Wisconsin Soccer Central

The Mequon Premier Under-13 boys advanced to Monday's final of the U.S. Club Soccer National Cup XII Midwest Regional in Libertyville and Waukegan, Ill., but dropped a 2-1 decision to Illinois' Sockers FC Vapor.

It was the second meeting between the sides at the tournament: Mequon Premier lost 4-1 in a Super Group opener Friday, but bounced back to beat Minnesota's St. Croix SC Academy Cosmos and Illinois' Libertyville FC 1974 by identical 2-1 scorelines to earn a spot in the final.

Two other state boys teams played at regionals, Madison FC Gold (Under-15 Premier) and Eau Claire's Aris Juniors (Under-17 Premier). Regional champions qualified for the National Cup XII Finals from July 18 to 21 in Aurora, Colo.

Illinois teams won 12 of the 15 boys titles at the regional and six of the nine girls championships.

U.S. CLUB SOCCER
NATIONAL CUP XII MIDWEST REGIONAL
BOYS
Under-13
Super Group
Mequon Premier
Friday: Sockers FC Vapor (Ill.) 4, Mequon Premier 1
Saturday: Mequon Premier 2, St. Croix SC Academy Cosmos (Minn.) 1
Sunday: Mequon Premier 2, Libertyville FC 1974 (Ill.) 1
Monday: Championship – Sockers FC Vapor (Ill.) 2, Mequon Premier 1

Under-15
Premier Group
Madison FC Gold
Friday: Madison FC Gold 1, Sockers FC Classic (Ill.) 1
Saturday: FC Panthers Milan (Ill.) 4, Madison FC Gold 2
Sunday: Madison FC Gold 3, FC Rush St. Louis Premier (Mo.) 2

Under-17
Premier Group
Aris Juniors
Friday: Real Cerezo (Ill.) 7, Aris Juniors 1
Saturday: Windy City Pride (Ill.) 3, Aris Juniors 1
Sunday: Missouri Rush Nike 2, Aris Juniors 0

• The Wisconsin International Under-14 girls team, made up of players from the Fox Valley and northeastern Wisconsin, won all three of its pool matches at the Donosti Cup in San Sebastian, Spain. The state side beat Yuwa India 3-1 in its opener Monday, then knocked off Spanish teams Amara Berri KE 2-0 on Tuesday and Añorga KKE B 4-1 on Wednesday to advance to the knockout playoffs. Wisconsin faces Spain's Intxaurdi KE A on Thursday, and with a win would face Atlético Madrid or Diocesano CD in the quarterfinals later in the day.
• Three PFC Academy teams of Wisconsin players wrapped up pool play at the Iber Cup in Portugal on Wednesday and have playoff matches Thursday. The Under-13 boys lost all three of their group games, falling to Portugal's CR Foot 2-1, France's Paris-St. Germain 2-0 and Spain's CD Canillas 3-1, and take on Portugal's Associação Torre in a B playoff opener. PFC Academy's Under-15 side opened with matching 4-0 losses to Spanish side Atletico Madrid and Portuguese club GD Gafanha, then blanked Portugal's EF 4 Linhas 1-0. They'll face Canadian team Unionville-Miliken SC in the B playoffs. Meanwhile, the PFC Academy Under-17 girls drew Spanish club Azahar CF 1-1 in between losses to Spain's RCD Espanyol (3-0) and Portugal's CAC Pontinha (2-0), and earned a playoff match against Norwegian club Husøy & Foynland.
• The Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association announced the six high school seniors who will receive its annual Mike Kabanica Scholarship awards. The $500 scholarships recognize accomplishments on the field, in the classroom and in the community through volunteering and community service. Kabanica was the Wisconsin Soccer Association president for nearly two decades until his passing in October 1996. Boys - Jordan Bukhalter, Tomah YSC (UW-Oshkosh); Luke Marsicek, Kaukauna/Electric City SA (UW); Jackson Middleton, Whitefish Bay/Bavarian SC (Northwestern). Girls - Maddie Faust, De Pere/United Soccer of Allouez (Michigan Tech); Becca Keller, Waterloo/Glacial Drumlin United (Milwaukee School of Engineering); Claire Tracy, Rhinelander/Northwoods United (North Carolina-Pembroke).