GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (May 19, 2021) — Over 250 games were played in the Spring 2021 season of the US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference this weekend, as teams are chasing promotion, avoiding relegation, clinching National League P.R.O. slots and securing qualification for the 2021 USYS Midwest Regional Championships.

To start the spring season, 30 automatic qualifying slots for the 2021-22 National League P.R.O. season were available to Midwest Conference teams. Following an action-packed weekend, 17 teams have now clinched their spots in the inaugural season on the competition.

With just over 200 games remaining across the 50 divisions in the Spring 2021 season of the Midwest Conference, teams will be fighting tooth-and-nail to join the list of 15 teams that have already clinched their division title.

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

• Bavarian SC Juniors 13UB Blue (WI) defeated Chicago Magic 2008 MCL (IL), 2-0 — a result that guarantees the Wisconsin side a spot in the inaugural season of National League P.R.O. in 2021-22. Bavarian SC will look to clinch first place in the 13U Boys Premier I division with a win this Friday, which would get it a spot at the 2021 USYS Midwest Regional Championships.
• Ahead of its move into the Boys Club vs. Club Division next season, JB Marine Academy (MO) won one game and drew the other this weekend, securing the title in the 14U Boys Premier II Division.
• Revolution 07G Black (MI) won the 14U Girls First Division White with two games to spare following its 4-1 victory over Chicago FC United 2007 Pre-Academy (IL) on Saturday morning.
• The race for first place in 15U Boys Premier I Division is going down to the wire after KC Athletics Academy Elite 06B Galacticos (KS) dropped points in its final game of the season in a 1-1 draw with CFJ 2006B Premier (IL) on Saturday. The result means that Raiders FC 2006 (IL) can leapfrog KC Athletics into first place with a win in its final game in early June.
• Kingdom SC 05 Red (MI) had a successful weekend, winning both of its games in 16U Boys First Division White, which wraps up the division title. Kingdom dropped points in just one game this season, a 1-1 draw with second-place side Milwaukee Bavarians (WI).
• In an action-packed battle at the top of the standings of the 17U Boys Premier II Division, Tonka Fusion Elite 04 Boys (MN) defeated Indiana Elite 2004 Premier Boys (IN), 6-3, on Sunday. The result means Tonka Fusion sits atop the standings, although two other teams are still in the chase for the division title, as both Indiana Elite 2004 Premier Boys (IN) and Evolution 04 Boys Mercurial (IL) are all alive and have the chance to win the division.
• Milwaukee Bavarians (WI) wrapped up a perfect season in 17U Boys First Division Black, winning their final two games of the season by a combined score of 8-0. Bavarians won all seven of their conference games, scoring 37 goals in the process, whilst conceding a solitary goal.
• The top two teams in the 18U Boys Premier I Division squared off on Saturday, with Milwaukee Bavarians (WI) topping Kingdom SC 03 Red (MI), 4-2. This result, paired with Bavarians’ win over Lansing Rush 03 Boys (MI) on Sunday, means they need to only avoid defeat this weekend against Chicago Magic 2003 MCL (IL) to secure a first-place finish and their spot at 2021 USYS Midwest Regional Championships, having already qualified for National League P.R.O.

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

• Libertyville FC (IL) edged Galaxy SC (IL) three games to two, with Libertyville getting the win in the 15U, 16U and 18U age groups.
• JB Marine (MO) won four games out of five against Midwest United FC (MI), with the Michigan side’s sole win coming in the 18U matchup.
• SC Wave (WI) and St. Louis Scott Gallagher (MO) split the series, with the Wisconsin side getting wins in the 15U and 16U age groups and SLSG in 17U and 18U.
• While Galaxy SC (IL) won three of the five games between its teams and JB Marine (MO), the notable result was a JB Marine win in the 15U matchup that secured JB Marine McKeon (MO) a first-place finish in the standings and a berth in both the 2021 USYS Midwest Regional Championships and 2021-22 National League P.R.O.
• SLSG won two of the four games played against Chicago FC United on Sunday, with SLSG’s sides victorious in the 17U and 18U matchups. The victory in the 18U game secured first place for SLSG 2003 Elite (MO).
• Midwest United FC (MI) won all but one of its games versus Libertyville FC (IL), with the lone tie coming in the 19U matchup.

What they’re saying:

Bavarian SC (WI) had a successful weekend for its teams, with both its 13U Boys and 18U Boys clinching automatic qualifier slots for 2021-22 National League P.R.O. and each of them having eyes on securing first place in their respective Premier I Divisions and a spot at the 2021 USYS Midwest Regional Championships.

The 13U Boys are playing their first year in the Midwest Conferences and, while they are excited about their berth in 2021-22 National League P.R.O., they are staying focused on winning the division in their first season.

“They are focused on the task at hand and want to be in first place in the Premier I Division, win State Cup, and Regionals and get to Nationals and represent Bavarian SC with dignity and pride,” said Bob Spielmann, Director of Coaching for Bavarian SC. “They have a great coach in Diego Campos, who keeps the team level-headed. It is a team that is mentality strong and up to the challenge.”

They differ from the 18U Boys Bavarians, who enter their final year in the US Youth Soccer program in 2021-22.

“A lot of the boys are excited to be in National League P.R.O. as they have experience playing in the previous version of the National League,” said Tom Zaiss, Director of Boys and Girls 15U-Adults at Bavarian SC. “As they approach their final season as youth players, they’re excited to end their youth careers on a high playing in National League P.R.O.”

While the goal of qualifying for National League P.R.O. and the 2021 USYS Midwest Regional Championships is the same, the Club vs. Club divisions offer a different route, something which JB Marine has taken full advantage of.

“The Club vs. Club structure has given our players the opportunity to play at one of the highest levels for youth soccer,” said Matt McKeon, coach of the JB Marine 15U Boys. “With the standards that are in place for Club vs. Club, it has required that our players raise their level of performance.

“Our team’s approach was to take one game at a time and not look to far down the road. The coaching staff couldn’t be more proud of their effort, commitment, and level of play.”

The Midwest Conference is one of 13 Conferences under the USYS National League in the multi-state tier, 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 this weekend, click here.

Click here for more information on the Midwest Conference. For more information on all of the National League Conferences, the National League Showcase Series, and National League P.R.O., click here.