidelines packed with on-lookers and scouts. Both teams feature a number of youth national team players. Legends added Zoe Matthews Zoe Matthews null | F State #30 Nation CA , formerly of Solar, to the roster this season, which would have added a little spice. Matthews, though, is with the Jamaica Senior Women’s National Team for the two-game series against Paraguay and will miss this event. Solar’s new goalkeeper Molly Vapensky, who joined after the end of the Girls Academy fall season with FC United, will be one to watch during this event.
Must-See Game
MVLA – San Diego Surf, Nov. 11, 10 am – Field #6
It’s a battle between the some of the top teams in Northern and Southern California on the opening day of the event. Nicole Kim Nicole Kim M State #71 Nation CA and Alison Hou Alison Hou D State #269 Nation CA were All-Conference First Team selections last season from MVLA. Hou was selected for the National Selection Game on Friday. Ava Harrison Ava Harrison null | F State #44 Nation CA and Ava Sherrer were the top standouts for San Diego Surf last season, as both were selected to the Southwest All-Conference First Team. Both rosters are deep with talent so fully expect some new names to earn the spotlight from Phoenix.
06/U17
San Diego Surf (11-0-0) has made a statement to start the ECNL campaign with a perfect record and a plus 67 goal differential. Surf takes on Sporting Blue Valley, Concorde Fire Platinum, and Kansas City Athletics during the event in Phoenix. The Surf roster is loaded with many of the top 2024 and 2025 players in California. In the PrepSoccer prospect database, there are 10 known verbal commitments from the Surf 06 team with Northwestern scoring two of them, Kennedy Roesch Kennedy Roesch F Patrick Henry (CA) | 2024 State #30 Nation CA and Tanna Schornstein Tanna Schornstein M Torrey Pines (CA) | 2024 State CA .
SLSG Navy (11-0-0), the defending National Champions, are another squad off to a perfect start to the campaign. The champs take on San Juan SC, FC Dallas, and Solar SC during the three days in Arizona. SLSG Navy’s defense has been nearly perfect this season with only three goals conceded.
FC Dallas (11-0-0) is the other squad with a perfect 11-game start to the season, including a 4-3 season-opening win over local rival Solar SC. Jaden Thomas, Summer Chen, Bronwynn Blair, and Audrey Brown were standouts for FC Dallas in their last game before the event.
Must-See Game
Slammers FC HB Koge – Colorado Rapids, Nov. 13, 1:30 PM – Field #10
Two teams with National Championship ambitions end the event with a difficult match-up. Slammers FC HB Koge is 11-1 on the season with only three goals conceded. Chloe Walls Chloe Walls GK Francis Parker (CA) | 2024 State CA and Maysen Veronda Maysen Veronda GK JSerra (CA) | 2024 CA are the two keepers on the roster for Slammers. They’ll need to be sharp as the Rapids have not been shutout this season, and average four goals scored per game this season.
05/04/U19
Beach FC (10-1) is a star-studded group with youth national team players in a number of roles on the team. Tanner Ijams Tanner Ijams GK El Segundo (CA) | 2024 State #11 Nation CA and Onyeka Gamero Onyeka Gamero F Whitney (CA) | 2024 State CA are among the top 2024s in the country. They are part of the solid spine in the team with Gamero headlining the attack and Ijams being the steady presence in goal. Beach FC takes on Michigan Hawks, Sporting Blue Valley, and Real Colorado National.
Michigan Hawks (8-1-1) should be a tough match-up for Beach FC. The Midwest powerhouse will be short-handed for the opening day as star Hailey Baumann Hailey Baumann D State #53 Nation MI was selected for the National Selection Game. Hawks also take on Classics Elite and Sporting California during the event in Arizona.
Must-See Game
Real Colorado National – Slammers FC HB Koge, Nov. 12, 10 AM – Field #2
It is a battle between two unbeaten squads from the start of the season on Saturday. Real Color is a perfect 5-0 on the campaign. They’ve recorded three shutouts from the five games. Slammers FC HB Koge added some key pieces in the off-season included Savvy King. The already deep squad has been nearly unstoppable this season.
ECNL Phoenix – National Selection Game Rosters
East
- Abby Ballek Abby Ballek null | F Fossil Ridge | 2025 State #26 Nation CO (Real Colorado National)
- Hailey Baumann Hailey Baumann D State #53 Nation MI (Michigan Hawks)
- Jenna Baumann Jenna Baumann F D.C. Everest (WI) | 2024 #64 Nation WI (FC Wisconsin)
- Caroline Birkel Caroline Birkel null | GK State #15 Nation MO (SLSG Navy)
- Sofia Cedeno (Solar SC)
- Megan Gover Megan Gover D CA (Davis Legacy)
- Alison Hou Alison Hou D State #269 Nation CA (MVLA Soccer Club)
- Andrea Iljkic Andrea Iljkic F State #76 Nation CO (Colorado Rapids)
- Taylor Jernigan Taylor Jernigan null | F San Antonio Reagan (TX) | 2023 State TX (Classics Elite SA)
- Yuna McCormack Yuna McCormack M Tamalpais (CA) | 2023 State #6 Nation CA (Bay Area Surf)
- Mailin Orozco Mailin Orozco F State #25 Nation CA (MVLA Soccer Club)
- Avery Paulson Avery Paulson M Fellowship Christian | 2024 GA (GSA)
- Grace Restovich Grace Restovich M #10 Nation MO (SLSG Navy)
- Audrey Shackelford Audrey Shackelford M St. Francis (CA) | 2024 CA (San Juan SC)
- Ava Slay Ava Slay D Jordan | 2024 #173 Nation TX (Albion Hurricanes FC)
- Jocelyn Travers Jocelyn Travers D Santa Cruz | 2025 State #35 Nation CA (Bay Area Surf)
- Elizabeth Vranesh Elizabeth Vranesh M Carondelet (CA) | 2023 #157 Nation CA (Mustang SC)
- Kendell Williams Kendell Williams GK Stevenson (IL) | 2024 #147 Nation IL (Eclipse Select SC)
West
- Mya Brandon (Michigan Hawks)
- Cali Brewer (Pateadores)
- Elizabeth Canty (Oklahoma Energy FC)
- Devin Davis Devin Davis null | D TX (FC Dallas)
- Olivia Elliott Olivia Elliott M CA (Santa Rosa United)
- Olivia Geller Olivia Geller 5'9" | GK Southlake Carroll | 2025 State #56 Nation TX (Sting Dallas Black)
- Brianna Harshe Brianna Harshe null | F Dexter (MI) | 2024 MI (Michigan Hawks)
- Maggie Heffernan Maggie Heffernan D SC (South Carolina United)
- Megan Holland (Rockford Raptors)
- Jace Holley Jace Holley M Rocky Mountain (CO) | 2024 State #42 Nation CO (Colorado Rapids)
- Jalana Kimber (San Juan SC)
- Reagan Kotschau Reagan Kotschau M State #46 Nation CO (Real Colorado National)
- Lauren Mrugala Lauren Mrugala M IL (Eclipse Select SC)
- Alex Pfeiffer (SLSG Navy)
- Vicky Pugh (LA Breakers FC)
- Ariana Salvador Ariana Salvador F CA (LAFC SO Cal)
- Tabitha (“Abbi”) Sine Tabitha (“Abbi”) Sine D Allegiance Academy | 2025 State #12 Nation TX (Dallas Texans)
- Bella Smith Bella Smith M Goddard Eisenhower (MO) | 2024 MO (Kansas City Athletics)