Schedules, Scores and Standings
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WEST CHESTER, Ohio (June 14, 2018) – The 2018 US Youth Soccer Midwest Presidents Cup is now underway in West Chester, Ohio. The five-day event, which takes place June 14-18, kicked off Thursday with 13U through 19U Boys and Girls teams starting the action at the Voice of America Athletic Complex.
The event features more than 140 US Youth Soccer boys and girls teams competing for a regional title and a chance to advance to the 2018 US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup, July 11-15 in Westfield, Ind.
Preliminary games will continue through Saturday, June 16. Semifinal matches will take place on Sunday, June 17. Regional champions will be crowned following final matches on Sunday, June 17 as well as Monday, June 18.
Ohio South Youth Soccer Association is hosting the event, and 13 other State Associations represented include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio North, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
19U Boys Mundelein Soccer Club is representing Illinois at the 2018 Midwest Presidents Cup, and head coach Peter Petrov discussed his thoughts on being part of the event.
“We are always happy to be at a regional tournament," Petrov said. “It’s a great tournament with the different teams coming in from different states. We couldn’t be happier to be representing Illinois.”
In addition, 13U Boys KC Legends Billy Goat FC 05 (KS) opened up group play in a hard fought battle, similar to the shape of its regular season.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime to be here,” coach Greg Herdlick said. “We struggled through our regular season, so I think that was an added bonus when we qualified to get here.”
The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup offers teams the challenge of experiencing different types of play by competing from state to regional to national levels. The Presidents Cup provides teams with a progressive, competitive experience that highlights competition, camaraderie and community.
Preliminary Round Recaps:
13U Boys
In the 13U Boys age group, Des Moines Menace Academy Red (IA) attacked early against KC Legends Billy Goats FC (KS), quickly firing shots on goal. Tate McDermott of Des Moines, netted the first score of the game in the fifth minute. Less than ten minutes later, Drew Robinson scored the second goal to give Des Moines the early 2-0 lead. KC Legends closed out the first half strong when Cale Williams got its first goal of the tournament in the 34th minute. Des Moines took a 2-1 lead into halftime. In the 61st minute, Cale Williams scored his second goal of the game to tie the score at two apiece. Just four minutes later, Skyler Anderson notched his first goal of the tournament to give KC the late 3-2 lead. KC Legends held on to the 3-2 win to earn its first win of the tournament.
14U Girls
After 70 minutes of play, 14U Girls Elite Academy 2004 Maroon (NE) and Chicago Soccer Academy 04 Roma (IL) tied 0-0. Both teams spent the first half trying to gain a rhythm, and one of the closest chances came for the Chicago side as Macey De Moss beat a defender and sent a shot just wide of the goal right before halftime. In the second half, there was an increase of intensity with Chicago applying the pressure. De Moss tried hard to put Chicago ahead as she sent a free kick over the crossbar and had a last-minute shot headed for the goal’s top right corner that went over instead. Elite Academy goalkeeper Jimena Estrada Gomez kept the team alive by preventing the ball from touching the net, and the game ended in a scoreless draw.
15U Boys
15U Boys Kings Hammer Academy Grey (KY) and MO Rush 2003 United (MO) began the tournament with a back-and-forth first half. The first half featured both teams putting shots on goal, but no one converted, leading to a scoreless half of play. In the second half, Riley Dulaney of MO Rush scored at the 60th-minute mark to take a 1-0 lead. Just five minutes later, Chandler Ashcraft of Kings Hammer fired on goal and tied the game at 1-1, which eventually became the final score.
16U Girls
Maplebrook (MN) defeated Chicago Fire Juniors City 2002 (IL), 5-1 in a 16U Girls matchup. It was an even game between the two teams until the 30th minute when Maplebrook’s Jessica Ryman opened up the scoring and floated a right-footed corner kick into the back corner of the net. Six minutes later, Ryman did the exact same thing, sending a driven corner kick into the side netting to put Maplebrook up 2-0. In the second half, Maplebrook continued to control the tempo and increased the gap as Abigail Schulte snuck the ball past the goalkeeper and Anna Sanchez added another one. Chicago Fire earned one back in the 63rd minute with a shot from Abigail Balmaseda. Maplebrook topped off the score with a final goal from Kelley Kloncz.
17U Boys
In the 17U Boys age group, Millennium Soccer Academy 01 Black (IN) earned a 2-1 win against 2001 Tempo Thunder (SD). Millennium went up 1-0 in the first seven minutes as Jack Bailey netted a goal, but the momentum did not sway towards either team as it was an even matchup without any clear domination. In the 42nd minute, Millennium increased its lead when David Dafiaghor played a ball down the right flank for Colton Dougherty to run onto, head toward the goal and slip the ball past the goalkeeper. Tempo kept up the fight and didn’t allow the two-goal deficit get to them. Tempo was able to cut into Millennium’s lead as Mason Stolle buried a penalty kick in the 88th minute. The team nearly tied the game in the final minutes of the match as a long throw-in found Colby Fechner’s head in front of the goal, but the ball traveled just left of the net. In the end, Millennium stuck it out for the 2-1 victory.
18U Girls
CUSA Crew 00 (OH-S) opened up group play with a 2-1 win over BHK 2000 Black (MN) in the 18U Girls age group. Madison Scott notched the first goal for the team at the 26th-minute mark of the first half. Their second goal came just four minutes later when Jenna Baker converted on a penalty kick. CUSA held BHK scoreless in the first half. At the 75th-minute mark of the second-half, Carolyn Rowley scored to make it a one point game. CUSA held on for the one-point victory to begin the tournament.
19U Boys
In the 19U Boys group, Club Ohio Green (OH-S) and Mundelein Soccer Club (IL) opened up preliminary play with a back-and-forth start. Mundelein came out firing shots on net early and often without scoring. The first score of the game came just before halftime in the 44th-minute when Jorge Vasquez of Mundelein scored the first goal of the game. Jonathon Medina of Mundelein scored his first goal of the tournament and opened the lead up to two in the 62nd minute. In the 90th minute Cristofer Medina converted on a penalty-kick to secure Mundelein’s 3-0 win.
For complete event results for the Midwest Presidents Cup, click here. For more information on all US Youth Soccer Regional and National Presidents Cup events, visit the US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup Homepage at www.usyouthsoccer.org/presidents-cup.
Note: The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup is a separate series of events from the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series.