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Editor's Note: All of us at The Goat Parade are mourning the passing of Chivas USA Academy U-18 player Julio Chavez Monday. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Academy and Chavez family.
Monday, the draw was held (and re-held, this must be the hot trend currently in North America) for the upcoming USSDA playoffs. Both Chivas USA's U-15/16 team and U-17/18 team are in the playoffs this year, and they will be looking to make more history for the program, after the U-18s advanced to "Finals Week" last year.
The Goats' U-16 team, which won the Southwest division crown and enter the playoffs as the fifth seed in their age group, will face Oakwood SC, Texans SC Houston, and South Carolina Battery United Academy. Oakwood finished second this season in the Northeast division, and are the 13th seed, while Texans finished fourth in the Frontier division and nabbed the first wild card spot. SC Battery finished fifth in the Southeast division and got the 11th wild card.
Chivas' U-18 team finished fourth in the Southwest division, earning the fifth wild card slot, and will take on Baltimore Bays Chelsea, Indiana Fire Academy, and De Anza Force. Baltimore Bays Chelsea won the Atlantic division and are the second seed, while the Indiana Fire finished second in the Mid-America division and earned the 11th seed. Chivas played De Anza Force during the season, losing 4-1, and their opponent finished third in the Northwest division, picking up the 6th wild card slot.
The playoff format is that teams play in the group stage, which will be held at FC Dallas Park in Texas from June 24-28. The winner of each group advances to Finals Week, which will be held in July.
Good luck to both teams! Chivatown will be following you!
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