Wisconsin Soccer Central

Five state boys teams – four from FC Wisconsin Nationals and one from the Madison 56ers – will shoot for National Premier Leagues Midwest Developmental League titles and NPL finals berths this weekend in Loves Park, Ill.

FC Wisconsin Nationals has teams in the Under-13, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 divisions, while the 56ers' Under-13 side also qualified for the MDL playoffs in the U.S. Club Soccer competition.

Four teams earned postseason berths in each age group, and the team with the most points following round-robin play Saturday, Sunday and Monday will claim MDL championships and advance the NPL finals from July 14 to 18 in Aurora, Colo.

The Nationals and 56ers, the state's only MDL clubs, will square off in an Under-13 match at 10 a.m. Sunday. FC Wisconsin cruised to victories in both of the previous meetings between the sides, winning 10-1 in November and 7-2 last month. Those are the only regular-season losses for the 56ers.

MDL age groups are divided into two divisions: The Academy Division features clubs which also are part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, while the Independent Division is for clubs that are not USSDA members. Each division winner claimed playoff spots, along with the next two teams with the highest average points per game, regardless of division.

Under-13
FC Wisconsin Nationals
(9-2-1, 1st Independent)
Saturday: Sockers FC (Ill.), noon
Sunday: Madison 56ers, 10 a.m.
Monday: Internationals (Ohio), 9 a.m.
Madison 56ers
(8-2-2, 2nd Independent)
Saturday: Internationals (Ohio), noon
Sunday: FC Wisconsin Nationals, 10 a.m.
Monday: Sockers FC (Ill.), 9 a.m.

Under-14
FC Wisconsin Nationals
(10-0-2, 1st Independent)
Saturday: Columbus Crew Pre-Academy (Ohio), noon
Sunday: Sockers FC (Ill.), 10 a.m.
Monday: Vardar (Mich.), 9 a.m.

Under-16
FC Wisconsin Nationals
(5-0-2, 1st Independent)
Saturday: Waza FC (Mich.), 4 p.m.
Sunday: St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro, noon
Monday: Sockers FC (Ill.), 11 a.m.

Under-18
FC Wisconsin Nationals
(6-1-0, 1st Independent)
Saturday: St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri, 4 p.m.
Sunday: Campton United (Ill.), 2 p.m.
Monday: St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro, 1 p.m.

• Two FC Wisconsin girls teams learned their opening opponents for the Elite Clubs National League playoffs, which start June 23 in Oceanside, Calif., during Thursday's tournament draw. The Under-15 team will face Virginia's Richmond United in its first match in the North America Cup competition, while the Under-17 side will take on Texas' Lonestar SC in its opener in the Showcase Cup.