The annual Snickers U.S. Youth Soccer national championships will be held July 24-28 at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md. Soccer America concludes its previews with a look at the U-18 and U-19 competitions.

UNDER-18 BOYS

Classic (Albuquerque, N.M.) Bandidos
Nebraska Flash Vincere
Spring (Texas) Texans Red
FC Delco (Pa.) Arsenal
NEBRASKA FLASH VINCERE, the first Nebraska team to reach the national finals, will face stiff competition from three seasoned clubs. The CLASSIC BANDIDOS won their third Region IV crown in four years, downing Irvine (Calif.) Strikers, 3-1, in the final. The top players for the eight-time New Mexico champs are defender Brandon Moss, midfielder Robbie C'deBaca and forward Ben Ashwill. Goalkeeper Andrew Weber starred for U-16 Tempe (Ariz.) Pros, helping them to a second-place national finish in 2000. He's now at the University of New Mexico. The SPRING TEXANS RED was South champ in 1999 and has won five of last six South Texas state cups. Standouts include forward Shane Bonin, defender Luke Bibler and goalkeeper Matt Handy. FC DELCO ARSENAL has won three straight Eastern Pennsylvania titles. Coach Alan Mezger, who directed FC Delco Black to last year's U-19 boys title, has stars in forward Ashley Kozicki and midfielder David Walters, two of three players to travel two hours each way from the Scranton-Wilkes Barre area for practice the last four years. Vincere's attack is led by Tomek Sawn and Ryan Samuelson, who had two goals in a 5-1 win over last year's U-17 champion, Team Dayton, in the Region II final.

UNDER-19 BOYS

San Bernardino (Calif.) Blast
Chicago Magic
Houston Texans
Stony Brook (N.Y.) Panthers
ACC Rookie of the Year Marcus Storey goes for his third national title in 12 months. He won the NCAA Division I title with the University of North Carolina last December and goes for his second youth title with the HOUSTON TEXANS. Mira Mupier, who had three goals at last year's nationals, is another threat for the Texans, who outscored regional foes, 15-1. The SAN BERNARDINO BLAST features five UCLA players, including Michael Enfield, who had the winning goal in a 1-0 win over two-time Region IV champion Colorado Rush in the regional final, and Ahmed Khalil, who had eight goals during regional play. The STONY BROOK PANTHERS won the U-17 national title in 2000 as the West Babylon Panthers. The Panthers got two goals from Shane Arikian in a 4-0 win over the Baltimore Stars in the Region I final. The CHICAGO MAGIC, a four-time state champion, is back in the finals for a third time, winning as under-16s in 1999 and finishing second as under-17s in 2000. Indiana University midfielder Ned Grabavoy is a member of the U.S. under-20 national team. Other stars include Grabavoy's IU teammate, Dan O'Rourke of Columbus, Ohio, and forward Matt Weisner of Milwaukee.

UNDER-18 GIRLS

Colorado Girls Soccer Acad.
Busch (St. Louis)
Atlanta Lightning White
Bethesda (Md.) Fury
The BETHESDA FURY is seeking to repeat as national champion. The Fury, which has won an unprecedented nine straight Maryland titles and four regional crowns, may be without star midfielder Kelly Hammond, who had six goals in the 2001 finals. She's with the U.S. U-19s preparing for this summer's World Championship. Key additions are midfielder Leah Tapscott of Madison, Wis., and striker Ali Wean of Philadelphia. The Fury beat the ATLANTA LIGHTNING WHITE, 2-0, at last fall's WAGS final. Atlanta had two players at the U-19 training camp: University of North Carolina recruit Amy Steadman and Allison Graham. Atlanta twins Jada and Kristin Stewart have scholarships at Auburn University. BUSCH has the Missouri High School Player of the Year in Christie Cigno and Jennie Nobis, who holds the Illinois high school scoring record. Sarah Dreyfuss, a starting midfielder for Busch, left after the Region II finals for West Point, where she will play for Army. She could be available if Busch reaches the final. It was better late than never for COLORADO GIRLS SOCCER ACADEMY, which won seven Colorado state titles but lost in four straight regional finals before breaking through this summer. The former Colorado Rush Nike outfit rallied from a two-goal deficit in the second half to defeat Santa Anita (Calif.) Strikers, 4-2.

UNDER-19 GIRLS

San Diego Surf White
Michigan Hawks
Spring (Texas) Challenge
Huntington (N.Y.) Magic
The under-19 girls have the most competitive field with the 2001 U-18 champion MICHIGAN HAWKS; the 2000 U-17 champion and 2001 U-18 runner-up SAN DIEGO SURF WHITE; and 2001 U-18 national finalist HUNTINGTON MAGIC. SPRING CHALLENGE is returning to the final four for the first time since 1999. The Hawks survived a first-match loss to Ohio South Hammer, 3-2, to win as a wild card in Region II. They'll be led by the University of North Carolina's Anne Morrell, who is back for her third national finals after missing last year's tournament due to commitments at the U-21 Nordic Cup, where she scored three goals in the final. The Hawks feature two other players with national team experience — forward Lindsay Gusick and midfielder Nicole Breger — but will be without forward Lindsay Tarpley, who had six goals last year's nationals and is the most capped (19) player on the U.S. under-19 team. The Surf has won six Far West crowns and eight Cal-South titles. Rachelle Snyder, Kelley Schweighart and Kristen Rogers scored for the Surf in its 3-1 victory against the Pleasanton Rage in the Region IV final, but Schweighart is out with a torn MCL. To make matters worse, defender Rachel Buehler and striker Megan Kakadelas are with the U-19s. Six Surf players will be participating in their fourth consecutive nationals: forward Kimmie Castellanos, midfielders Laura Greenberg, Brooke Roby and Krystal Sandza and midfielder-defenders Brenna Mullen and Rogers. Star Brianne Pardini had both goals for the Magic in its 2-0 victory against Braddock Road (Va.) Team Harkes. The Challenge, which blanked the Clearwater (Fla.) Chargers, 4-0, in the Region III final, has won six South Texas championships and is led by forward Tricia McKee, midfielders Amanda Burke and Kristen Teter and defender-midfielder Charisse Co.