Rapids 06G ECNL Road to the National Championship Finals

Posted by: Will Juniper, CRYSC Communications

This July, the Rapids 06G ECNL team wrapped up a memorable year of soccer that saw our girls establish themselves as one of the best teams in the nation, battling through the ECNL National Playoffs and ultimately reaching the heights of the ECNL National Championship Game! The Rapids 06’s tremendous playoff run ended in a narrow 0-1 defeat decided by a first-half PK to SLSG 06G Navy. We are extremely proud of the team’s efforts this summer and throughout the whole year!

“Although the heartbreak and disappointment of losing such a close game, in the manner we did is real, my heart is full and I am bursting with pride for our team. A National Title would’ve been a lovely way to cap off a remarkable season, but the love we have, the connections we’ve made and the memories we’ve shared will last a lifetime. You simply cannot put a price on that! The attitude and application the girls have shown all year has been wonderful. Their relentless pursuit of being their best each and every day was a platform we used as we entered the postseason. As a Club, we are overjoyed with a sense of pride and accomplishment on what we’ve achieved this year,” said Rapids 06G ECNL Head Coach, Tom Poole.

This season, 06G ECNL secured the Northwest Conference title, with a league record of 15 wins, 0 losses, and 3 ties. Learn more about the Rapids 06G ECNL team and check out the day-to-day recap of their ECNL playoffs experience below:

ECNL PLAYOFFS GROUP STAGE | SEATTLE, WA | JUNE 22-29

June 22, 2022 – The Rapids 06G ECNL team started group-stage competition against 43 other qualifying teams from around the country. In their group, the first matchup of the tournament was against Tampa Bay United. The Rapids 06G’s ended up losing by one goal with a final score of 2-1.
June 24, 2022 – After the first game loss, the Rapids 06G ECNL team bounced back against Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) So Cal 06 Girls ECNL team in a 2-1 victory to notch them 3 points in the standings.
June 25, 2022 – After the second game win, the Rapids 06G’s went into battle with the group leader, Bethesda SC. On a roll from the June 24 game, the girls persevered against the group leader winning 2-1, adding another 3 points in the standings.
June 27, 2022 – The Rapids 06G team needed 6 total points in their group to advance to the ECNL Finals in Richmond, VA. In a win-or-go-home format, this was their last game to accumulate enough points to advance. Against the San Diego Surf, the Rapids 06G’s defense proved to be formidable as no opposing goals were allowed. With a final score of 2-0, the team accumulated 6 total points in their group along with a ticket to the finals.

Coach Tom Poole on the Playoff Group Stages: “After a disappointing and unexpected day-one loss, the girls responded tremendously well to bounce back with two massive wins and top Group G. The resilience and character showed to advance after putting ourselves in essentially elimination soccer going into round two of pool play was great to see. Our win in the Round of 16 against San Diego Surf was our strongest performance during our time in Seattle and set us up nicely as we headed into ECNL Finals in Richmond, VA.”

ECNL NATIONAL PLAYOFFS & FINAL | RICHMOND, VA | JULY 8-11

July 8, 2022 – The Rapids 06G ECNL team started the first round of finals against the top 8 teams from the group stage & round of 16. In the National Quarter Final,, the girls kept their winning streak going from playoffs against Ohio Premier. In a 2-1 victory, the girls were on to the National Semi-Finals.
July 9, 2022 – In the National Semi-Finals, the Rapids 06G’s had their most dominating performance of the tournament. In a commanding 7-2 victory over Internationals SC, the team was finals bound.
July 11, 2022 – The Rapids 06G ECNL entered the finals having not incurred a loss since the first game of the playoffs. Their opponent, SLSG 06 Navy, was also on a roll of wins, so the stage was set for a great matchup. A first-half PK by SLSG ended up being the difference and with a final score of 0-1, the Rapids 06G ECNL team ended the season as National Finalists.

Coach Tom Poole’s on the National Finals and the future of the team: “The girls have had an incredible year and, although the loss in a National Final hurts, there is still an overwhelming sense of pride on what we were able to achieve this year. The girls truly embody what it takes to be an elite player for the Colorado Rapids. Their commitment to playing the ‘Rapids Way’, their commitment to handling the hard moments, their commitment to staying poised and being present, and finally, their commitment to each other was truly remarkable. This year, we’ve grown as a team in unimaginable ways and I am confident that next year, we can achieve something very special. The future’s so bright for our team!”

Click the video to view the ECNL finals promo, featuring our 06G team!

Learn more about CRYSC ECNL programming and how to get your player involved by visiting our Boy’s ECNL page or Girl’s ECNL page! If you have any questions that those pages don’t answer, please reach out to us at [email protected].

“The ECNL was founded in 2009 by forward-thinking Directors of Coaching across the country who saw a need for change in and special commitment to improving the daily environment for American elite female youth soccer players. These Directors came together and collaborated to build what would become the top female youth development platform in the world. The grassroots leadership and cooperation were unprecedented in American youth soccer, and the ECNL continues to be the most progressive and innovative development platform in the country.”