Wisconsin Soccer Central

The Aris Ladies went toe-to-toe with the Vancouver United Timbers for one half Monday morning.

But in the second half, the Eau Claire team simply couldn't stop Ellie Boon.

The University of Portland recruit scored four goals after halftime to carry the Washington team to a 5-1 victory in the girls Under-17 Premier Group final at the U.S. Club Soccer National Cup Finals XI in Waukegan, Ill.

Boon, who also starred for the Portland Rain of the Women's Premier Soccer League this summer, missed the Timbers' three group matches – including Friday's 5-2 win over the Aris Ladies – because of injury.

The match was tied 1-1 at halftime before Boon's second-half barrage.

New club makes plenty of news 

FC Wisconsin Eclipse continues to add to its coaching staff, with former U.S. national team defender Kate Markgraf, former Viterbo University men's coach Andy Lee (UW-Milwaukee/Cardinal Stritch) and former University of Wisconsin captain Ann Eshun(Madison Edgewood) joining the new Milwaukee-area girls club.

Markgraf, who lives in Whitefish Bay, is one of 10 women's players in history to earn 200 caps and won the Women's World Cup in 1999, two Olympic gold medals (2004 and '08), the silver medal in 2000 and was part of two teams that finished third at the World Cup (2003 and '07). She also was a member of Notre Dame's 1995 NCAA championship team.

Lee, meanwhile, stepped down at Viterbo on Tuesday following six seasons at the helm of the V-Hawks. He compiled a 44-54-9 record at the NAIA school, and also coached the La Crosse Aquinas High School girls team for the past three three seasons and was the coaching director and youth academy director for Coulee Region United Soccer Association. In addition to working with FC Wisconsin Eclipse, Lee also will coach the Whitefish Bay High School boys team this fall.

• Club founder Christian Lavers (UW) and staff coach Hideki Nakada worked with some of the country's top girls players from the 1993 through 1996 age groups at the Elite Clubs National League / id2 National Training Camp from July 23 to 25 at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. The camp was part of Nike's "The Chance" program and featured 100 players – no Wisconsin players were selected for the event.
• The new club's four teams – Under-15, Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 – will play their inaugural ECNL matches Sept. 15 against Sporting Kansas City at home. The club has 13 matches scheduled for September, October, November and December and will play in the Phoenix ECNL Showcase from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.

Madison players move to FC Milwaukee

The U.S. Soccer Federation's decision to have its Development Academy season extended to 10 months means that boys players who play in the league won't play high school soccer.

With just one Academy club in the state, FC Milwaukee, it was believed the main impact on prep teams would be primarily in the Milwaukee area. A full roster isn't yet available, but seven players from the Madison area will be part of the Nationals' Under-17/18 team coached by UW assistant Phil Presser.

The Madison La Follette trio of forward Marcus McCrary, midfielder-forward Tyler Saadand midfielder Ryan Shogren will join Madison East defender Zacc Roelke, McFarland midfielder Jake Tyler, Sun Prairie midfielder Driton Zyteja and Verona midfielder Emilio Lopez on the Academy side, according to a news release from Madison FC – all seven previously played together on a successful team in that club.

At least three of those players have verbally committed to NCAA Division I programs: Shogren to UW-Milwaukee, Roelke to UW and Zyteja to Marquette.