The Kickoff: Wednesday, Aug. 28
Your roundup of soccer news across Wisconsin and beyond
Top of the box
In a season-opening matchup between reigning state champions, defending WIAA Division 2 champion Union Grove scored in the 79th minute to get past Somers Shoreland Lutheran 3-2 on Tuesday night, ending a 16-game winning streak for last year’s Division 4 champs.
Following a corner kick that was partially cleared, Broncos senior defender Cole Wicklund got the ball deep on the right side and chipped a cross toward the goal. It clipped off the crossbar and past the Pacers goalkeeper. (Watch below) Junior Ethan Barsch scored the first two goals for Union Grove, netting one early in each half.
Thanks to Union Grove Soccer on X (Twitter) for the highlights and video. ⚽
High school boys
Some other highlights from Tuesday’s openers:
Brookfield East and Hudson won to extend their unbeaten streaks. The Spartans blanked Madison Memorial 2-0 and are unbeaten in their past 33 games, while the Raiders edged Minneapolis Southwest 3-2 to reach 20 in a row without a loss.
Hartland Arrowhead, which lost only one game last season — to eventual Division 1 state champion Middleton in a sectional final — dropped its opener, falling to host Madison East 2-0.
New Richmond won twice, cruising past La Crosse Central 4-1 and Tomah 4-0 at their own quad. Central bounced back to beat Menomonie 5-1 in the second round, while Tomah and Menomonie played to a 1-1 draw in their match.
By the numbers: WisSports.net links
Longest active unbeaten streaks
33: Brookfield East (28-0-5)
20: Edgerton (16-0-4)
20: Hudson (17-0-3)
14: Middleton (11-0-3)
10: Milwaukee Marquette (8-0-2)
Longest active winning streak: 8, Sugar River and Union Grove
Note: Games that go to penalty kicks are officially recorded as ties
Professional
Northern Colorado Hailstorm forward Ethan Hoard (Racine Case/UW-Green Bay) was named to the USL League One Team of the Week. The 23-year-old had a goal and an assist in a 3-0 victory over the Greenville Triumph on Sunday.
Chicago Red Stars defender Camryn Biegalski (UW) and Houston Dash goalkeeper Erin McKinney (UW) are among the 88 NWSL players who will become eligible for free agency on Sunday, based on the new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the NWSL Players Association that runs through the 2030 season. As part of the new deal, players will become unrestricted free agents when their contracts expire; previously, players needed to have played in the league for a number of years to gain free agency and could be designated as either restricted or unrestricted free agents. In the future, NWSL free agents will be allowed to begin negotiations with other teams six months before their contracts expire, as is the case in the rest of world soccer.
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
In the wake of his tremendous opening weekend as a college player, UW freshman midfielder Dean Boltz picked up several honors this week.
The Illinois native, who had four goals and an assist as the Badgers rolled to non-conference victories over Marist and Drexel, earned a spot on the Top Drawer Soccer Men’s Team of the Week and was named the Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week.
Boltz had a hat trick — the Badgers’ first in 11 years and just the second by a UW freshman — and set up the other goal in his collegiate debut, a 4-0 win over 10-man Marist on Thursday. He added another goal in Sunday’s 4-0 victory over Drexel.
Another UW freshman, Canadian Matisse Hébert, was the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week after posting back-to-back clean sheets to start his college career.
Marquette junior midfielder Mitchell Dryden (Whitefish Bay), who had three goals and an assist as the Golden Eagles beat Drexel 2-0 and Marist 6-1, was an honorable mention selection on the TDS national Team of the Week.
Commitments
This week’s NCAA Division I schedule
Thursday's games
UW-Green Bay vs. Southern Indiana, 1 p.m.
UW vs. Illinois-Chicago, 7:30 p.m. (B1G+ 💲)
Friday's game
Yale vs. Marquette, 5 p.m.
Sunday's game
Northern Illinois vs. UW-Green Bay, 1 p.m. (NIU All-Access)
Monday's games
UW-Milwaukee vs. St. Thomas (Minn.), 5 p.m.
UW vs. Marquette, 7 p.m. (B1G+ 💲)
College women
UW senior midfielder Aryssa Mahrt (Wauwatosa) earned honorable mention on the Top Drawer Soccer Women’s Team of the Week. She was involved in three of the four goals as the Badgers beat Connecticut 2-1 and Providence 2-0, scoring twice.
UW (2-1-0) continues to receive votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 national poll and moved up one spot to No. 5 in the North Region poll.
Commitments
This week’s NCAA Division I schedule
Thursday's games
Kansas State vs. UW-Green Bay, 5 p.m. (ESPN+ 💲)
UW vs. Loyola (Ill.), 5 p.m. (B1G+ 💲)
Challenge Cup — Marquette vs. Illinois-Chicago, 7 p.m. (FloFC 💲)
Challenge Cup — UW-Milwaukee vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m. (ESPN+ 💲)
Sunday's games
UW-Green Bay vs. South Dakota State, noon (ESPN+ 💲)
UW vs. Western Michigan, 1 p.m. (B1G+ 💲)
Challenge Cup — Marquette vs. Minnesota, 1 p.m. (FloFC 💲)
Challenge Cup — UW-Milwaukee vs. Illinois-Chicago, 6 p.m.