The Northern Wisconsin Soccer League will crown its 2013 champions on Sunday and based on the results of the first nine matches of the league's playoffs, top-seeded Green Bay Team Miller and Eclipse FC surely must be the favorites.
Higher-seeded teams won all nine of the NWSL quarterfinals and semifinals last weekend, setting the stage for a pair of 1 vs. 2 matchups in Sunday's finals at Akzo Nobel Sports Complex in Howard. The Division II title game kicks off at 1 p.m., followed by the Division I match at 3 p.m.
To be fair, the season series between the finalists have been tight.
In Division I, Yale United (12-3-1) earned a 3-3 draw against Green Bay Team Miller (14-0-2) back on June 2 and dropped a 5-4 decision in the rematch Aug. 25. Yale United scored 11 goals in its two playoff games last weekend.
Team Green Bay Packaging (8-3-4), the No. 2 seed in Division II, handed top-seeded Eclipse FC (11-1-3) its lone loss of the regular season by a convincing 5-1 scoreline on Sept. 15. Eclipse FC won the first meeting between the teams 3-2 on June 23.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN SOCCER LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinals
Division I
No. 1 Green Bay Team Miller received forfeit from No. 8 Kiel SC
No. 4 Neenah Boom 2, No. 5 Fond du Lac Express 0
No. 3 DC Express 5, No. 6 Green Bay Kickers 2
No. 2 Yale United 6, No. 7 FC Oshkosh 0
Division II
No. 1 Eclipse FC and No. 2 Team Green Bay Packaging received byes
No. 4 DC Express II 4, No. 5 FC Masters 1
No. 3 Westchester United 1, No. 6 FC Oshkosh II 0
Semifinals
Division I
No. 1 Green Bay Team Miller 3, No. 4 Neenah Boom 1
No. 2 Yale United 5, No. 3 DC Express 2
Division II
No. 1 Eclipse FC 3, No. 4 DC Express II 0
No. 2 Team Green Bay Packaging 3, No. 3 Westchester United 0
Sunday's finals
At Akzo Nobel Sports Complex, Howard
Division I
No. 1 Green Bay Team Miller (14-0-2) vs. No. 2 Yale United (12-3-1), 3 p.m.
Division II
No. 1 Eclipse FC (11-1-3) vs. No. 2 Team Green Bay Packaging (8-3-4), 1 p.m.