The Houston Dynamo Academy U-18 and U-16 teams learned their groups for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs. Playoffs are June 23-27 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.
The Houston Dynamo Academy U-18 team compiled 47 points and a 14-8-5 record in the regular season, giving them the fourth seed in in the Frontier Division of the Central Conference and the fifth wildcard spot. They were drawn into a very competitive Group A, joining fellow MLS academies New England Revolution and Chivas USA as well as the Capital Area RailHawks Academy – CASL. New England capped their season with 45 points and a 14-5-3 record, giving them the second seed in the Northeast Division. The RailHawks, from Raleigh, North Carolina, finished second in the Southeast Division with an impressive 81 points and a 24-3-9 record. Chivas USA finished as the fourth seed in the Southwest Division and the eighth wildcard seed with 47 points and a 14-8-5 record.
The Dynamo Academy U-16 team finished the season with 44 points and an 11-5-11 record, placing them second in the Frontier Division of the Central Conference. They were drawn into Group C along with Match Fit Academy FC, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Weston FC. New Jersey’s Match Fit FC finished fifth in the Atlantic Division with 46 points and a 14-7-4 record, nabbing the fifth wild card seed. The Vancouver Whitecaps topped the Northwest Division with 52 points and a 15-5-7 record. Weston FC also came out on top with 74 points and a 23-7-5 record in the Southwest Division.
The top team in each of the eight groups (for both age groups) qualifies for the knockout rounds of the Academy playoffs, seeded based on their regular-season points-per-game average. The higher-seeded team will host a knockout-round game on July 7 or 9, with the winners advancing to the semifinals and final on July 17 and 19, respectively, in Carson, California.
