Pacific Northwest Teams Shine at San Diego Surf Cup

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most anticipated tournaments of the entire club soccer season is San Diego Surf Cup. For over 30 years it has been one of the premier destination tournaments for teams wanting to go up against top competition from across the country no matter their club affiliation. Surf Cup embodies the "Best of the Best' mentality by showcasing quality matchups in group play and culminates in a 2 to 3 round bracket tourney that ultimately crowns a Surf Cup Champion!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>SD Surf Cup has always had different 'flights' or skill levels that allow teams to compete from top to bottom. The top level of competition plays in the 'Best of the Best' flight which brings in the most talented clubs, teams and athletes. Next up is 'Super Black', 'Super White', 'Black', 'White', and so on. Being a SD Surf Cup Champion at the Best of the Best level is a massive accomplishment but raising that trophy at the Super Black, Super White or ANY of the other levels is also a testament of the hard work put in by the athletes and clubs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the best parts about Surf Cup is seeing teams who never play against each other go toe to toe to see who is actually ... the Best of the Best! ECNL v. GA, GA v. ECNL RL, ECNL RL v. DPL - There is something for everyone!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>San Diego Surf Cup 2026 was a success for many PNW clubs and teams! Here are some teams and athletes that excelled under the San Diego sun:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">XF Academy G11 ECNL (2-1-0, 0-1):</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The XF Academy G11 team looked like they were on a mission in San Diego. During match play, they went undefeated while scoring 6 goals but lost in the semis to a great SD Surf team. Their defense was dominant at times led by their GK, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='348315' first='Jersie' last='Olsen']</strong>, who made her presence known throughout every match. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='281242' first='Sydney' last='Berry']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='348806' first='Isabella' last='Atkins']</strong> also showed why they play for one of the top teams in the country.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[program_tooltip program_id='283324' first='Eastside' last='FC'] GU17 ECNL RL (2-1-0, 2-0):</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='283324' first='Eastside' last='FC']'s ECNL RL GU17 squad traveled down to San Diego to take care of some business, and they weren't coming back without that trophy! An undefeated run through 5 matches in Surf Cup is a fantastic feat. Racking up 11 goals and only conceding 3 just shows how dominate their run was. Midfielder, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='379390' first='Avery' last='Malinowski']</strong>, provided poise and calmness in the midfield while also sparking the offense with great distribution. This EFC team looked great and should have many more wins coming their way in the future. Congratulations on your Surf Cup 2026 Championship!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Boise Thorns FC G11 ECNL (2-0-1):</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After not having the ECNL season they had hoped for in 2026, the Boise Thorns FC G11 team came together to have a great Surf Cup. Finishing 2-0-1 with 6 goals for was great for a team that struggled to score in league play. Roaming the midfield was <strong>Alysia Rocha</strong>, who looked good in transitions and played well into space. Boise was tied atop Group D in the Super Black flight but unfortunately did not make the semi-final match because of goal differential. They were poised to make a run to the Championship Match. Look for this team to bounce back and make a name for themselves in the 26/27 season!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Oregon Surf GU17 ECNL RL (2-1-0, 0-1):</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Oregon Surf GU17 team represented the ECNL RL Northwest Conference in Group C. They made a statement by completing group play with a solid undefeated 2-1-0 record. Unfortunately, they met a familiar PNW foe on a hot streak in the semi-final match and lost a close one, 1-nil. Oregon Surf had played Eastside earlier in the ECNL RL season and taken that game, 2-1, so they were playing with confidence. This Oregon Surf team will use this loss to fuel them towards big things in the ECNL Regional League Playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[program_tooltip program_id='283324' first='Eastside' last='FC'] G09 ECNL (3-0-0, 1-1):</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Surf Cup and another [program_tooltip program_id='283324' first='Eastside' last='FC'] team in the spotlight! This time it's the talented G09 squad that is loaded with plenty of playmakers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='111589' first='Amiah' last='Armstead']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='28339' first='Mia' last='Carr']</strong>, both D1 commits, showed us all why they will be playing at the next level. Eastside took their 4-0 undefeated record into the finals but came up short in PK's. Always a heartbreaking way to end a beautiful run in a tournament. However, the 14 goals they scored should help them sleep at night and put others on notice that they have plenty of firepower to compete this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Follow me on Instagram: <a href="https://instagram.com/prepsoccerpnw" id="https://instagram.com/prepsoccerpnw">@prepsoccerpnw</a> or on X: <a href="https://x.com/coldbrew25">@coldbrew25</a> for the latest rankings, news and articles about your favorite PNW High Schools, Club Teams and Athletes! DM's are always open for suggestions on which matches, athletes and teams I should watch and follow! Have a great 2026 season and as always, Keep Grinding!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->