FC Wisconsin boys Win USYS Regional. Earn another trip to a National Championship

Only team in Wisconsin history to play for TWO National Championships in the same year!

FC Wisconsin boys Win USYS Regional.  Earn another trip to a National Championship

FC Wisconsin boys Win USYS Regional.  Earn another trip to a National Championship

 

Only team in Wisconsin history to play for TWO National Championships in the same year!

 

For Immediate Release:

 

On June 22nd the FC Wisconsin U14 boys started their journey to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for Region II USYS Regionals.  This group, who already has had a dream year by winning the prestigious invite only Disney Showcase, winning their NPL Midwest League, winning Wisconsin’s State cup, and winning the NPL Regional to punch their ticket to the NPL National Championships.  Already the season of a lifetime…but could they add to it with a USYS Regional win…the answer was an emphatic YES!

 

The dream season started at Yankton Hills complex in South Dakota winning bracket A with 3 wins over St Louis Scott Gallagher Elite, Sporting St. Croix Academy, and Michigan Jaguars.  The FCW boys would score 7 goals in the opening 3 games, only conceding 1 in all three matches.

 

“What is special about this group is that each and every player played a significant role.  The team chemistry, the togetherness, the willingness to fight for each other, and desire to keep adding to their year was truly the difference. We couldn’t be more proud of each and every member and their contributions” said Co-DOC Ben Shepherd.

 

Up next was a 10.00am semifinals match up against Midwest rival Chicago Fire.  The game started out similar to a boxing match where both clubs were feeling each other out, but FCW creating more chances and taking more risks.  After earning corner after corner, the Fire could no longer sustain the pressure and with a half clearance, Zach Meissner would step up from 24 out and strike the half clearance first time into the corner for the first goal. 

 

The second goal came in the first 30 seconds of the second half.  This time Vincent Bennage, would take on two defenders and turn the corner on the end line.  He would play a firm ball on the ground across the goal where Jack Corbett would dummy it to Miles Igunbar who set it first time for Nathan Corbett to run through and bury the second goal to take the lead. 

 

“Our second goal was some really great soccer.  The build up from the back line to get it to Vinnie and the unselfish play by the boys filling the box and setting up Nathan was exactly how we try to play.”  Said Coach Josh Provan.

 

The game would end 2-0 with a birth in the Regional Final vs Cincinnati United Premier (CUP).  The group talked about some lessons they needed to improve on as they prepare to improve in future games.  The group talked about 2-0 being a dangerous score and the importance of getting the third goal and putting the game away.

 

Little did they know that same lesson would present itself in the Regional final, except in a different way…

 

The game would see the age groups leading scorer Nathan Page, from CUP vs the best defensive unit and goalkeeper in the group in FCW and id2 National keeper Santi Davila.  The game started with neither group creating anything dangerous in the run of the play.  CUP would finally breakthrough and hit a shot past the diving Davila that hit post and went in the back of the net.  CUP would draw first blood and take the lead 1-0 with 15 minutes left to play in the game.  As FC started to mount more chances, they also started to get more spread out as a unit and would give up the second goal on a counter attack that had the ball taken out of the air for a volley over the outstretched arms of Davila.  The game went to 2-0 with just 8 minutes to go. 

 

Something in the boys, their attitude, demeanor and ability to apply lessons learned, told us they were not out of it yet.  The boys remembered 2-0 is a dangerous score however they didn’t expect to be on the losing end of it.  So they pushed on together trying to get the first, knowing that if they did, the momentum would be on their side and pressure would mount on CUP. 

 

They got the first goal on a pass from Nathan Corbett to Jack Corbett who turned and lashed it into the back of the net.  You could feel momentum change.  The group would push for the second, taking risks and pushing players forward. 

 

The game would get tied up as Jack Corbett would look to get in behind CUP’s back line and with a ball through, Corbett would get to it first and pass the second goal into the net to tie it up with two minutes remaining.  The group cam back from 2-0 down with 8 minutes left.  They figured out how to put pressure on CUP and raise their level!  The crowd grew bigger and bigger as the intensity of the match ramped up! 

 

The boys understood that CUP didn’t push for the third goal, and that was the lesion the boys took from the semifinal.  Clearly momentum completely on the side of FCW. 

 

FCW would go on in overtime and hit the upper 90 with a blast from Nathan Corbett but it would not fall over the line and overtime would finish 2-2.

 

The game would go to the dreaded penalty shootout.  Again, the boys still feeling positive about their chances and the comeback.  The shootout would see shots buried by Jack, Corbett, Nathan Corbett, and Vincent Bennage after goalkeeper Santi Davila made two saves.  This would lead to the final kick, Davila, chose to be the 5th kicker.  If he makes it, they win the Regional Championship, if he misses, they go to the six shooter.  Davila steps up and buries the final shot earning the group a Region II Regional Championship. 

 

The video of the shootout can be seen here:  https://vimeo.com/223467738

 

“This was an unbelievable run for the group and an unprecedented year for any team or any club in the state.  This group will now play for 2 National Championships in one year.  Totally unheard of.  We couldn’t be prouder of the boys for their effort.  We also want to thank all the coaches working with this group in our Collaborative Coaching model.  Clearly it’s working and our developmental model is paying off.  Lastly we want to thank the parents for their support and trusting the process.”  Said Co-DOC Billy Solberg

 

The next steps for the boys will be the NPL National Championships in Indiana and then to the above earned USYS National Championships in Frisco, TX.

 

Congratulations to all!

#WeAreFCFamily