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Event Recap: 18U/16U/14U Champions Crowned at Top Club Nationals (June 22, 2025)

By Carlos Arias

June 22, 2025

Event Recap: 18U/16U/14U Champions Crowned at Top Club Nationals (June 22, 2025)

Top Club Nationals was held June 19-22 in Choctaw, OK (All rankings are Line Drive Hot 50 Club National Rankings):

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18U: AL SPARKS ELITE-STEWART 5, BIRMINGHAM THUNDERBOLTS PREMIER 0

The 18U championship game of Top Club Nationals turned into the unofficial “Alabama state champion” and AL Sparks Elite-Stewart pulled off a 5-0 upset over Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier, the reigning 18U PGF Premier national champion, on Sunday at Firelake Ballfields.

This is the second straight year Sparks Elite-Stewart has won the Top Club Nationals title.

Tennessee-bound P McCall Sims and Florida International-committed 2026 P Mackenzie Ventura combined to earn the win for Sparks Elite-Stewart.

Sims and 2026 RHP/2B Hayden Traywick collected two hits apiece to pace the offense.

“It’s all about the kids,” Sparks coach Slade Stewart said. “They show up and do the team thing. They play for the Coach and the name on the shirts.”

Sparks Elite-Stewart defeated #19 Hotshots National-Nelson, 6-2, #38 Epic National-Smith, 8-0, and #10 Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier, 5-0, in Elite 8 bracket games.

Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier defeated Unity-Meadows, 4-3, Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden, 11-1, and lost to Sparks Elite-Stewart, 5-0, in Elite 8 bracket games.

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Warrior Academy-McDonald captured the 16U title at the 2025 Top Club Nationals. Photo provided by Kelly McDonald.

16U: WARRIOR ACADEMY-MCDONALD 6, NEBCRASKA GOLD NATIONAL-BOYER 4

#34 Warrior Academy-McDonald pulled out a 6-4 win over #43 Nebraska Gold National-Boyer in the 16U championship game on Sunday at Firelake Ballfields.

2027 RHP Lila McLeod (28.1 IP, 1.482 ERA), BYU-committed 2026 P/OF Kyleigh Mace (12 IP on Sunday, 1 ER), 2027 3B Taylor Workman (.450 AVG), 2028 OF Star Gutierrez (.973 OPS , 1 triple, 1 HR, 6 SBs) and 2028 SS Gia Ryan (.517 OBP, .391 AVG, 7 RBIs) were some of the standouts for Warrior Academy-McDonald.

Warrior Academy-McDonald defeated Hotshots National-Falterman, 9-1, Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier 2026-Thompson, 4-2, and Nebraska Gold National-Boyer, 6-4, in Elite 8 bracket games.

Nebraska Gold National-Boyer defeated Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden/Davis, 8-0, Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden/Brown, 7-2, and lost to Warrior Academy-McDonald, 6-4, in Elite 8 bracket games.

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Warrior Academy-McDonald claimed the 14U title at the 2025 Top Club Nationals. Photo provided by Kelly McDonald.

14U: WARRIOR ACADEMY-MCDONALD 5, HOTSHOS NAUDIN NATIONAL-VELAZQUEZ 1

#31 Warrior Academy-McDonald cruised to a 5-1 win over Hotshots Naudin National-Velazquez in the 14U championship game on Sunday at Firelake Ballfields.

Some of Warrior Academy-McDonald’s standouts were 2029 OF/UT Natalie Sun (.450 AVG, 1.310 OPS, 1 double, 1 triple, 1 HR, 9 SBs), 2027 3B Alice Han (3-run HR vs. Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden), 2028 P Bianka Fisher (19 IP, 14 Ks), 2028 P/3B Maddie Masa (17 IP, 0.824 ERA), 2028 C Zaylee Gutierrez (.348 AVG, 9 RBIs) and 2028 SS Jules Carranza (excellent defense at SS).

Warrior Academy-McDonald defeated Tulsa Shootout National, 7-5, Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden, 7-3, and Hotshots Naudin National-Velazquez, 7-1, in Elite 8 bracket games.

Hotshots Naudin National-Velazquez defeated Oklahoma Athletics National-Madden/LaValley, 8-0, Marucci Patriots National-Beene, 7-6, and lost to Warrior Academy-McDonald, 7-1, in Elite 8 bracket games.

Carlos Arias, Line Drive Media (Follow Carlos on Twitter @los_stuff)

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