Wisconsin Soccer Central

Ohio Premier Green knocked off two Wisconsin teams to claim the Under-16 boys title at the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championships in Westfield, Ind., blanking the Milwaukee Bavarians 1-0 in the final Wednesday. (Watch match below)

Chris Dowling rose high into the air to head a cross over Bavarians goalkeeper Elian Haddock (Whitefish Bay) and into the upper left corner in the 60th minute for the lone goal in the 80-minute final.

A day earlier, Ohio Premier topped 10-man Elm Grove SC by the same score in the semifinals – they also closed out group play with a clean sheet and didn't allow a goal in their final 275 minutes at regionals.

Along with the Region II title, the Ohio side earned a berth in the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships from July 26 to 31 in Frisco, Texas.

Defender Anthony Giunta (Whitefish Bay) scored in the 15th minute and Haddock recorded the shutout as the Bavarians stopped Missouri's Sporting St. Louis McMahon Ford 1-0 in their semifinal Tuesday morning.

Elm Grove's Jesus Hernandez (West Allis) was the joint leading goal scorer in the age group with four; Ohio Premier's Luke Kiley matched that total, scoring the decisive goal in the 58th minute in the semifinal win over Elm Grove. Austen Schweinert (Brookfield Central) led the Bavarians with three goals.

UNDER-16 BOYS
Elm Grove SC
Friday: Elm Grove SC 3, Nebraska FC 0
Saturday: Elm Grove SC 1, Kansas Rush 1
Sunday: Elm Grove SC 4, Libertyville FC 1974 (Ill.) 1
Tuesday: Semifinals – Ohio Premier Green 1, Elm Grove SC 0
Milwaukee Bavarians
Friday: Milwaukee Bavarians 3, Toledo Celtics Black (Ohio) 1
Saturday: Milwaukee Bavarians 1, SC Waukesha Blue 0
Sunday: Milwaukee Bavarians 2, Three Lions United Yellow (Ind.) 1
Tuesday: Semifinals – Milwaukee Bavarians 1, Sporting St. Louis McMahon Ford (Mo.) 0
Wednesday: Final – Ohio Premier Green 1, Milwaukee Bavarians 0

• Three players with state ties – UW-Milwaukee defender Brooke Polonus, UW goalkeeper Grace Quirk and Kansas State defender Megan Kalkofen, a transfer from UW – are on the roster for Illinois' Red Stars, which beat Cincinnati United Premier Gold 3-0 in the Under-19 girls final to advance to nationals.