With the regular season in the books, the top four teams from the Midwest West conference of UPSL men’s premier division fought it out for the one spot in the national bracket.

Minneapolis City SC 2-4 18×26 Academy

The #1 seed bowed out in the first round, with Awes A Qasim, Jabril M Mohamud, Abdirahman Shariff Hassan and Assem S Elsayad all scoring for 18×26. Mitchel Munzing and Carter Hermanson scored for the Rookery.

18x26 Academy (Blue) and Minneapolis City (Pink and Black) walk out onto the pitch. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

Minneapolis City and 18x26 Academy line up before kickoff. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

A Minneapolis City player slides in to a challenge in the penalty area... Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

....and commits a foul. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

The referee points to the penalty spot in the 8th minute. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

Minneapolis City #56 (Pink/Black) defends against an 18x26 attacker (Blue). Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

Minneapolis City #68 (Pink/Black) runs past an 18x26 defender (Blue). Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

18x26 Academy celebrate a goal against Minneapolis City.

An 18x26 Academy attacker tangles with Minneapolis City's goalkeeper and a defender. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

Minneapolis City #53 (Pink/Black) defends against an 18x26 tackler (Blue). Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

The 18x26 Academy bench versus Minneapolis City. Photo: Jason Morales Ortiz.

Minneapolis City #68 slides into a challenge with 18x26 Academy #7. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

18x26 Academy and Minneapolis City fight for possession. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

18x26 Academy and Minneapolis City fight for possession. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

Minneapolis City prepare a free kick against 18x26 Academy. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

A blurry scoreboard shows 4:2 in the 88th minute in the background as the Minneapolis City goalkeeper is shown on his haunches in the foreground. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

#4 18x26 Academy celebrate beating #1 Minneapolis City. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

St Croix Legends II #29 (Black) attempts to catch up to a St Paul Blackhawks player. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

St Paul Blackhawks celebrate a goal. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

A St Croix Legends iI player (black) slides into a challenge with a St Paul Blackhawks player. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

A St Croix Legends II player heads the ball, surrounded by St Paul Blackhawks players. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

A St Croix Legends II player shields the ball from a St Paul Blackhawks challenge. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

A pile-up of players sees the St Croix Legends II goalkeeper , four defenders and two St Paul Blackhawks attackers going for the ball. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

St Paul Blackhawks pre-match huddle. Photo by Jason Morales Ortiz.

St Croix Legends II 2-3 St Paul Blackhawks

Continuing with the theme of road upsets, the #3 seeded Blackhawks made the short trip East and came away with a win. Caspar A Olseth, Samuel C Hoyt and Liam K Hafenbrack had the goals for the ‘hawks, whose progress was no doubt aided by St Croix finishing the game with 9 men (Perry Blay and Agostino Quadrio Curzio both got second yellow cards)

Asher B Ozuzu had the Legends’ goals.

18x26 Academy Minneapolis City SC St Croix St Paul Blackhawks