Host North Texas won five age-group titles and surprising North Carolina came in second with three Tuesday at the Snickers/U.S. Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championship in Plano, Texas. Champions in six age divisions (Under-14 through Under-19) for boys and girls were determined, narrowed from the original 144 teams at the Russell Creek Park Soccer Complex. Boys and girls champions in the Under-16 though Under-19 divisions advance to the Snickers US Youth Soccer National Championship July 25-30 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. North Texas teams dominated girls championship play with titles in the Under-15, -16, -17 and -19 divisions. After winning the Under-14 championship last year, the Under-15 Dallas Texans 85 Red secured back-to-back titles with a 4-1 win over Oklahoma. In the Under-16 final, D’ Feeters 84 won its first title, 1-0, against the Coral Springs Storm (Fla.). Three-time regional winner Sting 83 added a fourth title with a hard-fought 2-0 win over rival South Texas in the Under-17 final. Sting 81’s second championship final appearance garnered a 2-1 win over North Carolina’s Greensboro Twisters in the Under-19 division. The Dallas Texans Under-15 boys team added North Texas’s fifth title and their first crown with a 1-0 win over Texans Red (S. Texas) The Charlotte (N.C.) Soccer Club will have only two boys teams competing at the National Championship thanks to first-time regional title winner Jackson (Miss.) Futbol Club Under-19 boys team. Jackson FC upset Charlotte’s Under-19 boys team with a 3-1 triumph. Charlotte’s Under-18 Blue team scored 1-0 over North Texas, and the Under-16 Blue club knocked off Texans Red (S. Texas), 2-0. The CASL Caps Red Under-14 (N.C.) also posted a 1-0 win over West Kendall Wildcats Blue (Fla.). Florida’s Team Boca Gunners Under-17 boys will represent the host state at the National Championship after shutting down Texans 82/83 (S. Texas), 2-0, for their first regional crown.
