GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Oct. 20, 2021) — Forty divisions saw action over the past week in the Fall 2021 season of the US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference, as more than 100 games were played.

Midwest Conference teams are competing to determine who will earn conference promotion slots, as well as berths to the 2022 USYS Midwest Regional Championships and spots in the 2022-23 season of National League P.R.O. Three more teams added their names to the list of division winners for the current season, with two of them earning promotion to Premier I for the Spring 2022 season.

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

• Madison 56ers 2008 Boys Red (WI) got the four points it needed to win the 14U Boys Premier II White Division, as it finished a single point ahead of WIUFC 2008 Boys Premier (WI) in the race for promotion to Premier I ahead of the Spring 2022 season.
• In a game between two teams tied for second and vying for the last automatic promotion slot in 13U Girls Premier White, Tonka Fusion Elite 09 (MN) got a huge 4-0 win over St. Croix 2009 Girls Academy (MN) to break the tie and secure second place. Tonka Fusion plays EBU U13G Elite 09 (WI) this upcoming weekend knowing a win will leapfrog it over MKSC Academy U13 Girls (WI) into first place.
• MFJ 04G Elite (MI) continued its undefeated start to the season, winning one and drawing the other over the past week to climb to first place in the 18U Girls Premier II Blue Division. It holds a two-point advantage over Bavarian United 18UG Blue (WI) with three games left to play.
• Action in 13U Boys Premier Black leaves three teams fighting for the two automatic promotion slots up for grabs. Both MO Rush 2009B United (MO) and Galaxy SC 2009 Blue (IL) won their games over the weekend to leapfrog SLSG MO B 2009 Elite (MO), with MO Rush holding a one-point advantage over its rivals for the top spot in the division.
• The fight for the top two spots in 13U Girls Premier Yellow remains tight with both Chicago Inter 2009 Red (IL) and Libertyville FC 1974 Elite-09 Girls (IL) each winning two games to remain within touching distance of the top of the standings.
• Ponys FC 2008 (IL) capped its season in 14U Boys Premier II Yellow in perfect fashion, winning 1-0 Friday night to win the division and finish with seven wins from seven games, while conceding just four goals and scoring 24.
• Mpls United 2009 Boys Premier (MN) had a busy week in the 13U Boys Premier White Division, as it won three of its four games over the past week to climb to the summit of the standings to finish its season. However, North Shore United 2009 Boys Blue (WI) and EBU U13B Elite 09 (WI) each have three games left to play and a chance to leapfrog the Minnesota side into the promotion slots.
• Galaxy 2008 Girls Blue (IL) won both of its games over the weekend to jump into first place over KC Fusion Academy 08 (KS) in the 14U Girls Premier I standings, with both undefeated teams having two games left to play.

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

• Chicago Inter (IL) hosted Galaxy SC (IL) in a matchup Saturday morning with plenty on the line for both clubs. The 17U game was a winner-takes-all, with Chicago Inter winning, 1-0, to clinch first place and a spot in the Regional Wildcard Playoff game, while a tie in the 15U game saw Chicago Inter miss the chance to get first place in the standings.
• Libertyville FC (IL) won three of the five games played between it and Chicago FC United (IL). Libertyville claimed wins in the 15U, 16U and 19U matchups, while Chicago FC United won the 17U game between the clubs. The wins in the 15U and 16U games saw Libertyville FC move up to first in Bracket B of Club vs. Club, while a tie in the 18U matchup extended Chicago FC United’s lead at the top to two points.
• Galaxy SC (IL) played its second matchup of the weekend on Sunday, playing host to Evolution SC (IL). Galaxy won in the 16U, 17U and 18U matchups, while Evolution SC won in the 15U game. The 18U victory saw Galaxy SC finish the season with a perfect 5-0-0 record, conceding only one goal and scoring 12 to clinch a spot in the playoff game for a berth to the 2022 USYS Midwest Regional Championships.

What they’re saying:

For the 13U and 14U age groups, there is a quick turnaround following the Fall 2021 season before teams must defend their title or retain their place in their new division during the spring competition.

“We are thrilled to win our division this fall,” said Ben Brenton, coach of Madison 56ers 2008 Boys Red (WI), which won 14U Boys Premier II White. “One of the goals at the beginning of the season was to win the division so we had an opportunity to play in Premier I for the Spring 2022 season.”

“Our team is beyond ecstatic about winning our division,” said Aidan Sharkey, defender for Madison 56ers 2008 Boys Red (WI). “But more importantly, we have to start preparing for the challenges we will face in the Spring 2022 season.”

While some division titles are decided, plenty of other divisions are wide-open, with many teams still in the race for promotion and qualifying slots for the Midwest Regional Championships and National League P.R.O.

“It’s been a bit of a roller coaster start for our team, so I hope we use this weekend’s results as a springboard to continue to improve,” said Bryan Mancill, coach of Libertyville FC 1974 Elite-09 Girls (IL), who won both of their games over the weekend to remain in the hunt for promotion. “We not only got some great results against some tough competition, but we’ve done it by playing some great team soccer. The strength of this group is how they play as a collective and the togetherness they have.”

The standings can see some major changes throughout the season, but for some teams, the most positive change is how a team jells and grows together over the course of the season.

“As a team, the boys have grown to understand and respect one another’s abilities more, and that has made them far better than they were at the start of the season,” said Tamba Johnson, coach of Mpls United 2009 Boys Premier (MN). “The games were more relaxed and better played as the season ran its course. The boys are looking forward to the spring and summer season to see how they measure up against more teams from the Midwest Region and beyond.”

he Midwest Conference is one of 13 Conferences in the 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.