WPSL Central Regionals Preview
The hosting assignment is rotated across the Conferences, and this year falls with the Midwest Conference, whose winners (in epic fashion) were Oklahoma City FC.
That means a bumper diet of football in the state, first on July 12 and 13th at OKCFC’s home, a half hour West of Oklahoma City in Mustang, OK.
Sean Jones co-owns Oklahoma City FC with his wife, Penny. He spoke to us today about the prospects of the hosts:
We have a very young but very talented group of young women who have worked extremely hard for their success on the field this season. They have overcome some adversity on getting to this point and based on this season, I would say that if we play well, we will be competitive in every game we play here on out.
I do believe we have not only very talented, hardworking players, but as they demonstrated in the Conference Championship, they have a great deal of “grit” and determination. I also believe that we have one of the best coaching and administrative staff’s in the league and they work extremely well together which has resulted in a group that has come together in a very short period of time and are truly a “TEAM”.
I truly believe that we have a very good opportunity in front of us if we play well, however we know that at this point in the season, every team is very competitive and there should be some great games this weekend!
Joining them from the Midwest Conference are a wildcard team, Union KC, who were selected after both Mountain Conference qualifiers opted out of postseason play. We last saw UKC last year, when they lost in the semis to FC Pride.
Director of Coaching Dan Naidu spoke to us as the games approached:
We’re grateful for the opportunity to compete in the WPSL playoffs for the 2nd year in a row. The team has grown stronger every week—playing with purpose, unity, and resilience. We believe in our ability to compete with the best and are excited for the challenge ahead.
Austin Rise FC make the 400-mile trip north, having sealed the one-division Lone Star Conference with a 7-1-2 record and a goal difference of +10.
Co-Founder Bethany Cyrtmus-Davaul had this to say about her club:
Capturing back‑to‑back Lonestar Conference titles is a testament to this squad’s unwavering fight and belief. We bounced back from two late-season losses but the coaches and players stepped up and showed their real character with a dramatic 3–2 win on the road to solidify the conference championship. Now, with that momentum behind us, we’re returning to the Regional Playoffs and will head to Oklahoma City full of confidence and ready for an excellent weekend ahead!
St Croix has taken their place at the Central Regional table for the first time following a penalty shootout win, which capped a spectacular performance by Stillwater, MN’s Pomona Pitzer Sagehen Hadley Johnson in goal for the Legacy. They also did so without the trailblazing Tatum Trettel, who had contributed the most goals during the club’s regular season run.
Speaking to us after training this week, Executive Director Nathan Klonecki told us they have been studying film:
From what we have found, they are going to be a difficult opponent. We knew all these teams at this level and at this moment in playoffs.We always come in to a game understanding it is going to be difficult. Some of our players are not able to attend but that was the same situation when we went to Milwaukee.We have the mindset that the next player up. We know we will come and compete.
Saturday
5:30pm – St Croix Legacy v Union KC
8:00pm – Oklahoma City FC v Austin Rise FC
Sunday
7:00pm – Central Region Final
Coming Up:
The host site of the WPSL Championships, Neal Patterson Stadium at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK is only a 90 minute ride from OKC. However, since there is a week between these two rounds, the teams all return home to the ordinary lives that players at this level have to balance across the Central Region before the winners essentially reprise their road trips.