ECNL Boys: Which teams shined brightest in Virginia?

The FC Stars U-15 team had a strong showing at ECNL Virginia. (Courtesy photo)

MIDLOTHIAN, Va -- It was an eventful and action-packed three days in the blazing sun at ECNL Virginia.

The final national event of the ECNL Boys regular season wrapped up on Monday, as matches were played at multiple venues in the area of Richmond, Va., with the majority taking place at the sprawling, 12-field River City Sportsplex. Temps rose to the mid-80s under sunny skies, as teams were allowed extra water breaks in each half of their matches in order to stay properly hydrated in the heat.

Clubs from New England certainly held their own against the top ECNL competition from across the country. More than 140 teams from more than 50 clubs at the U-15, U-16 and U-17 age levels competed in Virginia. 

Of the 18 squads from the six ECNL Boys programs in New England, nine posted winning records for the weekend, while four others were .500. It was abundantly clear that playing in the super-competitive Northeast Conference of the ECNL properly prepared the New England teams for the challenges they faced at ECNL Virginia. Teams were matched up against competition of similar levels.