The coalescence of the three major national amateur leagues championships taking place this weekend across the country casts a long shadow of diverted lower league fan attentions. At least two of those matches not only determine league champions, but also the entrants into the 2023 Hank Steinbrecher Cup. However, for attuned fans able to keep their viewing pace up with the competitions, the final spot for that cup is also being determined this weekend, in Glendale, Wisconsin. It is there, this coming Sunday, where the USASA National Amateur Cup champion will be crowned from amongst the final four competitors representing USASA regions I-IX, and levels 5-13 of the soccer “pyramid”. Descending on Southeast Wisconsin from as near as their homeground, and as far as Southern California, these four sides have traveled the winding path of steep competition thus far to arrive at today.

Milwaukee Bavarians have the hometown advantage this weekend, but their need for such upper ground is trifling at best for the 8x national champions. The hosts are one of, if not the, most storied and successful lower league sides still operating in the United States today. Now competing in four leagues at the adult level across both their mens and womens sides, the Bavarians look to add a 9th national competition trophy to their burgeoning case.

Their path to this cup started in the second round of Region II, where they first faced in-state rival Superstars. While Superstars had been gifted the meeting by way of a forfeit in the first round, they’d have preferred to avoid the five presents the Bavarians put away in their goal en route to a 5-1 victory. Minnesota’s Vlora FC and Illinois’ Springfield FC provided only the most marginal of increased resistance in rounds 3 and 4, as the Bavarian barbarians brushed both aside in 3-1 victories to set up a Region II final against old familiar foe RWB Adria of Chicago. A relatively tighter affair there saw MIlwaukee prevail 3-2 and claim their spot in the National Amateur Cup final.

With the change in venue for the final moved from Chicago to the Bavarians home ground, the Milwaukee club will be favorites to claim the USASA title and to stake their place in the Hank Steinbrecher next year. The three competitors in town this weekend will all have their shot at the crown.

Starting with LA Strikers of Los Angeles, California. Perhaps the least known side coming into the weekend, the Region IV champs relish the opportunity to again play as the underdog. Formed in 2017 and founded as a team of brother and cousins in a local league around metro Los Angeles, the Strikers entered the California South state cup in 2022 as relative newcomers to their opponents.

Wrapping up the state competition’s group play in third place, LA knocked off Garrafones FC in penalties in the semifinal, then again survived a stalemate to knock off Mesoamerica in PKs. Those late brilliances earned the Strikers an away day to Lafayette, Colorado against Peak XI FC. The travel and elevation gave no added defense to the hosts however, and the Strikers returned to Los Angeles the Region IV champions behind Alex Mendez’s brace and a 3-1 victory.

The new kids on the block will now take their measure in the final weekend, eager to make a name amongst the storied programs they’ll face.

Making nearly as long a trek as the Region IV champions, but no newcomer to the competition, is the Region III representative, Adria Soccer Club New Stars of Houston, Texas. Already featuring in numerous national Amateur cup finals and several US Open Cup appearances since their founding in 1974, ASC finds themselves in Wisconsin this week on a little bit of luck and circumstance. They made the Region III finals in 2022, but fell to Beaman United of Nashville Tennessee.

The New Stars returned to Houston, Texas, believing their national campaign complete. However, Beaman United, already faced with how to field teams in finals the same weekend in both Columbus, Ohio (UPSL finals) and Wisconsin, were found to have fielded players in the Region III match who had still maintained their professional player status while featuring in amateur competition. The disqualification there gifted ASC a place in the national final and a redemptive weekend to etch their name on both trophy and future competition.

For the Houston, Texas boys to do that, they’ll first need to get by NoVa FC. The Virginia side has been lurking near the top of many competitions for the past few seasons, and this weekend could see them have their breakthrough among the elite. Since their founding in 1998, the club has reinvented itself several times to reach this form, competing first as the Northern Virginia Royals, then Evergreen FC, then DC United u23, before settling on Northern Virginia FC in 2021. Now fielding both mens and womens sides, and competing in four national leagues, the Woodbridge, Virginia side has reached their nearest opportunity for national hardware yet.

To secure their place in Glendale this weekend, NoVa first knocked off BSC Raiders of the Buffalo District Soccer League, in TEN rounds of PKs, 10-9. They went another 120’ against formidable West Chester United, and again emerged victorious in PKs, 5-4. The Region I final pitted NoVa FC against the 2019 USASA champion in Newtown Pride FC (Conn.). NoVa again went the two hour distance, and again won narrowly in PKs, 5-4.

The penalty kick specialists will hope to not face such long minutes in succession this week, but they’ll certainly like their chances from the spot if a championship winning weekend necessitates it.

- Ryan Stallings