Wisconsin Soccer Central

The U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championships will return to the Fox Cities in 2015.

Appleton SC and De Pere Select SC will co-host the tournament from June 19 to 24, Region II officials recently announced. The event previously was held in the Fox Cities in 2006 and '11.

"Our community has been a leader in providing outstanding soccer opportunities for our youth," Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association president and Appleton resident Peter Mariahazy said in a news release. "The commitment to high quality programs and facilities, along with the fantastic volunteers we have make a winning combination in securing this opportunity."

The tournament, which features teams from 13 states, will bring 214 players and an estimated 14,000 visitors to the USA Youth Sports Complex in Appleton and Southwest Park in De Pere. The Region II Championships are a qualifier for the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships and features boys and girls teams from Under-13 through Under-19.

As was the case in 2011, the opening ceremony for the 2015 event is planned for Lambeau Field in Green Bay on June 19. Pool play is set for June 20, 21 and 22, with the semifinals June 23 and the finals on June 24. U.S. Youth Soccer estimated that the 2011 tournament generated $6.5 million in economic impact in the Fox Cities.

• Pool play for this year's spring Wisconsin State Championships, with competition in Under-13 to Under-19 boys and Under-13, Under-14 and Under-19 girls, will be May 25 to 27. The semifinals are June 1 followed by the finals June 2. All matches will be played at the USA Youth Soccer Complex in Appleton, which also will play host to the 2014 state event.
• Superior's Malley O'Brien was named to the Region II 1997 roster for the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Girls National Training Camp, which is Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 in Phoenix. O'Brien plays for the Minnesota Thunder Academy in the Elite Clubs National League and is part of the Minnesota ODP team.
• Wisconsin's 1996 boys ODP team, which won the Region II title last July, will play at the National ODP Championships from Feb. 28 to March 3 in Frisco, Texas. Here's the 18-player Wisconsin roster for the event:
  Israel Betancourt, Racine Area SA; Kai Bottum, SC Waukesha; Jaime Colin, Kenosha Area SL; Ben Cooksey, Madison 56ers; Max Ermakoff, Madison 56ers; Braeden Federle, Milwaukee Kickers; John Gibson, Bavarian SC; Garrett Grunke, Verona SC; Zach Hintze, Oshkosh United; Riley Holton, Bavarian SC; Woojin Jeon, Regent SC; William Kenneally, Madison 56ers; Abdul Kooistra, Madison 56ers; Brady Lenius, De Pere Select; Ryan Machonga, Madison 56ers; Ryan Mooney, Madison 56ers; Jacob Olk, Everton FC of Wisconsin; Ghedi Omar, Madison 56ers.