Wisconsin Soccer Central

A trio of state sides will play for U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championships – and berths at next month's nationals in Oklahoma – on Wednesday morning at Scheels USA Youth Complex in Appleton.

The SC Waukesha Under-13 and FC Wisconsin Nationals Under-16 boys and the Strike FC Wisconsin Premier Under-18 girls earned spots in the regional finals with semifinal victories on Tuesday.

The FC Wisconsin boys match and the Strike FC girls game are among 10 Region II championship games that will be streamed live through the U.S. Youth Soccer YouTube channel. (Links below)

Miguel Herrera scored late in the first half and Colin Alba doubled the lead early in the second half as SC Waukesha blanked Chicago Magic PSG 2-0. They will face Missouri's Sporting JB Mann, which outlasted the Michigan Wolves 4-2 after extra time in the other semifinal, for the regional title at 8 a.m.

Will Hamilton put FC Wisconsin ahead in the 7th minute and the Nationals made the slim lead stand up for a 1-0 victory over Illinois' FC United – they haven't allowed a goal in four matches at regionals. Their opponent in the 10 a.m. final is Minnesota's Sporting St. Croix, which ousted Ohio's Blast FC Red on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw.

On the girls side, goals by Natalie Schmidt in the 19th minute and Julia Zach in the 74th staked Strike FC to the lead, and they held off Missouri's Lou Fusz Becher 2-1 in the semifinals. Kansas' KC Metro Dynamos claimed the other spot in the 8 a.m. Under-18 final with a 5-2 victory over the Iowa Rush on Tuesday.

Four other Wisconsin teams were eliminated in the semifinals, with three of the losses coming by one goal and the other by two after extra time.

North Shore United's Under-14 girls dropped a 2-1 decision to Illinois' Campton United Navy, despite a goal by Hailey Block. Jelena Sever scored for SC Waukesha Blue in its 2-1 loss to Missouri's Futura Pink Panthers Elite in an Under-15 girls game, while the combined SC Waukesha-Strike FC United Under-19 girls side lost to Nebraska's Gretna Prima Green 1-0.

Elliott Lane scored a 14th-minute equalizer and Kay Olapo, a UW-Green Bay recruit, added another in the 73rd for the Bavarians in an Under-18 boys semifinal, but Kansas Rush Academy Blue struck in the 108th and 120th minutes for a 4-2 victory.

Regional champions advance to the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, which are July 21 to 26 in Tulsa, Okla.

Full schedules, results, standings
Links to championship game streams (Under-15 through Under-19)