Champions crowned at US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships

Schedule, Standings and Scores

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WESTFIELD, Ind. (Via US Youth Soccer) – The 2018 Midwest Regional Championships capped off an exciting week of soccer on Wednesday as 14 champions were crowned at the Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield, Ind.

Illinois led the way with four champions crowned. They are followed by Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio South with two and Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio North, and Wisconsin each with one.

2018 Midwest Regional Champions

Nationals Union 04 Black (MI) went undefeated in group play on their way to achieving its team goal of winning the 14U Boys Midwest Regional Championship.

“Our goal was to come out here and try to win this championship,” head coach Gronthik Chatterjee said. “To get it done and accomplish this is a fantastic feeling, you are just so proud of the players.”

The 224 participating US Youth Soccer Boys and Girls teams in the 13U through 19U age groups represent 14 State Associations– host Indiana Soccer, and Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio North, Ohio South, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Highlights from the finals:

13U Boys
Soccer Nation Academy 05 (KS) went undefeated in the 2018 Midwest Regional Championships, capping the performance off with a win over Pennine United 05 (OH-N) in the 13U Boys final. Manuel Romero scored in the 36th minute to give Soccer Nation the lead just as the second half started. With three minutes left in the game, Anthony Castor scored his 13U Boys leading ninth goal of the tournament to secure the win for Soccer Nation who went on to win 3-0.

13U Girls
The 13U Girls group capped off the tournament with an exciting final between KHA 05 Red (KY) and CUP 05 North (OH-S). Neither team was able to capitalize in regulation, sending the game to overtime tied zero a side. Just five minutes into the first overtime, Sophia Wampler scored to give KHA the lead. KHA held on to the lead until the 87^thminute when Sydney Skinner scored the equalizer to send the game to kicks from the mark. KHA made its first three kicks to win 3-0 and take home the 13U Girls title.

14U Boys
Nationals Union 04 Black (MI) was crowned 14U Boys champions after defeating Sporting BV SKC Academy 04 (KC) 4-1. Nationals Union started fast with a goal just five minutes in from Ursitti. Nationals Union took the 1-0 lead to halftime. Two minutes into the second half Jeremy Sharp extended the lead to two for the Nationals Union. Just four minutes later Anthony Hong found the back of the net to extend the lead to three. Jack Sartino cut the lead down to two with a goal in the 41st minute. With eight minutes left in the game, Aiden Baraiac secured the 4-1 win for Nationals Union.

14U Girls
Libertyville FC 1974 (IL) pulled out a narrow win against Michigan Jaguars 04 Green (MI). Michigan took the early lead just 15 minutes in to the game with a goal from Kyra Karfonta. They took the 1-0 lead into halftime. Libertyville netted the equalizer in the 42nd minute with a goal from Meghan Mrowicki. In the final minutes of the game, Avery Gleason scored to give Libertyville the lead and the 2-1 win.

15U Boys
In the 15U Boys group, FC United 2003 Pre-Academy (IL) defeated Kalamazoo Kingdom SC 03 Red (MI) in a thriller to close out the tournament. Neither team was able to score in the early going of the game. It took the final minute for either team to find the back of the net. In the 80th minute, Tommy Zipprich scored to give FC United the lead. Connor Burkett netted the equalizer just seconds later for Kalamazoo to send the game to overtime. The game went to kicks from the mark after neither was able to score in overtime, FC United pulled out the hard-fought win.

15U Girls
Cleveland FC 03 (OH-N) captured the 15U Girls title with a win over Michigan Jaguars 03 Green (MI). Cleveland’s Gianna Ricciardi scored in just the 14th minute to give them the early lead. The teams went scoreless until the 66th minute when Delaney Matriano scored to extend Cleveland’s lead. Cleveland held on to win 2-0.

16U Boys
Club Ohio Green 1 (OH-S) and REV Academy Black (MN) faced off in the 16U Boys final. The game went scoreless in the first half. The first goal came just nine minutes into the second half from Matthew McLaughlin to give Club Ohio the 1-0 lead. Club Ohio held on to the slim lead to win the crown for the 16U Boys.

16U Girls
North Shore United 02 Blue (WI) held off a slim lead against Cleveland FC 02 (OH-N) to win the 16U Girls crown. Abbigail Lenk scored in just the 16th minute to give North Shore the early lead. North Shore took that lead to halftime. Cleveland was unable to score the equalizer and North Shore held on to win 1-0.

17U Boys
SLSG Elite 01 (MO) won the 17U Boys final against Galaxy 2001 Blue (IL). Samuel Rowan scored his 17U Boys leading seventh goal of the tournament in the 18^thminute to give SLSG the 1-0 lead. With just three minutes left in the first half, Damian Clucas scored to give SLSG the 2-0 lead heading into halftime. Two minutes into the second half Samuel Benoist extended the lead to three. Just two minutes later, the lead got extended to four with a goal from Jack Douglas. Sawyer Hardy found the back of the net just five minutes later to give SLSG a 5-0 lead. With seven minutes left in the game, Christian Kraus scored to give SLSG the 6-0 win over Galaxy.

17U Girls
In the 17U Girls age group, FCKC Academy Blues Elite (MO) and Pacesetter Villa Red (OH-N) squared off in the final. Just over halfway through the first half, Caroline Chisholm gave FCKC the 1-0 lead that they took to halftime. FCKC’s lead got extended to three in the 67^thwith minute with two goals, one from Karoline Nelson and one from Brianne Severns. Lily Farkas scored in the 75th minute to extend the lead to four. Just eight minutes later, Farkas scored her eighth goal of the tournament to give FCKC the 5-0 win.

18U Boys
Michigan Jaguars 00 Green (MI) were crowned the 18U Boys champions after defeating Ohio Premier NL (OH-S) in the final. The lone goal of the game came from Brayden Walker who scored his 18U Boys leading fifth goal of the tournament in the 28th minute. Michigan held on to the narrow lead to win 1-0.

18U Girls
The 18U Girls title went to CDA Premier 00 (OH-S) who defeated Campton United SC (IL) in the final. Lindsey Meyer scored in the 20th minute, giving CDA the 1-0 lead that they took to halftime. Morgan White scored in the 63rd minute extending the lead to two. CDA held on to the 2-0 lead to win.

19U Boys
FC United 1999 Select 1 (IL) and LTSC Union Showcase 99/00 (IL) faced off in a 19U Boys Illinois matchup. In the 20th minute Reilly Walsh scored to give FC United the 1-0 lead. Ryan Kruegger scored in the 36th minute, extending the lead to two. With just three minutes left in the first half, Josiah Ash found the back of the net to give FC United the 3-0 lead at halftime. Neither team scored in the second half to give FC United the 3-0 victory.

19U Girls
NSA Shock (IL) won the 19U Girls crown after winning in the final against EGA 99 (NE). With just seven minutes left in the first half, Kathryn Shroyer scored. NSA took a 2-0 lead to halftime. EGA was unable to mount a comeback as NSA held on for the 2-0 victory.

Regional winners of the 13U through 19U age groups earn a berth to the 2018 US Youth Soccer National Championships, held July 23-29 at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.

The US Youth Soccer National Championships will consist of US Youth Soccer Regional Champions in the 13U through 19U Boys and Girls age groups, as well as the US Youth Soccer National League qualifiers in the 14U through 18U Boys and Girls age groups to complete the field of 96 teams.