Schedules, Scores and Standings
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WEST CHESTER, Ohio (June 16, 2018) – Preliminary games of the 2018 US Youth Soccer Midwest Presidents Cup concluded today in West Chester, Ohio. The semifinals for the 13U through 16U age groups, along with the 17U and 18U boys will be tomorrow, June 17. Finals for the 17U through 19U girls along with the 19U boys will be played tomorrow, and the remaining final matches will take place on Monday, June 18.
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.
As 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 Girls KC Fusion Matthews 99 (KS) is a familiar team in the Midwest Presidents Cup event as the Kansas side claimed the 18U regional title in 2017, and head coach Sara Matthews talked about her thoughts about the team's performance.
"This is the second year in a row the girls have made the final. It's awesome," said Matthews. "The girls worked hard; they are ready."
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 Girls
Columbus United 05 A (OH-S) came out to win and did just that against Kolping Kicks Gillick (MO) in the 13U Girls age group, taking a 3-0 victory. From the beginning of the match, Columbus continuously ran the ball down the field, but for about 10 minutes, it was end-to-end action as Kolping created some opportunities for itself. Columbus soon went up 1-0 when a free kick was lofted through the back line for Olivia Heskett to run onto and slip into the goal. The Ohio South players continued to take on the Kolping defenders in 1-v-1 battles but weren’t able to convert again in the first half. Hungry for another, Columbus earned its second goal when Heskett found herself on the right side of the 18-yard box and aimed the ball for the left side of the net. Reese Hinkle topped off the match with the third goal in the 51st minute.
14U Boys
The 14U Boys saw a close game between Puma FC Academy Portugal (KS) and CRSA (IA) to finish group play. CRSA and Puma FC went back and forth in the first half with each team getting opportunities on goal, neither team was able to capitalize and they went to half tied at zero. The teams came out of halftime ready to play, each applying pressure on its opponent. Late in the second half, CRSA was able to capitalize off of a cross when Benjamin Joens found the back of the net with a header in the 59th minute. Puma FC did not go down without a fight as they kept the pressure on throughout the second half forcing CRSA to stay on their heels. Down one late, Puma FC had a chance at an equalizer but the goalie made the save to preserve the lead to give CRSA the win.
15U Girls
Ames Navy (IA) earned a significant shutout win against KHA Blue 03 (OH-S), helping them to advance to the 15U Girls semifinals. The Iowa side started off by forcing its opponents to score an own goal. While Ames dictated play, KHA got in behind Ames’ defense a couple times. Just as KHA started to gain a rhythm, Katherine Spiker blasted a shot to the top right corner of the goal to create some breathing room just before the half. In the second half, Ames put its foot on the gas pedal and took shot after shot on goal. Dezarae Thompson earned Ames’ third goal when she sent the ball towards the right side of the net, and the ball hit the inside of the side post and into the net. Cameron Moon added another for Ames as the ball was passed across the face of the goal for her to place into the back of the net. Thompson and Natalie Rudman finished off the game with one goal each.
16U Boys
In a close 16U Boys group game between Millennium Soccer Academy 02 Black (IN) and Topeka Select Copa Mundial (KS), neither team was able to pull away. The game got started quick with two goals in the first two minutes. Myles Lockett-Peterson fired the first shot of the game past the goalie to give Millennium the early one goal lead. Topeka quickly found the back of the net for the equalizer in the second minute with a goal from Jonathan Jasso, his third goal of the 2018 Midwest Presidents Cup. Both teams battled hard for 90 minutes back and forth with each team getting opportunities to take the lead. The game ended in a 1-1 draw and Millennium secured its position in the semifinals.
17U Girls
In the 17U Girls group, NSSA Premier (MN) competed hard for 90 minutes against LFC 01 Red (KY). LFC put pressure on NSSA early with a breakaway, but the shot went wide right of the net. Late in the first half, NSSA saw an opportunity to take the lead but the shot sailed high just over the net. Both teams went to halftime tied at zero. The first goal of the game came in the 45th minute when Anna Racine found the back of the net to give NSSA the 1-0 lead. NSSA extended its lead with a Lillian Nowatzke goal in the 75th minute. LFC had an opportunity to cut the deficit in half late in the game, but the shot sailed wide. NSSA held on to the lead to earn its second win of the tournament.
18U Boys
With a 1-0 victory over Lou Fusz SC – Cawsey 00 White (MO), KHA 00 Blue (OH-S) claimed its third win of the weekend. As Lou Fusz and KHA each held a 2-0-0 record in the 18U Boys age group before Saturday, the matchup between the two was set up to be a close one. Lou Fusz’s William Wallis had an early chance to put the team ahead when he bent a free kick up and over the wall, but the ball traveled wide left. However, it was KHA that finished the only goal of the game as Mohamed Adan crossed the ball into the box for Jesus Martin to place the ball in the net. Despite being down a goal, Lou Fusz kept possession and moved the ball around, but KHA created more dangerous opportunities before the half. In the second half, Lou Fusz came out hungry for goals and kept the ball in KHA’s defensive end. A few instances included Ethan Williams driving a volley that went wide left of the goal and a Joshua Leuther volley that bounced off the post. The goalposts turned out to be a lifesaver for KHA as a last-minute scramble in the 18-yard box led to two consecutive shots hitting the crossbar. In the end, KHA held onto the win for a spot in the semifinals.
19U Girls
The 19U Girls group finished group play with a rematch of the 2017 Midwest Presidents Cup final game and a preview of the 2018 Midwest Presidents Cup championship with FC United 1999 Select (IL) against KC Fusion Matthews 99 (KS). The high-scoring affair got started early when Hailey Stelle of KC scored in the 10th minute off of a cross. In the 53rd minute Jordyn Martin extended the lead to two for KC, which they took to halftime. FC put its first goal on the board in the 56th minute when Edina Taerbaum found the back of the net off of a rebound and FC's Julia Hamill netted the equalizer in the 74th minute. Just seven minutes later, Sydney Dosch found the back of the net to regain the lead for KC, and in the 90th minute, Victoria Flannagan scored the tying goal as time expired in the game, ending the match in a 3-3 draw. The two teams will face off tomorrow, Sunday, June 17 for the 19U Girls final.
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.