Several teams from Chicago and the Midwest will be playing in championship games over the next 18 hours. If you read the site earlier you already know about the Chicago Fire U-15 & U-19 clubs. Today, the Chicago Red Stars defeated Tampa Bay Hellenic 2-1 to advance to the Women's Premier Soccer League Championship game tomorrow. Local soccer clubs Eclipse Select, Chicago Magic, NSA Premier Fury, and FC Milwaukee have teams competing in U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship Finals. The schedule for all these games and the entire 2011 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship Finals is after the break. We'll be providing commentary and updating this page as we get information from a variety of sources. If you have well wishes, your own updates to share, or whatever, let's hear it. This is Chicago and the Midwest's time to shine.
UPDATE: Chicago Fire U-15 squad won the National Championship. Congratulations from everyone here at HTIOT.
Chicago Red Stars win; play Orange County Waves in WPSL Championship, Sunday, July 31 @ 1:00 PM CST
The Chicago Red Stars fought off Tampa Bay Hellenic and earned a 2-1 victory on Saturday in the Women's Premier Soccer League Semifinals to advance to Sunday's WPSL National Championship. The Red Stars will kick-off at 1 p.m. at the Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex. Tickets for the WPSL National Championship are available at ChicagoRedStars.com. The WPSL Championship will be webcast on the Red Stars' website as well as www.WPSL.info.
Red Stars forward Michele Weissenhofer (Naperville, Ill.) had a goal and assisted Chicago's second and game-winning tally from Julie Ewing (Batavia, Ill.). For Hellenic, Tatiana Mathelier netted a goal to cut Tampa Bay's deficit to 2-1. But the Red Stars held on the rest of the way. The Red Stars (11-1-0) and Tampa Bay (10-2-1) played through a scoreless first half. In the second half, Chicago's offense broke through. Weissenhofer scored less than a minute into the second half at the 46th minute. Amanda Cinalli (Cleveland, Ohio) provided the assist as Weissenhofer's strike went over Tampa Bay goalkeeper Emily Ball and underneath the crossbar for a 1-0 lead. In the 56th, Ewing headed in a goal from Weissenhofer to give Chicago a 2-0 cushion. But Hellenic stayed in the match as Mathelier found the inside of the far right post in the 74th minute to cut the Red Stars' lead to 2-1. That goal ended a string of shutouts for Chicago. The Red Stars had posted six straight shutouts before Mathelier's tally was driven past Red Stars goalkeeper Jamie Forbes (St. Charles, Ill.).
Scoring Summary
1. CHI, Michele Weissenhofer (Amanda Cinalli), 46th min.
2. CHI, Julie Ewing (Michele Weissenhofer), 54th min.;
3. TB, Tatiana Mathelier (unassisted), 74th min.
Chicago starters: Jamie Forbes (GK), Carly Samp, Kara Kabellis (capt.), Amanda Cinalli, Julie Ewing, Sammy Scofield, Michele Weissenhofer, Kecia Morway, Jackie Santacaterina, Vanessa Laxgang, Leigh Jakes
Chicago used substitutions: Shayla Mutz, Niki Sebo, Katie Nasenbenny, Shannon McDonnell
Tampa Bay starters: Emily Ball (GK), Taylor Patterson, Molly Stack, Dariela Alcantara, Shameka Gordon, Andrea Rodrigues, Rachel Fell, Lauren Williams, Stacy Bishop (capt.), Marsha Harper, Danielle Carlton
Tampa Bay used substitutions: Danielle Murphy, Cara Patterson, Adriana Rodriguez, Marsha Harper, Kenesha Reid, Casey Godwin
2011 US Youth Soccer National Championship Finals
All times are in Central Standard Time. Teams bolded are local teams we are especially following. I consider Milwaukee to exist in the Chicago/Milwaukee Super-region. Feel free to disagree in the comments. I'm tempted to bold the Michigan and St. Louis team but that might be getting too far.
Saturday Games
Under-15 Girls: PDA Slammers win the National Championship
SAC United Premier (MD) 1 - 2 PDA Slammers (NJ)
Under-14 Boys: Fullerton Rangers 96 White win the National Championship
Chicago Magic (IL) 0 - 1 Fullerton Rangers 96 White (CA-S)
Under-15 Boys: Chicago Fire win the National Championship
Michigan Jaguars (MI) 1 - 3 Chicago Fire Juniors (IL)
Sunday Games
Under-16 Girls: Sting 95 win the National Championship
Hurricane FC 95 Shubert 3 - 4 Sting 95
Under-17 Girls: NSA Premier Fury win the National Championship
St. Louis Scott Gallagher (MO) 0 - 2 NSA Premier Fury (IL)
Under-18 Girls: FC Milwaukee win the National Championship
FC Milwaukee (WI) 4 -2 CO Rush Nike (CO)
Under-19 Girls: Dallas Texans 92 Red Dallas win the National Championship
Real Colorado National 91/92 (CO) 1 - 2 (OT) Dallas Texans 92 Red Dallas (TX-N)
Under-16 Boys: Concorde Fire Elite win the National Championship
Albion White (CA-S) 1 -2 Concorde Fire Elite (GA)
Under-17 Boys: Grand Rapids Crew Juniors win the National Championship
Penn Fusion Celtic (PA-E) 1 - 1 (GRCJ win 5-4 on PK) Grand Rapids Crew Juniors (MI)
Under-18 Boys: YMS Thunder win the National Championship
YMS Thunder (PA-E) 1 - 0 Alpharetta Ambush 93 Red (GA)
Under-19 Boys: Baltimore Bays Chelsea win the National Championship
Baltimore Bays Chelsea (MD) 2 - 0 Chicago Fire Juniors (IL)