Who are the top USASA Elite Amateur Teams in the DMV? MMSL Staff took a stab. Let us know what you think and we will post another power ranking in the fall. Eligible clubs are those that compete in leagues affiliated with USASA through the Maryland State Soccer Association or through the Metro DC Virginia Soccer Association (MDCVA).  Records below are in W-L-D for all competitions for the US Soccer Seasonal year (Sept 1, 2017 - Aug 31, 2018).

1. Christos FC (MD Majors - 23-2-0) - the local juggernaut has lifted three trophies in the Fall 2017 Maryland Major Soccer League Championship, the 2018 Maryland State Amateur Cup (Stewart), and 2018 Maryland State Open Cup (Rowland) (the club's O30 and O40 teams have also won trophies, but this ranking is focuses on the Open/Major team). They advanced through local qualifiers to once again qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup where they came up short in PKs to AC Reading United of the PDL. Christos is 12-0-0 against the teams on this power poll this seasonal year and last lost a match to a local USASA DMV club in 2015. What remains for the 2017-18 year is a chance to lift the USASA Werner Fricker Cup and the newly launched USASA Region I Northeast Elite Soccer League championship.

2. Izee Auto FC (MD Majors - 11-10-3) - While no trophies to show for the seasonal year, Izee has given Christos everything they could handle losing to Christos by one goal margins in the Maryland Major Soccer League semi-finals, and the Maryland State Amateur Cup Final. Additionally, in the Maryland State Open Cup Final, Izee dropped a heartbreaker to Christos in PKs in a match that they were leading 3-1. Izee FC also lost in extra time to Christos in local US Open Cup qualifying.  Record wise, Izee is 11-10-3 in all competitions in the 2017-18 soccer year with 5 of those losses coming at the hands of Christos. Izee defeated No. 4 World Class Premier Elite (NLS Grads at the time) in US Open local qualifiers and defeated No. 5 Yinz United  in the Maryland State Amateur Cup semi-finals. Izee, however, is fighting to avoid relegation in the spring Maryland Major Soccer League where they have struggled with a 1-4-1 record. Izee Auto FC also be competing in the USASA Region I Northeast Elite Soccer League this summer against top clubs from the east coast.

3. Aegean Hawks FC (WPL - 14-4-3) - the perennial Washington Premier League power returned to its winning ways this fall by lifting the WPL Hedge Boes championship. The Hawks lost to Christos in US Open Cup local qualifying 1-3 and did not compete in the 2018 State Cups. The Hawks are looking to win their second league trophy this year as they currently sit atop the WPL table with a 7-1-1 record. 

4.  World Class Elite FC (MD Majors - 11-9-3) - the MD Majors clubs formerly known as NLS Graduates currently sits atop the table of the Maryland Major Soccer League spring season with a 4-1-2 record. In the fall 2017 season, the club finished the regular season in 2nd place with a 5-2-1 (16pts) record and defeated No. 9 Academy FC in the semi-finals in a hard fought match to advance to the league championship match where they would lose to Christos. In local US Open Cup qualifying they lost a to No. 2 Izee Autobody FC 3-1, a.e.t.

5. Yinz United (WPL - 14-6-3) - the powerful WPL side who advanced to the 2017 Rowland and Stewart Cup finals, finished the fall 2017 WPL season undefeated with a 6-0-3 record, but dropped a hard fought championship match to the Aegean Hawks. In this year's State Cups, they lost to Izee Autobody in the semi-finals 1-3 of the State Amateur Cup and in Rowland Cup group play went 0-3. Yinz currently finds itself tied in 2nd place in the spring WPL season with a 6-1-0 record.

6. Fighting B.O.B.S. (WPL - 16-5-5)  - the Fighting B.O.B.s have made strong showings in the WPL and in the Maryland State Amateur Cup - in both competitions they advanced to the semi-finals. In the fall 2017 WPL season, the B.O.B.s completed a 2nd place and undefeated regular season with a 7-0-2 record, but would drop the league semi-final to No. 3 Aegean Hawks. In the Maryland State Amateur Cup they knocked off Shootstars in the 1st Rd and Cap City FC in the quarterfinals before running into No. 1 Christos FC in the semi-finals. In that match, the B.O.B.S battled and evened the match 2-2 in the second half before Christos eventually prevailed 4-2. The B.O.B.s finished atop the WPL's abbreviated winter league and currently sit in 5th place in the WPL spring season.

7. World Class Premier Elite FC (WPL - 11-6-3) - World Class Premier Elite FC finished the fall 2017 WPL season with a 2-4-3 record. This spring however, after merging with NLS Graduates and also fielding a second club in the Maryland Majors, the team is 6-0-0 in the WPL and looking to contend for a title. The WPL club also entered the Maryland State Cups. They lost to Christos 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the State Amateur Cup.

8. Starliners FC (WISL - 13-4-2) - Starliners FC complete in the Washington International Soccer League (WISL) which is not a USASA affiliated league (we would love for them to join!), but the team affiliated in order to compete in the Maryland State Soccer Association Morton Cup this winter. Starliners went 3-1-0 in group play and then knocked off No. 9 Academy FC 5-3 in the semi-finals before defeating Old Baltimore Footballers in the championship to raise the trophy. Currently Starliners are in 2nd place in the WISL premier division with a 4-0-2 record.

9. Academy FC (Md Majors - 11-5-4) - Academy FC has established itself as one of the top clubs in the Maryland Major Soccer League since promoting to the 1st division in after winning the fall 2014 2nd division championship. This past fall, Academy finished tied in 2nd place with a 4-2-2 record and lost to No. 4 World Class Premier Elite in PKS in the league semi-finals. For State Cup play, Academy did not enter the Amateur or Open Cups but rather chose to enter the Morton State Cup (think Europa League) where they went 4-0-0 in group play and lost a thriller of a semi-final to eventual champion No. 8 Starliners FC of the Washington International Soccer League (WISL).

10. TFS Gunners (NVSL - 12-5-0) - the champions of the Northern Virginia Soccer League also won the MDCVA State Amateur Cup. In Region I play, they lost in the first round to BSC Raiders from Western New York. The club also competed in the WPL's abbreviated winter league where they finished 2-4.

Honorable mention: Cap City FC (WPL - 10-5-8); JA Raiders (MD Majors - 6-9-3); Steel Pulse (MD Majors - 16-4-3); Old Baltimore Footballers (MD Majors - 11-12-1);  Super Delegates FC (MD Majors - 14-4-2); AFC Inter (Mason Dixon Soccer League - 8-0-0)