US Youth Soccer 2019 Midwest Regional champions crowned

Finals Photos

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SAGINAW, Mich.  — The 2019 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships came to an exciting conclusion on Wednesday in Saginaw, Mich., as 14 teams claimed titles.

In addition to stepping off the field as Regional Champions, the title-winning sides also earned berths to the 2019 US Youth Soccer National Championships, which will be played July 22-28 at the Overland Park Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kan.

Host state Michigan led the way with five Midwest Regional Champions, while Missouri and Illinois each saw three teams claim titles. Wisconsin had two champions, and Ohio South had one.

2019 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Champions

*Advances to National Championships as Midwest Regionals representative. 14U Girls Lou Fusz, 16U Girls Lou Fusz, 18U Girls Michigan Jaguars and 19U Boys Ohio Premier to represent the National League.
** Won a match on Wednesday to determine Midwest Regionals representative at Nationals. Both finalists in the 17U Girls and 19U Girls age groups to represent the National League.

As a club, Michigan Jaguars (MI) claimed four Midwest Regional Championships, including the 17U Boys title. Dan Trosper, coach of the 17U Boys Michigan Jaguars, said it’s an “amazing” feeling to win a regional title.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these guys and myself,” Trosper said. “They’ve put a bunch of work into what they wanted to achieve this year.

“The competition is incredibly tough. The level is incredibly high. It’s a constant sense of pressure. It’s where these guys grow the most, and we came up to that level this year and finished off the business.”

All of the Midwest Regional Champions, along with the teams who will advance as regional representatives, can now turn their attention the National Championships. The teams know all the hard work and effort that went into their performances in Saginaw will need to be even higher when they compete against the top teams in the country this summer in Overland Park.

“Going to Nationals is second to none. That’s what everyone is after,” Trosper said. “To be at the National Championships and competing as high as we possibly can, that’s what we all strive for at this level. To see these kids succeed there would be amazing.”

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 19U Boys and Girls age groups to complete the field of teams.

Highlights from the Midwest Regional Championships Finals…

13U Boys
Michigan Jaguars 06 Green Boys (MI) finished its week in Saginaw with two offensive explosions, including Wednesday’s dominant victory against KC Fusion Academy 06 (KS) in the 13U Boys final. Diego Ramirez and Alex Bilan scored early goals for Michigan before KC Fusion’s Aidan Boehmer converted a penalty kick to cut the Jaguars’ lead to 2-1. However, Angel Gael Medrano and Andrew Vartanian each scored before halftime to push the Michigan advantage to 4-1. Bilan and Gael Medrano — who finished with 12 goals in the tournament — each netted their second goals of the game in the second half to cap the victory for Michigan and help send it to the National Championships.

13U Girls
A fourth straight shutout helped Michigan Jaguars (MI) claim the 13U Girls regional title with a 2-0 win against Nationals Union 06 Girls Black (MI). Allison Hooks put the Jaguars in front with an 11th-minute goal, giving her side some early momentum. Nationals pushed for an equalizer for much of the match, but the Jaguars eventually secured an insurance goal when Amalia Villareal netted her group-leading ninth goal of the week. Those tallies proved to be enough for the Jaguars, as they hung on for the 2-0 victory.

14U Boys
MSC Academy 05/06 (IL) came away with a 2-1 win against Nationals Union 05 Black (MI) to claim the 14U Boys regional title. The Illinois side played from in front for most of the first half, as Oscar Martinez netted a fourth-minute goal to put MSC in front. It took just seconds after the start of the second half for Nationals to equalize, as Adam Pluszczyk held off a defender and lifted a shot past the keeper and inside the right post. MSC regained the lead in the 45th minute when Ernesto Perez found the back of the net. That proved to be the game-winner, as MSC took the 2-1 win to become Midwest Regional Champions.

14U Girls
Little separated the teams in the 14U Girls final, as Lou Fusz Geerling 05 (MO) earned a 1-0 (PK) win against Tonka Fusion Elite (MN). Lou Fusz supplied immediate pressure after the opening whistle, as it produced a corner kick and a few attempts at goal in the early minutes. However, Tonka prevented the Missouri side from breaking through, and the teams played a scoreless regulation and overtime. Tonka fell behind in kicks from the mark, but its goalkeeper, Madeleine Schultz, made back-to-back crucial saves to keep her side back in the shootout. However, Lou Fusz keeper Aubrey Andrews responded with a stop of her own, which set up the winning kick for the Missouri side. With Lou Fusz going to the National Championships as a National League winner, Tonka Fusion will advance to Nationals as the Midwest Regional representative.

15U Boys
A couple of overtime goals helped Raiders FC 2004 (IL) earn a 4-2 win against SLSG 04 Elite (MO). Ryan Harvatin put SLSG in front with a 20th-minute strike, but Raiders equalized in the 33rd minute when Marco Antonio Valencia freed himself for a left-footed shot that found the back of the net. Owen Hardy scored early in the second half to put SLSG back in front, and that lead held until Raiders scored on an own goal in the 70th minute. The game moved to overtime, and Raul Mariscal and Irving Axel Moreno each scored for Raiders to help the Illinois side to the 4-2 victory and regional title.

15U Girls
A goal early in the second half proved to be the deciding factor in a 1-0 win for Sporting St. Louis Red Devils 2004 (MO) over SC Waukesha 04 Girls Blue (WI) in the 15U Girls final. In the 44th minute, Quinn Conroyworked her way down the left wing and to the end line, where she sent a cross into the box. Brooke Kittner ran on to the cross and headed in the go-ahead goal for Sporting St. Louis. SC Waukesha applied considerable pressure as it looked for a late equalizer, and Sporting goalkeeper needed to make a last-minute penalty save to secure the 1-0 victory.

16U Boys
After building a first-half advantage, Milwaukee Bavarians 2003 (WI) held on for a 3-2 win over FC United 2003 Pre Academy (IL) to claim the 16U Boys regional title. William Navarre and Mitchell Dryden each scored in quick succession to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead after 29 minutes of play. Michael Sullivan supplied a response for FC United a few minutes later, as he found the back of the net to pull the Illinois side within a goal. Dryden netted his second goal of the game in the 50th minute, as he rose up and headed a corner kick off the underside of the crossbar and over into the goal — putting Milwaukee up, 3-1. Once again, FC United had a quick response when Jake Krueger scored off a corner kick to cut the Milwaukee lead to 3-2. The Illinois side threatened to equalize on multiple occasions, including a late set piece that forced Milwaukee keeper Jeremy Munoz to drop down quickly for a save. The Bavarians held on until the final whistle to earn the 3-2 win and punch their ticket to Nationals.

16U Girls 
Lou Fusz 03 Blue (MO) secured a 3-1 win on Wednesday to defeat Iowa Rush 2003 (IA) and claim the Midwest Regional Championship. Brynna Rutherford netted the game’s only goal in the first half, as she gave Lou Fusz a 1-0 lead. Sarah Foley doubled the Missouri side’s advantage with a 50th-minute goal, but Brooklyn Woods broke through for Iowa just a couple minutes later to cut the Lou Fusz lead to 2-1. Foley sealed the victory in the 57th minute with her group-best sixth goal of the tournament, as Lou Fusz earned the 3-1 win. With Lou Fusz going to the National Championships as a National League winner, Iowa Rush will advance to Nationals as the Midwest Regional representative.

17U Boys
A late winner helped Michigan Jaguars 02 Green (MI) earn a 1-0 victory over Galaxy 2002 Boys Blue (IL) in a tightly-contested 17U Boys final. Neither side managed to net an opening goal before the game moved to its final stages of regulation, despite each side generated periods of pressure in the attacking half. That changed in the 81st minute, as Shion Sogafound the back of the net to give the Jaguars a 1-0 lead. Michigan managed to hold off late tying attempts from Galaxy and secured the 1-0 victory that punched a ticket to Nationals for the Jaguars.

17U Girls
North Shore United 2002 Blue (WI) won the Midwest Regional Championship with a 1-0 (PK) victory against Cleveland FC 02 (OH-N). Neither side managed to score in regulation or overtime, and North Shore won in kicks from the mark, 5-3, to secure the title. Both teams previously qualified for the National Championships by winning their National League divisions.

In a match to decide the Midwest Regional representative at the National Championships, Nationals Union 02 Black (MI) secured a 3-0 win against LFA United Blue 02 (MO). Megan Sidaway scored all three goals for Nationals Union, as her hat trick proved to be enough to seal the win and send the Michigan side to Kansas City.

18U Boys
After falling behind just before halftime, Michigan Wolves 01 (MI) netted three unanswered goal after the break to defeat Minneapolis United Premier (MN), 3-1, and punch its ticket to Nationals. Herbert Endeleyput Minneapolis in front in the 43rd minute when he netted his group-leading eighth goal of the tournament. However, Bradley Wangequalized shortly after halftime, and Justin Wojcik gave the Wolves a 2-1 lead with a 57th-minute goal. Charles Sharp added an insurance goal in the final minute of regulation, as the Michigan side earned the 3-1 championship victory.

18U Girls
Michigan Jaguars 01 Green (MI) held off in-state foe Nationals Union 01 Black (MI) to earn a 2-0 victory in the 18U Girls final. Nationals Union managed to pin the Jaguars in their own end at times in the first half, generating several corner kicks. The Jaguars did well to keep Nationals off the scoreboard and eventually grabbed a lead of their own when Danielle Wolfe found the back of the net in the 56th minute. Ellie Wardelldoubled the lead 11 minutes later, and the Jaguars held on to secure the shutout victory. With Michigan Jaguars going to the National Championships as a National League winner, Nationals Union will advance to Nationals as the Midwest Regional representative.

19U Boys
A thrilling back-and-forth championship second half of play saw Ohio Premier NL (OH-S) earn a 4-3 win against Kingdom SC 00 Red (MI). After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, Fernando Dapino and Drew Fischereach found the back of the net to give Ohio Premier a 2-0 lead after 64 minutes of action. Landon Fisher pulled Kingdom within a goal before Noah Boffo extended the Ohio Premier lead back to two goals at 3-1. Maxwell Keenan once again pulled the Michigan side within a goal with an 81st-minute strike, and Eron Sylejmani equalized for Kingdom in the 90th minute. However, Christian Buendia immediately replied for Ohio Premier to score a late game-winner that gave his side the Midwest Regional title. With Ohio Premier going to the National Championships as a National League qualifier, Kingdom SC will advance to Nationals as the Midwest Regional representative.

19U Girls
Campton United Red (IL) netted a last-minute winner to defeat MapleBrook Fury (MN), 2-1, and claim the 19U Girls regional title. Paige Miller put Campton in front in the 22nd minute, and Linnea Yacovellaleveled the score at 1-1 with a 69th-minute goal for MapleBrook. In the 90th minute, Saydie Holland found the back of the net to give Campton the 2-1 win. Both teams previously qualified for the National Championships by winning their National League divisions.

In a match to decide the Midwest Regional representative at the National Championships, Lou Fusz Elam (MO) secured a 2-1 overtime win against Kentucky Fire Juniors G00 Premier Red (KY). Kentucky took an early lead when Ashley Durik found the back of the net in the eighth minute, but Katherine Jozwiakowski eventually netted a 45th-minute equalizer for Lou Fusz. Neither side managed to score in the final 45 minutes of regulation, and the game needed overtime to determine a winner. With a 110th-minute goal, Lou Fusz’s Jaimie Tottleben scored the game-winner that secured the 2-1 win for her team and sent the Missouri side to Nationals.