Barca Residency Academy’s U17 and U19 teams are 2022 MLS Next Southwest Division Champions for their respective age groups, earning a spot in the MLS Next Cup Playoffs this summer.
The U17 team finished the regular season on a tear, finding ways to win important games down the stretch. They compiled an impressive eleven wins and two draws over their final thirteen games, concluding the regular season with a dominant 5-1 shutout win over Murrieta Surf on Sunday to secure the division title. Coach Stephan Rigard’s U17 team has been powered by high-volume goal scoring from the front trio of Idoh-Zeltzer Zubida, Yahir Gonzalez, and Angel Robles.
The U19 team who are back-to-back Southwest Division Champions also had a remarkable campaign. They only lost one game in the 23-game season despite having four players move on mid-season after signing professional contracts. The U19s played the second half of the season without Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo), Korede Osundina (Orange County SC), Emmanuel Johnson (Hibernian FC/Charleston Battery), and Daron Iskendarian (Las Vegas Lights FC). Head Coach Ged Quinn called up youngsters Moises Arciniega and Bryson Jamison (U16 age-eligible players) who have stepped up tremendously to fill those roles. Quinn’s well-balanced U19 squad finished the regular season with a record of 14W-1L-7D.
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Barca’s U16, U17, and U19 teams are all set to compete in the MLS Next Flex that will take place May 13-17 in Boyds, Maryland. The playoff-bound U17 and U19 teams will utilize this event to fine-tune and shape up for the MLS Cup Playoffs. On the other hand, the U16s will look to seize this opportunity and earn a spot in the Cup Playoffs by winning their group.
If successful, Barca Residency Academy will send an unprecedented three teams to Dallas, Texas to compete for all the marbles in the MLS Next Cup Playoffs this summer.
