GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE: Website | Scores and Schedules
MIDWEST CONFERENCE: Website | Scores and Schedules
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SATURDAY PHOTOS

WESTFIELD, Ind. (May 11, 2019) – The 2019 US Youth Soccer Great Lakes and Midwest Conferences Spring Showcase continued Saturday at the Grand Park Athletic Complex in Westfield, Ind.

The showcase features Premier I and Premier II teams in the 15U through 19U age groups. More than 130 boys teams from both the Great Lakes Conference and Midwest Conference are competing, while nearly 50 girls sides from the Great Lakes Conference will be in action. Additional games featuring teams in the 13U-14U age groups, as well as First Division matches, are also being played at Grand Park.

The environment at the showcase provides a good opportunity for player evaluation, and more than 75 college coaches have been on hand for the first two days of action in Westfield.

With Premier I Division teams competing for the potential to advance to the 2019 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships and a chance to earn a place in the National League (national tier) 2019-20 season, there is a lot on the line in each game. In the Midwest Conference’s 17U Boys Premier I Division, the standings are already filled with teams that have competed at the national level.

“We have eight National League teams in our division. There are no easy games,” 17U Galaxy 2002 Boys Blue (IL) coach John Thurow said. “It’s great to have the exposure for the boys and to play in a league where every single minute matters. If you look at the standings, the difference between first and seventh place is 40 seconds of concentration. Every play and every touch matters.”

Galaxy 2002 used a late goal to secure a 1-0 win against J B Marine - Mann (MO) on Saturday, allowing the Illinois side to move to the top of the Midwest 17U Premier I standings, where it is level on points with Salvo SC / REV Academy (MN). With the talent of each team in the division, Thurow said his players know the value of each point.

“Every single game is important,” Thurow said. “We just beat an unreal team. J B Marine plays the right way. They’re well organized and hard to break down. We made the most of the few chances we had. They hit the crossbar and had a lot of chances. It wasn’t our best game, but we found a way to get three points.”

The showcase weekend will conclude with games on Sunday. 

Some notes from Saturday’s matches:

BOYS – GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE

• Hotspurs 04 Blue (PA-W) prevented Nationals Union 04 Black (MI) from climbing closer to the top of the 15U Premier I Division standings, as the PA West side came away with a 2-1 win.
• In the 15U Premier II Division, Javanon 04 Boys Black (KY) earned a 2-0 shutout against Croatia Juniors 2004 Boys (OH-N) to remain unbeaten and move to the top of the table. Javanon is even with SCS United 2004 Black (PA-W) and Barca Academy CLB Messi 04 (OH-S) on 19 points, with the Kentucky side having played one less game.
• A 3-0 win on Saturday allowed Beadling 2003 Boys - South Red (PA-W) to move into first place in the 16U Premier I Division.
• In the 17U Premier II Division, Fort Wayne United FC 02 B Academy (IN) secured a 5-1 win on Saturday to move into a tie for first place with idle Legends FC MAFC 2002 Boys Black (MI). Fort Wayne won the head-to-head game between the two sides earlier in the season.
• In a matchup of the top two 18U Premier II Division teams, Pacesetter 01 Boys Villa Red (OH-N) earned a 3-1 win over SCS United 2001 Boys Black (PA-W) pull level with SCS at the top of the standings.
• Alliance FC IN 00 Boys (IN) remained unbeaten on the season and in control of the 19U Premier II Division with a dominant win on Saturday.

BOYS – MIDWEST CONFERENCE

• The standings are tighter in the 15U Premier I Division after SC Waukesha 04 Boys Blue (WI) knocked off leader JB Marine-Gober (MO), 1-0, on Saturday. JB Marine’s lead in the division is down to just one point after a win by Addison United Select (IL).
• KCSG Academy (MO) remained perfect in the 15U Premier II Division with a 5-1 win against Libertyville FC 1974 Elite (IL).
• In the 16U Premier I Division, Midwest United FC 03 Royal (MI) fought back to earn a 4-4 draw against division leader SLSG 2003 Elite (MO) — tightening the race at the top of the standings.
• FC United 2003 Pre Academy (IL), Lou Fusz SC - Limpert (MO) and Indiana Elite FC 2003 Premier I Boys (IN) all won on Saturday to remain level at the top of the 16U Premier II Division standings with 16 points each.
• A late winner helped Galaxy 2002 Boys Blue (IL) earn a 1-0 win over J B Marine - Mann (MO) to allow the Illinois side to move to the top of the 17U Premier I Division standings.
• The top two teams in the 17U Premier II Division — Madison 56ers Soccer Club (WI) and KC Athletics Academy Elite 02 (MO) — played to a 2-2 draw on Saturday. Madison, the group leader, had not dropped any points prior to the tie with KC Athletics.
• SLSG Elite 01 (MO) remained perfect in the 18U Premier I Division with a 3-1 win against FC United 2001 Pre Academy (IL).
• ACE (WI) moved to 3-1-0 in the 18U Premier II Division thanks to a 1-0 win against first-place Milwaukee Bavarians (WI). It marked the first defeat for the Wisconsin side this season.
• In the 19U Premier I Division, VSA 00 Boys Premier (IA) earned a 1-0 win over first-place LFSC Geerling (MO) — a result that tightened up the top of the table with just a handful of games remaining.

GIRLS – GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE

• In the 15U Premier I Division, Beadling 2004 South Red (PA-W) maintained its spot atop the standings with a 3-0 win. A 3-3 tie between Pacesetter 04 Girls Villa Red (OH-N) and Eclipse Select MN 04 Elite Black (MN) — second and third, respectively, in the group — allowed Beadling to increase the gap between it and the rest of the pack.
• Local side Indy Premier 03 Elite I (IN) recorded a big 5-2 win against Beadling 2003 Girls - South Red (PA-W) — preventing the PA West side from moving into first place in the 16U Premier I Division.
• SCS 2003 Girls Elite Black (PA-W) used a 3-1 win against Ft Wayne United FC 03G Academy (IN) to pass the Indiana side for second place in the 16U Premier II Division. SCS is three points behind division leader Maplebrook Stosic (MN), which also won on Saturday.
• Beadling North 02 Red (PA-W) extended its lead atop the 17U Premier I Division with a 3-0 win on Saturday. That result, coupled with a 1-1 draw between second-place LFC 02 White (KY) and CSAIU 02G NL Black (OH-N), pushed Beadling’s advantage to three points at the top.
• Alliance FC IN 00 Girls (IN) passed Fort Wayne United FC 00G Academy (IN) in the 19U Premier II Division standings thanks to a 3-2 win in the matchup between the two sides on Saturday.

The Great Lakes Conference and Midwest Conference are part of a network of 13 conferences that comprise the multi-state tier of the US Youth Soccer Leagues program. Each conference provides high-level competition with opportunities for advancement to the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships and the US Youth Soccer National League.

The US Youth Soccer National League (national tier) provides an avenue for teams to play in meaningful matches against top competition from across the country for continued development. In addition to recruiting opportunities, National League teams compete for the National League title and one of four slots from each gender age group to the annual US Youth Soccer National Championships.

Click here for more information on the Leagues Program, including the National League and the 13 Conferences.