GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (March 9, 2021) — The US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference has seen a portion games played over the first few weekends of the Spring 2021 season. This past weekend saw both the 14U Boys First Division White and 15U Boys First Division Yellow get their seasons started at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. Three teams in both divisions got their seasons underway, each of them trying to establish a firm foundation on which to build as the Spring 2021 season progresses.
In the 14U Boys First Division White, each team recorded and win and loss over the first two games, meaning the season is off to a competitive start. On Saturday, Indiana Fire Jrs South 07B Red (IN) won, 2-1, against MKSC Academy South U14 Boys Red (WI) to get its season started. Later in the day, Indiana Fire Jrs South 07B Red (IN) lost narrowly, 1-0, to MFJ 07B Navy (MI). The next morning, MKSC Academy South U14 Boys Red (WI) bounced back to draw level in the standings with both teams, as it secured a 2-0 win over MFJ 07B Navy (MI) — giving MKSC an early lead on goal difference.
“I think the boys were a little nervous going into the tournament and having the first tournament game count as both a tournament result and our first-ever Midwest Conference result,” said Zach Soderberg, coach of the MKSC Academy South U14 Boys Red team. “When that IFJ South game ended, I told the boys that their performance, despite the result, showed that they belonged in a competition like the Midwest Conference.”
By rebounding from the season-opening defeat with a win in the second game, MKSC proved its coach to be correct.
In the 15U Boys age group, the First Division White kicked things off, with MFJ 06B Navy (MI) the big winners of the weekend. MFJ defeated KASL Rush WI Southeast 2006 Boys Blue (WI) Saturday morning, 1-0, before beating Indiana Fire Jrs South 06B Red (IN) the following morning. In the third game of the weekend, KASL Rush WI Southeast 2006 Boys Blue (WI) won, 3-1, against Indiana Fire Jrs South 06B Red (IN) to move up in the standings.
“It was great to start our league season with two wins this past weekend against two strong opponents,” said Dominic Hart, coach of MFJ 06B Navy. “In both games, the boys found a good balance between being defensively solid whilst also generating dangerous attacks and scoring some quality goals. Hopefully, we can build off this good start moving forward into the rest of our league play.”
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