US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference Weekend Recap: Oct. 2-3, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Fall 2021 season of the US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference continued over the weekend with than 100 games played across seven states.

Despite some teams just now getting their season up-and-running, each game held equal importance as it dictates which teams will celebrate promotion to higher divisions or berths to the 2022 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships, as well as earning automatic qualifying slots for the 2022-23 season of National League P.R.O.

Some notes from the weekend’s Team vs. Team action:

• Evolution SC 09 Girls Mercurial (IL) dropped their first points of the season in a 1-1 tie with Libertyville FC 1974 Elite-09 Girls (IL), which allowed Chicago Inter 2009 Red (IL) to keep pace with them in 13U Girls Premier Yellow.
• Galaxy 2008 Girls Blue (IL) picked up an important win over the weekend, which puts them within one point of KC Fusion Academy 08 (KS) for first place in the 14U Girls Premier I Division, having played one fewer game than the Kansas side.
• Chicago Magic PSG 2009 MCL (IL) won both of its games over the weekend, including a 3-2 win over previously undefeated Indiana Elite FC 2009 Premier Boys (IN), to extend its perfect start to the season in 13U Boys Premier Yellow.
• Toca FC G06 MLS (KS) continued its perfect start to the Fall 2021 season in 16U Girls Premier II Blue, winning both of its games over the weekend to pull within three points of first place.
• TKO Premier SC 2008 Boys Blue (MI) won both of their games, including a huge 3-2 win over table-toppers Galaxy 2008 Boys Blue (IL), to climb the standings in 14U Boys Premier II Yellow. TKO now sits tied for first with Galaxy and Ponys FC 2008 (IL).
• FC-1 Academy Girls 2008 Elite Blue (IL) enjoyed a good road trip to Missouri, where they picked up six out of nine points to reach the top of the 14U Girls Premier II Blue standings. FC-1’s loss came against LFA Blue Star Premier 2008G (MO), which sits three points behind FC-1 Academy and tied with Eclipse Select Central Illinois 2008G (IL) in the standings.
• Results in the 13U Girls Premier Blue Division left the standings wide open, as LFA Goddard 2009G (MO), Alliance FC ’09 Academy (MO) and REAL WC Academy 2009 (MO) all sit within three points of each other at the top end of the group. Alliance FC and Real WC Academy having each played one fewer game than LFA.
• UFC 04G-GR (MI) and MFJ 04G Elite (MI) each won their game this weekend to remain within touching distance of first place in 18U Girls Premier II Blue.
• Five games were played in the 14U Girls Premier II White Division, and Evolution SC 08 Girls Mercurial (IL) picked up wins in two of them — extending the Illinois side’s perfect start to the fall season in which it has scored 12 goals across five wins.
• Billy Goat FC 08 (KS) played its first games of the season, winning Friday and Saturday before a narrow 2-1 loss to group-leader Chicago Magic 2008 MCL (IL) on Sunday in 14U Boys Premier I.
• It will be an exciting finish to the 14U Girls Premier II Yellow Division. Three teams are within four points of each other at the top of the standings, and they each have just two games left to play.
• Everything is still left to play for in the 15U Girls Premier II Blue Division, with the five games played over the past week leaving three teams — KC Athletics Academy Select 07 (MO), JB Marine Academy Red-Morrison (MO) and Eclipse Select Central Illinois 2007G (IL) — all in the hunt for top spot to earn promotion to Premier I for the Fall 2022 season.
• MKSC Academy U13 Girls (WI) won both of their games over the weekend to get back to the top of the 13U Girls Premier White standings, sitting six points above Tonka Fusion Elite 09 (MN) and St. Croix 2009 Girls Academy (MN), who both have two games in hand.
• The 14U Boys Premier II White Division was among the busiest of the weekend, with six games played across Illinois and Wisconsin. WIUFC 2008 Boys Premier (WI), Madison 56ers 2008 Boys Red (WI) and Chicago Soccer Academy 08 Boys Juventus (IL) all won their games to remain at the top end of the standings, as all teams remain in contention for a promotion slot.

Some notes from the weekend’s Girls Club vs. Club action:

• Chicago Inter’s 16U and 17U teams continued their perfect start to the season in their respective age groups, with each securing a big win against Evolution SC (IL). The 19U Evolution SC team did likewise, winning its game against Chicago Inter (IL) to improve its record to four wins from four. The two clubs drew their 15U match, meaning the teams have identical 2-0-2 records in the 15U age group.
• Rockford Raptors FC (IL) and Galaxy SC (IL) split the games in their Club vs. Club matchup, as Rockford earned wins in the 16U and 18U age groups while Galaxy SC won in the 15U and 17U age groups. Rockford Raptors’ 16U win lifted the team to the top of the table, leaving it tied with Chicago Inter with a 4-0-0 record. The win in the 15U age group did the same for Galaxy SC, as the victory lifted the side above Chicago Inter by one point.

What they’re saying:

Following their two wins over the weekend, the players and staff of Toca FC G06 MLS (KS) are looking forward to building upon their strong start to the season.

“We have been building toward the Midwest Conference season for about three weeks. It gave us the perfect opportunity to put our heads down and really train on our possession-based style of play that we want to commit to,” said Trent Remmich, coach of Toca FC G06 MLS in the 16U Girls Premier II Blue Division. “The girls are feeling confident, but there is still a long way to go and a lot of work to do. October and November are very busy months, so we have to keep our goal in mind and get to work.”

The 14U Boys Premier II Yellow Division is among the most competitive in the Midwest Conference’s fall season, thanks in part to TKO Premier SC 2008 Boys Blue (MI) winning both of its games over the weekend.

“One of the things I am most proud of the players for is that they have kept a level head through their strong start,” said Rich Labadie, coach of TKO Premier SC 2008 Boys Blue, who beat previously unbeaten Galaxy 2008 Boys Blue (IL). “Even after a good result, you can hear them discussing amongst themselves what they could have done better. They understand that all of the teams they are competing against are quality teams, and they have to perform at a high level each and every game in order to get results.”

The Midwest Conference is one of 13 conferences in the USYS National League, and it consists of teams primarily from Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.

To follow the Midwest Conference results and standings, click here.

Click here for more information on the Midwest Conference. For more information on all 13 of the National League Conferences, the National League Showcase Series, and National League P.R.O., click here.