The Kickoff: Thursday, Sept. 5
Your roundup of soccer news across Wisconsin and beyond
Top of the box
Jett Blaschka (Racine) set up Gabriel Catone-Highfield’s 86th-minute equalizer as the host U.S. Virgin Islands opened 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League play by rallying for a 3-3 draw with the Bahamas in League C Group A play Wednesday in St. Croix.
Blaschka’s cross from the right side was headed in at the near post by second-half sub Catone-Highfield, and the Dashing Eagles had a few chances in the final minutes to take all three points in their debut under new coach Terry Jones Sr., a former USVI international. It was the 22nd cap for the 24-year-old Blaschka; while detailed records are difficult to find, it appears that he is the most-capped player in USVI history.
Watch the highlights on YouTube, as CONCACAF doesn't allow videos to be embedded on this site. The Dashing Eagles continue group play Tuesday in St. Croix against Barbados, and will face Bahamas and Barbados again Oct. 9 and 12.
Professional
UEFA Women’s Champions League first qualifying round updates:
Rashida Beal (Germantown) started at center back and played 64 minutes as Lithuanian club FC Gintra cruised past Moldovan side Anenii Noi 5-0 in a Champions Path Group 3 semifinal Wednesday in Šiauliai. Gintra will play Scotland’s Celtic, a 3-1 winner over Finnish club KuPS Kuopio after extra time in the other semifinal, in the final at 10 a.m. CT Saturday.
WFC BIIK-Shymkent, with UW-Milwaukee alums McKaela Schmelzer, Brooke Parnello and Clara Broecker, will face Galatasaray in the Champions Path Group 8 final at noon Saturday in Luxembourg City. The Turkish club knocked off host Racing Union 3-1 in the second semifinal Wednesday.
Follow all the players with state ties playing professionally in the U.S. and around the world on our Wisconsin Players in the Pros chart. If we've missed anyone, email us at wisconsinsoccercentral@gmail.com or let us know on social media.
College men
Davis Arvold (Brookfield Academy) scored twice around fellow freshman Thomas Brand’s 47th-minute game-winner as host UW-Stout came back to beat Northland 3-1 on Wednesday in Menomonie for the new program’s first victory. Highlights, including post-game celebration from WQOW
Conference Player of the Week honors
WIAC
Offense: F Nathan Donovan, sr., UW-Eau Claire (Hazel Green)
Assisted on the lone goal in the Blugolds’ season-opening win over Edgewood, then had a brace and two assists in a 4-1 victory over Macalester (Minn.).Defense: GK Seth Aiken, jr., UW-Platteville (Mount Horeb)
Posted the clean sheet as the Pioneers beat MSOE 1-0 in their season opener to end an eight-game winless streak (0-6-2) against the Raiders dating to 2010.
CCIW
Offensive: F Aidan Crowder, sr., Carthage
Scored the only goal in the Firebirds’ 1-0 win over Dominican (Ill.), then scored twice in three minutes as Carthage rallied past host Concordia (Ill.) 3-1.
NACC
Offense: F Connor Gage, fr., Edgewood (Verona)
Tied the program record with four goals and assisted on the other goal in a 5-2 victory over visiting St. Scholastica (Minn.) on Saturday. Gage joined Nate Brawner (Oct. 17, 1995) and Kevin Fisher (Sept. 17, 2006) as the only Eagles men’s players to score four goals in a game.
UMAC
Defensive: GK Alex Paredes, sr., UW-Superior (Mequon Homestead)
Made eight saves to extend the program record with his 18th career shutout as the Yellowjackets tied host Augsburg (Minn.) 0-0 in a season opener Friday.
This week’s NCAA Division I schedule
Today's game
Marquette vs. Purdue-Fort Wayne, 2 p.m. (FloFC 💲)
Friday's games
UW-Green Bay vs. Chicago State, 4 p.m.
Kentucky vs. UW, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+ 💲)
Recruiting updates
College women
Senior Baylee Alvarado opened the scoring in the 49th minute, freshman Daniela Chaname converted a penalty kick in the 83rd and junior goalkeeper Chelsea King (Wisconsin Rapids) made seven saves for the clean sheet as host Marian beat UW-Oshkosh 2-0 on Tuesday. It ended the Sabres’ 13-game winless streak in the series and was their first win over the Titans since 1994. Oshkosh leads the all-time series 14-3-3.
Conference Player of the Week honors
WIAC
Offense: F Johanna Thompson, fr., UW-Eau Claire (Green Bay Preble)
Scored a brace in her collegiate debut, with both goals on headers, as the Blugolds defeated Saint Benedict (Minn.) 2-0 in a season opener.Defense: D Alexis McMahon, sr., UW-La Crosse
Helped the Eagles’ backline hold UW-Superior and St. Scholastica (Minn.) to one goal and a total of six shots on goal in a pair of dominant victories, and added a goal and an assist on the weekend.
CCIW
Defensive: GK Ainsley Stallworth, jr., Carthage
Made 17 saves on 20 shots to help the Firebirds win a pair of away games, 3-2 at Marian and 2-1 at Aurora (Ill.).
NACC
Offense: M-D Claire Bradford, so., MSOE
Opened the season with a hat trick in just more than a quarter hour, scoring in the 49th, 51st and 64th minutes of a 6-3 victory over host Wheaton (Ill.), then added another goal as MSOE beat host Carroll 3-1.
UMAC
Offensive: M Brynne Crystal, jr., UW-Superior
Scored the 83rd-minute game-winner in a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over visiting UW-River Falls on Saturday. It was just the second time the Yellowjackets have beaten the Falcons in 29 games between the teams all-time (2-26-1), with the other victory a 3-2 triumph back in 2021, also in Superior.
This week’s NCAA Division I schedule
Today’s games
Sunday’s games
Notre Dame vs. Marquette, 11:30 a.m. (ESPN+💲)
Central Michigan vs. UW-Green Bay, noon (Chippewas All-Access)
Recruiting updates
High school boys
A few trophy matches to highlight:
Host New Berlin Eisenhower retained the New Berlin Trophy with a 3-1 victory over New Berlin West on Wednesday night.
Madison La Follette (0-2-1) plays host to Madison East (3-0-0) — ranked fourth in the WSCA Division 1 state poll — tonight in the teams’ annual meeting for the Lussier Cup. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at La Follette’s Lussier Stadium.
By the numbers: WisSports.net links
State record: Longest winning streaks
37: Whitefish Bay, 2016-2018
30: Milwaukee Marquette, 2010-2011
29: Delavan-Darien, 2014-2015
State record: Longest unbeaten streaks
54: Milwaukee Marquette, 2010-2012
48: Delavan-Darien, 2016-2017
45: Whitefish Bay, 2016-2018
35: Brookfield East, 2022-current
28: Fond du Lac, 2004
Longest active unbeaten streaks
35: Brookfield East (30-0-5)
21: Hudson (18-0-3)
16: Middleton (13-0-3)
13: Milwaukee Marquette (10-0-3)
10: Union Grove (9-0-1)
Note: Games that go to penalty kicks are officially recorded as ties
Includes data from the WSCA High School Record Book
Linking play
U.S. national team legend Alex Morgan announces her retirement (Alex Morgan on X / Twitter)
First pitch gone awry sidelines Spirit star Bethune for rest of season (USA Today Pro Soccer Wire)
Magic Johnson joins NWSL's Washington Spirit as investor (ESPN)