Wisconsin Soccer Central

The Madison Futsal League Forge Under-16 boys team's quest for a second straight U.S. Youth Futsal national championship was derailed by a familiar foe.

The Forge dropped a 4-3 decision to Indiana Elite in the national semifinals Sunday night in New Century, Kan.

It was the third time the sides had met in the past five weeks, as they split two matches at the Midwest Regional in St. Louis – Indiana Elite won 5-3 in group play last month, with the Forge winning 6-3 in the regional final.

The Forge, Indiana Elite and Florida's Bonita FC all posted 3-0-0 records in pool play. The Madison team, coached by Madison Futsal League founder and director Ilir Lushaj, routed Florida's Santos FC 16-1 in its opener and knocked off Indiana's Phoenix FC 5-2 on Saturday, then tipped Kansas side ESI 5-4 on Sunday morning.

At last year's nationals, the Forge edged Texas' Team X 3-2 in the Under-14 championship game, scoring in the final seconds to win the title. Five of the eight players on this year's Forge team were part of last year's winning side.

Indiana Elite had to settle for second, however, as Ohio's FC UN1TUS avenged a 4-3 loss in pool play with an 8-4 victory in Monday's final. The 12th annual USYF national championships featured a record 147 teams from 19 states and Canada.

MADISON FUTSAL LEAGUE FORGE UNDER-16 ROSTER
Colin Alba, Waukesha Catholic Memorial/FC Wisconsin
Collin Bjerke, Oregon/FC Wisconsin
Evan Carlson, Sauk Prairie/FC Wisconsin
Erich Legut, Waukesha West/FC Wisconsin
Sidney Marquardt, Hartland Arrowhead/FC Wisconsin
Eliot Popkewitz, Verona/Madison 56ers
Simon Sisk, Middleton/FC Wisconsin
Ben Tutewohl, Madison 56ers

• Elise Boyd (Oregon/Madison 56ers) was invited to the U.S. Youth Futsal National I.D. camp, which is July 13 to 15 in Gardner, Kan. Boyd, who was born in 2005 and is an Under-12 player, received the invitation after participating in last month's Minnesota I.D. camp in Minneapolis; the Wisconsin I.D. camp is March 18 and 19 in Milwaukee.
• Nine Wisconsin Fire teams compiled a combined 20-13-6 record at last weekend's City of Las Vegas Mayor's Cup International Showcase. The Under-15 boys advanced to the final in the Chapman Auto Group, while the Under-17 girls made it to the semifinals in the top division and the Under-13 boys and Under-13 and Under-15 girls each qualified for the quarterfinals. The Wisconsin Fire program includes players from 11 state clubs – Bavarian SC, Brookfield SA, Croatian Eagles, Elm Grove SC, Madison 56ers, Milwaukee Kickers, NEW United SC, North Shore United, Racine United, Rush Wisconsin and SC Waukesha – and is part of the Chicago Fire's Emerging Talent Program. The Under-12 boys and girls teams will play at the Indiana Fire Juniors Turf Classic from March 17 to 19 in Indianapolis. Wisconsin Fire website
• Several other state teams played in the Las Vegas Mayor's Cup. Among the top finishers in their respective divisions were: Milwaukee Kickers Academy Under-19 girls, who went 3-0-1 in group play and beat Nevada's Heat FC 1-0 in the adidas-East Division final; Rush Wisconsin Under-16 girls, who advanced to the final in the Chapman Auto Group; and the Kickers WDA Under-19 boys team, which made the semifinals in the adidas-West Division.