After defeating the Seattle Sounders and Crossfire Premier and tying the Cal Odyssey, the San Jose Earthquakes U-18 team secured a wildcard spot in the 2013 playoffs. The team will be making its first appearance in the USSDA playoffs since becoming an academy program.
The team is led by co-captains Jesse Morales and Trevor Long, Roberto Mendoza, Bryce Clark, Isaiah Dargan, and leading-scorer Elisama Padilla.
The Earthquakes finished the season fourth in the Northwest Division with a record of 16-11-1. The team’s defense, anchored by Long and Dargan, allowed the second fewest goals in the division behind only the first-place Vancouver Whitecaps. Padilla (15) and Morales (10) have accounted for 25 of the team’s 62 goals.
The playoffs will be held at FC Dallas Park from June 24-27. The team will be riding a hot streak into the postseason as they finished the season 4-1-1 and outscored opponents 16-6 over their last six games.
