Wisconsin Soccer Central

The Wisconsin Soccer Leagues First Division regular season concluded last week as the final rescheduled matches were played. And after taking this week off, the top eight teams in the 20-team league will kick off the playoffs on July 12.

The Croatian Eagles Reserves (10-5-4) claimed one of the final postseason spots, beating Midwest Orthopedic 4-3 and Lincoln FC 6-0 in rescheduled games. They tied SC Waukesha and Elm Grove Upper 90 Sports Pub in the standings, but earned the No. 6 seed on goal differential (plus-16, compared to plus-15 and plus-1).

While the top two sides, Bavarian Reserves (15-2-2) and North Shore United Reserves (14-3-2), finished well ahead of the pack, just six points separated third-place Milwaukee Kickers Reserves (11-3-5) and 10th-place Azteca United (9-5-5) – the reigning champions won't have a chance to defend their title, as they finished two points behind the three-way tie for sixth. Milwaukee Sport Club Reserves (10-6-3) were one point ahead of Azteca, one point out of a playoff spot.

The top four seeds will play host to the quarterfinals July 12, while the semifinals are scheduled for July 16 at the Midwest Orthopedic Complex in Brookfield along with the Major Division semifinals. Both finals are set for July 23 at the Bavarians' Heartland Value Fund Stadium in Glendale.

The Bavarians and Croatians each finished 12-1-1 atop the eight-team Major Division table, with the defending champion Bavarians claiming the top seed on goal differential (plus-50 to plus-35).

WSL final regular-season standings: Major Division • First Division

WISCONSIN SOCCER LEAGUES PLAYOFFS
Major Division
Semifinals
Saturday, July 16
At Midwest Orthopedic Complex, Brookfield
No. 1 Bavarian SC (12-1-1) vs. No. 4 Milwaukee Sport Club (7-6-1)
No. 2 Croatian Eagles (12-1-1) vs. No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers (8-5-1)
Final
Saturday, July 23
At Heartland Value Fund Stadium, Glendale
Semifinal winners

First Division
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, July 12
No. 8 Elm Grove Upper 90 Sports Pub (10-5-4) at No. 1 Bavarian SC Reserves (15-2-2)
No. 7 SC Waukesha (10-5-4) at No. 2 North Shore United Reserves (14-3-2)
No. 6 Croatian Eagles Reserves (10-5-4) at No. 3 Milwaukee Kickers Reserves (11-3-5)
No. 5 Atotonilco (10-4-5) at No. 4 United Serbians Reserves (11-4-4)
Semifinals
Saturday, July 16
At Midwest Orthopedic Complex, Brookfield
Quarterfinal winners (re-seeded)
Final
Saturday, July 23
At Heartland Value Fund Stadium, Glendale
Semifinal winners

• Three state players were named to the Premier League of America Team of the Week for June 25: defender Dogara Zamani and UW-Milwaukee midfielder Reid Stevenson (Sturgeon Bay) from the Milwaukee Bavarians and midfielder Taylor Pill (Watertown/Maranatha Baptist) from the Madison 56ers.
• UW-Green Bay's Kyle Ihn (Kettle Moraine) made six saves in the clean sheet as host Kokomo Mantis FC blanked the Des Moines Menace 2-0 in a Premier Development League match Friday night in Indiana. One night later on the same field, the Heartland Division-leading Menace (9-2-1) turned the tables with a 2-0 victory – UW's Tom Barlow played a role in the buildup to Leigh Veidman's 74th-minute goal that sealed the win. The top two teams in the division earn spots in the Central Conference playoffs; the Chicago Fire Under-23 team (7-3-1) and the Thunder Bay Chill (5-2-1) currently stand second and third in the standings.