SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (June 24, 2009) – Today's finals featured clear skies and expectations as the competition continued at the 2009 US Youth Soccer Region II (Midwest) Championships at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux falls, South Dakota.  212 Teams from thirteen states were narrowed to 28 with a chance to represent the Midwest at the 2009 US Youth Soccer National Championships this July, 21-26, in Massachusetts.

2009 US Youth Soccer Region II Champions
Boys
Under 13             (MI) Michigan Wolves 96
Under 14             *(MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher
Under 15             *(OH-S) Blast FC
Under 16             *(IL) Campton United Navy
Under 17             *(KY) Javanon 92s
Under 18             *(KY) Javanon 91s
Under 19             *(IN) Pike Indy Burn

Girls
Under 13             (MI) 96 Michigan Hawks
Under 14             *(IL) Eclipse Select
Under 15             *(MO) St.  Louis Scott Gallagher Green
Under 16             *(OH-N) Cleveland FC
Under 17             ^(IL) Eclipse Select 91-92
Under 18             *(OH-S) Ohio Elite SA
Under 19             *(IL) Eclipse Select 89-90
*Represents Region II at US Youth Soccer National Championships in Lancaster, Mass., July 21-26.
^Represents US Youth Soccer National League at National Championships
(OH-N) Internationals to represent Region II in Under-17 Girls at National Championships 

Notes from today's games…

Under-13 Boys
After a scoreless first half, Michigan Wolves' Daegan DeBono was the difference maker in the 48^th minute for the 1-0 win over (KS) KC Wizards Jrs. 

Under-14 Boys
A single goal would again be the difference in who would claim the regional title in the Under-14 Boys with St. Louis Scott Gallagher's Keith Grieshaber's early goal in the 12^th minute spoiling the Michigan Wolves' hopes of a second regional title with the 1-0 Gallagher win. 

Under-15 Boys
Jeremy Fernandes was a multiple goal scorer yesterday, for (OH-S) Blast FC.  In today's regional final against (IN) Westside United FC, Fernandes doubled his total from yesterday with four goals to lead Blast past Westside 5-2.  Fernandes scored his first goal to the near post from outside the box in the 4^th minute and his second clipped the crossbar to beat the Westside keeper high in the 15^th.  Westside's Andrew Oliver would net two of his own but Blast was too much in the 5-2 win.    

Under-16 Boys
Familiar foe met in the Under-16 Boys final as two US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Leaguers faced off in the (KS) KC Wizards Juniors and (IL) Campton United Navy.  Today's match offered KC Wizards a chance at redemption however Compton's Seamus Kaminiski had other plans.  Kaminiski would break the scoreless tie after the half in the 54^th minute and the Campton line would hold off the KC attack to preserve the 1-0 win. 

Under-17 Boys
Chicago Fire Juniors have made the most of their opportunity in Sioux Falls and today the Fire looked for more against the defending regional champion (KY) Javanon 92 in the Under-17 Boys final.  At the end of a spirited regulation, the scoreboard remained empty.  In overtime, Javanon's Dimitri DeChurch scored in the 94^th minute but the celebration was short lived as Fire's Michael Lenzi scored the equalizer in the 107^th minute.  Kicks from the mark was a fitting end to the evenly matched contest that would see the defending champs advance on PKs 4-3 over Fire.    

Under-18 Boys
Javanon 91 looked to match their younger side's success as the Under-18 Boys played (MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher in the finals.  Both sides would battle to maintain possession and the intensifying heat.  Despite a handful of scoring changes, the scoreless tie would remain through the end of regulation.  In overtime, Javanon's Vinicius Paiva would break through and claim the game winner in the 94^th minute as Javanon defeats Scott Gallagher 1-0.    

Under-19 Boys
(MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher faced (IN) Pike Indy Burn in the Under-19 Boys final.  Both teams looked to close out their youth careers with a trip to the national championships and a chance to hoist the storied James P. McGuire Cup as the Under-19 Boys national champs.  Indy Burn's Isang Jacob, 2008 US Youth Soccer adidas Boys Coach of the Year, would lead his side to victory thanks to a Matthew Hedges goal in the 78^th minute that places Indy one step closer to the McGuire Cup as regional champions in the 1-0 final.

Girls

Under-13 Girls
In the Under-13 Girls final, Justine Jahnke kicked things off in only the 3^rd minute of play to give her Michigan Hawks side the early 1-0 advantage over (IN) Carmel United.  Gabrielle LaMere hit the Carmel equalizer in the 23^rd minute.  The 1-1 tie wouldn't last long as Michigan's Jamie Cheslik broke through in the 38^th minute and the score would hold for the Hawks 2-1 win over Carmel.

Girls
Under-14 Girls
Seeking their first trip to the national championships, the Under-14 Girls final featured (OH-S) Ohio Premier Green and (IL) Eclipse Select.  The match would end regulation and double overtime with neither side able to score.  In penalty kicks, Eclipse Select won 4-2 to claim the regional title and tickets to the national championships in Massachusetts.   

Under-15 Girls
(MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher Green was on the attack early against (OH-S) CSA Elite in the Under-15 Girls final.  The scoreless tie quickly turned into a 2-0 lead for Gallagher thanks to goals from Alexandria Massey and Rachel Kibby in the 25^th and 27^th minutes respectively.  Kibby made the most of a ball that landed to her foot from close proximity for the insurance goal.  

Under-16 Girls
(MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher looked to clinch another title in the Under-16 Girls but (OH-N) Cleveland FC had other plans.  Down 3-1 in the second half, Abbey Stock looked to rally her Gallagher side in the 64^th minute however Cleveland's Kelsey Smigel scored in the 78^th minute to complete the 4-1 Cleveland win over Gallagher.

Under-17 Girls
US Youth Soccer National Leaguers from the Under-17 Girls (IL) Eclipse Select earned their tickets to the national championships through league play.  Regardless of the outcome in Eclipse's final with (OH-N) Internationals, both teams were heading for nationals.  Both sides looked to claim the regional title and in the 64^th minute Vanessa Laxgang grabbed the 1-0 Eclipse lead.  Laxgang's teammates would add three more over the next 19 minutes for the 4-0 Eclipse win. 

Under-18 Girls
Michigan Hawks looked to get back to the national championships after not qualifying a team last year, the first time in four years.  Ally Berry's goal in the 18^th minute for the Under-18 Girls (OH-S) Ohio Elite was the difference maker as Ohio Elite claims the regional title and advances to the national championships with the 1-0 win over Hawks. 

Under-19 Girls
Through four games, (KS) KCFC Jazz scored 10 goals, allowing only one.  Facing the Jazz in today's Under-19 Girls final was defending regional champion Illinois' Eclipse Select 89-90 who scored eight and allowed one during their tournament run.  The defending champs found an extra gear in the second half with Jessica Price adding to the Eclipse lead in the 54^th minute for the 2-0 advantage.  Teammate Carly Samp added a third in the 62^nd minute as the Eclipse girls look to end their youth careers on the country's biggest stage, the national championships.      

Today's scores…

2009 US Youth Soccer Region II Championships - Final Results                                                  
Boys
Under 13             (KS) KC Wizards Jrs v (MI) Michigan Wolves 96, 0-1
Wolves:  Daegan DeBono (48:00)

Under 14             (MRL2-MI) Michigan Wolves v (MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher Academy, 0-1
Gallagher:  Keith Grieshaber (12:00)        

Under 15             (IN) Westside United FC v (MRL2-OH-O) Blast FC, 2-5
Westside:  Andrew Oliver (25:00) (58:00)
Blast:  Jeremy Fernandes (4:00) (15:00) (44:00) (75:00), Shane Facemyer (51:00)

Under 16             (MRL2-KS) KC Wizards Juniors v (MRL1-IL) Campton United Navy, 0-1
Campton:  Seamus Kaminski (54:00)

Under 17             (KY) Javanon 92s v (IL2) Chicago Fire Juniors, 2-1 (PKs 4-3) OT
Javanon:  Dimitri DeChurch-Silva (94:00)
Fire:  Michael Lenzi (107:00) 

Under 18             (MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher v (KY) Javanon 91s, 0-1 OT
Javanon:  Vinicius Paiva (94:00)

Under 19             (MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher v (IN) Pike Indy Burn, 0-1
Indy: Matthew Hedges (78:00) 

Girls
Under 13             (IN) Carmel United Academy v (MI) 96 Michigan Hawks, 1-2
Carmel:  Gabrielle LaMere (23:00)
Hawks:  Justine Jahnke (3:00), Jamie Cheslik (38:00)

Under 14             (OH-S) Ohio Premier Green v (IL) Eclipse Select, 0-1 (PKs 2-4) OT

Under 15             (OH-S) CSA Elite v (MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher Green, 0-2
Gallagher:  Alexandria Massey (25:00), Rachel Kibby (27:00)

Under 16             (MO) St. Louis Scott Gallagher Green v (OH-N) Cleveland FC, 1-4
Gallagher: Abbey Stock (64:00)
Cleveland:  Elizabeth Bollinger (36:00), Katie Roberts (44:00), Jillian Graff (61:00), Kelsey Smigel (78:00)  

Under 17             (IL) Eclipse Select 91-92 v (OH-N) Internationals SC, 4-0
Eclipse:                Vanessa Laxgang (67:00), Samantha Scofield (72:00), Maggie Murnane (80:00), Ariana Kulinczenko (86:00)

Under 18             (MI) 91 Michigan Hawks v (OH-S) Ohio Elite SA, 0-1
Ohio:  Ally Berry (18:00)               

Under 19             (IL) Eclipse Select 89-90 v (KS2) KCFC Jazz, 3-0
Eclipse:  OG (52:00), Jessica Price (54:00), Carly Samp (62:00)      

Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 age groups earn a berth to the 2009 US Youth Soccer National Championships to be played July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Fields at Progin Park in Lancaster, Mass.

The James P. McGuire Cup is the oldest trophy in youth sport dating back to 1935 with the inaugural youth championships. The Under-19 Boys age group as the National Champion will hoist the McGuire Cup. This is the 74th anniversary of the storied cup.

Daily reports and complete results from the tournament will be available on http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org. Keep up to the minute with US Youth Soccer National Championship Series on Twitter.

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About the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series – The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their abilities against the best in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The yearlong competition begins with over 185,000 players in the US Youth Soccer State Championships.  These champions and selected wildcard teams, through US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues, advance to compete in one of four the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. Champions (U-14 through U-19) from each regional event advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships.  The Under-15 through 17 Boys and Girls age groups have two teams representative of the US Youth Soccer National League, in which the top two teams in each gender age group earn a direct path to the national championships. Overall the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation's top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country.

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About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) – US Youth Soccer - "The Game for ALL Kids!^®" is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member State Associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

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