Champions crowned at US Youth Soccer Region II Championships

Schedule, Standings and Scores

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Via US Youth Soccer) – Champions were crowned at the 2017 US Youth Soccer Region II (Midwest) Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D. Winners in the 13U through 19/20U Boys and Girls matches earned a Regional title and a berth to the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships held July 24-30, at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.

16U Girls Nationals Union 01 Black (MI) earned its third consecutive Regional title and will head to Frisco in hopes of defending its 2015 and 2016 National Championship titles.

Two defending champions – 17U Girls Midwest United FC 00 Royal (MI) and 19/20U Girls EGA Maroon 98 (NE) – attained a second consecutive Regional title and will get another shot at the National Championships. Midwest United will also strive to defend its 2016 National Championship title.

Of the 14 total champions, Michigan had five teams, Nebraska and Illinois were each represented by two champion teams and Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio North as well as Wisconsin each had one.

Regional Championship Teams:

# Advances to National Championships as Region II representative. 15U Girls Nationals Union 02 Black (MI), 17U Girls Midwest United FC 00 Royal (MI) and 19/20U Boys FC United (IL) to represent National League.

Highlights from the finals matches:

13U Boys
St. Louis Scott Gallagher Pre Academy 04 (MO) earned the 13U Boys Region II Championship title after defeating SOFC Elite 04 (NE), 2-1. While SOFC’s Mitchell Fehr scored in the second minute of the match, St. Louis Scott Gallagher worked hard to get into the game, and the Missouri side did just that. Giuseppe Gereau equalized the match early in the second half as he drove a long shot, which hit the crossbar and landed in the goal. Just as the game was headed for overtime, Anis Smajlovic put the ball in the back of the net for St. Louis Scott Gallagher.

13U Girls
Sporting BV (KS) claimed the championship victory with a close 1-0 win against CUP 04 Gold (OH-S). After a scoreless first half, Sporting BV came out of halftime with determination. The Kansas team was rewarded within the first four minutes of the second half as Mia Yang netted the only goal of the match. Despite CUP’s drive to equalize the game, Sporting BV held onto the lead to eventually win the 13U Girls Regional title.

14U Boys
FC Wisconsin WDA (WI) defeated CUP 03 Gold (OH-S) in kicks from the mark for an overall 3-2 win. It was a scoreless first half, but the game changed in the second half as CUP took the lead with a goal from Noah Hall. He went on to score again in the 61st minute, but three minutes later, FC Wisconsin’s John Corbett cut into CUP’s lead. Corbett tied up the match just five minutes after his first goal, and the game was soon headed to overtime. Two scoreless overtime periods passed, and the two teams lined up for kicks from the mark. With the help of a couple crucial saves from FC Wisconsin goalkeeper Santiago Davila, FC Wisconsin won the shootout, 4-3, to ultimately win the 14U Boys Regional title.

14U Girls
After conceding a goal, Nationals Union 03 Black (MI) came back and defeated KHA Red (KY), 4-1 in overtime. KHA took the lead in the first five minutes of the match with a goal from Iris Schuh, and KHA held onto the advantage until the 67th minute when Nationals Union’s Sierra Curtis scored the late equalizer. As the game headed into overtime, Nationals Union hung onto the momentum and scored three goals with the credit going to Brooklyn Steere, Mia Leonetti and Mary Karolak.

15U Boys
NFC 02 Blue (NE) picked up a 3-0 win over Midwest United FC 02 Royal (MI) to claim the 15U Boys Region II crown. The match stayed at 0-0 until the 53rd minute when NFC’s Charles Howard put the ball in the back of the net. Mauricio Felix Alvarado increased the lead with a goal in the 63rd minute, and Howard sealed the win with his second goal five minutes later.

15U Girls
Nationals Union 02 Black (MI) claimed the Regional title after a 2-0 win against CUP 02 Gold (OH-S). Faith Webber scored once in the first half and once in the second to propel Nationals Union Black to victory. As Nationals Union Black and CUP both previously qualified for the 2017 National Championships through the US Youth Soccer National League, a play-in game took place to determine the age group’s Region II representative.

With a 2-1 win over Nationals Union 02 Red (MI) in the play-in match, Sporting OFC 2002 Elite (NE) will go on to the 2017 National Championships as the 15U Girls Region II representative. During the play-in game, Allison Napora earned Sporting OFC the early lead in the 5th minute. The Nebraska team added another as Kyra Garlock received a pass across the goal and poked the ball into the goal. Nationals Union Red battled to get back into the game and gained some hope as Maria Paveglio was on the end of a corner kick and hit the ball into the upper net. However, Sporting OFC held onto the lead for the victory and for a spot at the National Championships.

16U Boys
Javanon 2001 Black (KY) earned a 2-1 win against SLSG Elite (MO) for the 16U Boys Regional title. Jansen Wilson put Javanon ahead with a late goal in the first half, and in the 58th minute, Brandon McManus increased the advantage to 2-0. SLSG pressed high to get back into the game, and two minutes after McManus’s goal, Christian Kraus put SLSG on the board. In the end, Javanon came out on top with the 2-1 victory.

16U Girls
Nationals Union 01 Black (MI) earned its third consecutive Region II Championship title with a 6-1 victory over Kings Hammer Academy Red (KY). While Allison Leonard scored first for Nationals Union in the 11th minute, Kings Hammer responded with a 24th-minute goal from Elizabeth Lovdal. In the second half, Nationals Union truly got the ball rolling as a scoring spree started with Madison Medalle, who headed the ball after receiving a cross to the back post. Leonard and Medalle went on to each score again later in the second half, while Arianna Jalics and Brooke Russell each added goals to complete the score. Nationals Union will go on to Frisco, Texas to also defend its two-time National Championship titles.

17U Boys
Michigan Jaguars 00 Green (MI) defeated Raiders FC (IL), 2-1, in an exciting overtime win. After a scoreless first half, Fernando Barragan gave Raiders FC the lead in the 53rd minute, but just two minutes later, Michigan Jaguars responded as Antonio Rizzo netted a goal. With the score at 1-1, the two teams went into overtime. It was in the second overtime period, minutes before going into kicks from the mark, when Tyler Welch earned the game winner for Michigan Jaguars.

17U Girls
Midwest United FC 00 Royal (MI) defended its 2016 Region II Championship title after defeating Sporting Omaha FC Elite 2000 (NE), 5-0. The Michigan side scored all throughout the game with the help of Stephanie Currie, Jennifer Blitchok, Regan Berg, Emily Ashby and Avery Lockwood. Midwest United hopes to also defend its 2016 National Championship title as it heads to Frisco, Texas in July.

18U Boys
LTSC Union Showcase 99/00 (IL) defeated OP Green (OH-S) in kicks from the mark for an overall 2-1 win and the 18U Boys Region II crown. It was a close game as the first goal of the match did not come until the 66th minute when LTSC’s Jack Richards put the ball in the back of the net. OP responded well and equalized the match with the help of Noah Paoletti. Two overtime periods passed without a goal, so the two teams lined up for the shootout. LTSC goalkeeper Mathew Vear and OP goalkeeper Bryant Pratt both made crucial saves, but LTSC came out victorious after outscoring OP, 5-4, in kicks from the mark.

18U Girls
Cleveland FC (OH-N) came out on top after a victory in kicks from the mark against Minneapolis United Inferno (MN) for an overall 3-2 win. Janiece Joyner scored for Cleveland FC, but Minneapolis United equalized the match as Ansley Atkinson scored a late goal in the first half. The second half did not yield any goals from neither teams, so the game went into overtime. While Minneapolis United stole the lead late in the first overtime period with a goal from Rafferty Kugler, Brooke Weitzel’s goal kept Cleveland FC in the match. In kicks from the mark, Cleveland FC outscored Minneapolis United 4-1, to ultimately become Region II Champions.

19/20U Boys
FC United (IL) earned a 3-0 win over OP 97-98 Green (OH-S) to claim the Regional title. David Brandt opened up the scoring in the seventh minute of the match, and he scored again in the 22nd minute. Noah Melick added a third goal in the 82nd minute to seal the victory.

19/20U Girls
EGA Maroon 98 (NE) earned its second consecutive Regional title after a 2-0 win against FC Kansas City Forte Elite 98 (MO). Both goals came off of back-to-back corner kicks, and both were credited to Kayleigh Putnam. The first goal was a header from Putnam, who received the ball at the back post. Five minutes later, EGA earned another corner kick and Putnam was able to poke the ball into the goal. EGA proceeded to work hard to defend its own goal and was able to claim the win with a clean sheet

Regional winners of the 13U through 19/20U age groups earn a berth to the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships, held July 24-30 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 19/20U Boys and Girls age groups, as well as the US Youth Soccer National League qualifiers in the 15U through 19/20U Boys and Girls age groups to complete the field of 96 teams.