US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference crowns 11 girls division champions
FRISCO, Texas — After an exciting fall season, 11 teams in the 15U-19U Girls age groups have earned first-place finishes in the Premier I and Club vs. Club Divisions of the US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference.
By claiming the division titles, the teams in the 15U-18U age groups have also secured spots in the USYS National League Playoffs for the 2021-22 season.
Midwest Conference qualification opportunities for the 2021 USYS Midwest Regional Championships will be determined in late January, when the regional wildcard slots are determined.
The Midwest Conference Club vs. Club Divisions featured two brackets in each of the 15U-19U Girls age groups, and the winners of the brackets faced each other in recent weeks to determine the overall Club vs. Club Division winners. Chicago Inter (IL) claimed two overall titles, as its 15U and 18U sides combined to go 12-0-0, and both won their title matches against the opposing bracket winners.
“I give a lot of credit to all of my girls for playing at the highest level in the Midwest Region and going undefeated, including the playoff game,” Chicago Inter coach Sena Halilovic said, while noting his players ability to focus during a season filled with different on-field and off-field factors. “They put a lot of hard work in since we started practicing again in June, and we are all excited that we will be part of the National League Playoffs in 2021.”
Club vs. Club Division – Fall 2020 Winners
15U Girls
Chicago Inter 2006 Red (IL)
[defeated Libertyville FC 1974 Elite 06 (IL), 3-0]
16U Girls
North Shore United 2005 Girls Blue (WI)
[defeated Chicago Inter 2005 Red (IL), 2-1]
17U Girls
Libertyville FC 1974 Elite-04 Girls (IL)
[defeated Sporting STL Rangers (MO), 1-0]
18U Girls
Chicago Inter 2003 Red (IL)
[defeated Libertyville FC 1974 Elite-03 Girls (IL), 3-2]
19U Girls*
Bracket A winner: SLSG 02 (MO)
Bracket B winner: North Shore United 2002 Blue (WI)
*No Club vs. Club title game at 19U Girls
Many of the Midwest Conference Premier I Division titles were secured during an action-filled St. Louis Showcase weekend Nov. 4-6, while some influential late-season matches took place in the recent weeks to determine the remaining winners.
Premier I Division – Fall 2020 Winners
- 15U Girls – Michigan Fire Juniors 06G Navy (MI)
- 16U Girls – Kingdom SC 05 Red (MI)
- 17U Girls – Legends FC 2004 Girls Black (MI)
- 18U Girls – Croatian Eagles Red 2003 (WI)
- 19U Girls – Legends FC 2002 Girls Black (MI)
“Winning the League was huge for us. Obviously, the competition was great every single game so to come out on top of the table is a great feeling and one that we’ve never experienced,” said Joe Fuld, coach of 16U Girls champion Kingdom SC 05. “We’ve earned promotion every year but always missed out on the champion title by a couple points. Now to be able to say we did it at the highest level is something these girls will remember for a long time.”
Looking forward, Fuld also acknowledged the additional experiences that a successful Midwest Conference season can offer to teams.
“The opportunity to advance to Regionals has always been a dream for the girls and now adding the National League Playoffs brings a new level of excitement,” Fuld said. “Being able to compete against the best of the best really shows how hard this group has worked and how they continue to grow every single game.”
The Midwest Conference is one of 13 Conferences under the National League in the multi-state tier, and it consists of teams primarily from Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.
Click here for more information on the Midwest Conference. For more information on all of the National League Conferences, the National League Showcase Series, and the National League Playoffs, click here.
