Derby Info: Seattle United vs Crossfire Premier
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023
Location: Shoreline Fields | Shoreline, Washington
Age Groups: U13-U18/19
This weekend is the first Continental Tire ECNL Derby Day of the 2023-24 season, as Crossfire Premier travels to Seattle United for a major showdown in the Northwest Conference.
Club: Seattle United
Year Founded: 2009
Club Location: Seattle, Washington
Things You Should Know: 06 - 2023 ECNL National Finalists, 09 - 2023 ECNL National Quarterfinals
Quotables: Seattle United comes into this weekend's Derby having started the season in strong fashion. The club has winning records in all six of their age groups, including 5-0 starts at both the 2010 and 2011 age groups. The weekend is an excellent opportunity for them to test themselves against a club that has proven to be at the forefront of Washington youth soccer and beyond, for many years.
"Crossfire has always been the highest standard as a club out here in Washington," said Seattle United Technical Director Alex Chursky. "They've really achieved a lot as a club and clubs are really measuring themselves when they play against them."
While the rivalry is very competitive, Chursky noted it is built on the respect the two teams have for one another, and the importance the games hold in often deciding who the winner of the Northwest Conference is each season.
"Since both clubs went into the ECNL a few years ago, I think the rivalry has increased," Chursky said. "It's always a very fun and competitive matchup when we get to play against them. We have a tremendous amount of respect for them. They're always very dangerous and we can't lose a moment's concentration when playing against them."
With this weekend's matchup occurring early on in the season, Chursky also believes the matchups will provide an early season gauge for where each of the teams is at.
"I think it's a good test to see where our teams stand whenever we play against them. The game usually has a considerable effect on who might win the title that year, so it's always very important."
With so much on the line early in the season, Chursky knows his team will have to be extremely prepared for this weekend's test.
"This game is always a little bit different and we consider it a full on derby, and we know we have to be really prepared and focus for the games."
Club: Crossfire Premier
Year Founded: 2000
Club Location: Redmond, Washington
Things You Should Know: 08 - 2023 ECNL National Champions, 07 and 10 - 2023 ECNL National Quarterfinalists
Quotables: Crossfire Premier comes into the weekend on top of the Northwest Conference in four of the six age groups, including 5-0 starts in the 2008 and 2011 age groups, as well as a 4-0 start in the 05/06 age group.
"They are our biggest rival in Washington," said Crossfire Coach Leo Maric. "They have a lot of talent. Every game we play is a close game and whoever wins those games usually ends up winning the conference."
Maric who is the Head Coach of three Crossfire Premier teams, including the 08s who won the ECNL Boys National Championship last season, believes playing Seattle United early on will be a good test to see where each of his teams stand.
"Seattle United is able to show us our weaknesses early in the season. I think it's the right time to play them so we can see where we stand and how we can improve, moving forward," Maric said.
One of the games Maric highlighted this weekend is between the 2011 teams. Both Crossfire Premier and Seattle United have started the season 5-0 at the 2011 age group, and Saturday's game will likely go a long way in deciding who wins the Northwest Conference at that age group.
"I have heard really good things about the 2011 Seattle United Boys. It's going to be a very close and tense game between those two groups," Maric said.
Although Maric noted the 2011 game, he expects all the games to be tightly contested this weekend, and emphasized that in a rivalry like this the standings do not matter when the teams take the field.
"When you play games like this the standings really don't matter," Maric said. "It's so close and it's a rivalry where the kids and coaches know each other, so the margins are really small in these games."
