Shamrocks signed Mercyhurst Lakers University alumn Mark Roche before the start of the season. Shamrocks Images
By Ralph Chery
Sept. 10th, 2018
It’s starting to become a habit for the CSL’s top division to have a load of lucrative signings going into the season. Cedar Stars Academy led the way again this year in bringing in prominent players, acquiring former Trinidad and Tobago international and ex-Columbus Crew defender Julius James and landing in Bledi Bardic on loan from the New York Cosmos.
Lansdowne Bhoys went to their native land Ireland for talents as expected and inked former pro winger Jack Doherty. New York Greek Americans signed former D1 college standouts as usual. One of the Greeks’ most notable ex-collegiate player is 2017 University of Kentucky topscorer Noah Hutchins.
As for players swapping CSL teams, the league saw some expected unexpected Lansdowne-NY Greeks and Cedar Stars-Lansdowne transfers again. Right midfielder Samuel Gehman departed from Cedar Stars to become a Bhoy. Tom Wharf returned to NYGA after spending five successful seasons with Lansdowne. Sikele ‘Kele’ Sylvester went back to Lansdowne as well after leaving the club to join Cedar Stars last year.
Here's a list of all the known transfer deals of the CSL’ top flight so far:
Cedar Stars Academy
CSL giants Cedar Stars Academy didn’t sign as many players as last year but still made their voice heard, welcoming in New York Cosmos 2018 NPSL topscorer Bledi Bardic and former MLS defender Julius James.
Cedar Stars Academy center back Julius James in his time with Columbus Crew. (Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports)
Players in:
Dwight Ceballo [DF] – from NY Athletic Club
Bledi Bardic [FWD] – on loan from New York Cosmos B
Serhii Velykyi [FWD]
Julius James [CB] - ex-MLS player
Players out:
Sikele ‘Kele’ Sylvester [MF] – to Lansdowne Bhoys
Samuel Gehman [MF/DF] – to Lansdowne Bhoys
Lansdowne Bhoys
Lansdowne Bhoys lost three players who helped them tremendously in winning the league last year: starting left back Jean Voltaire, one of the league's best center backs Tom Wharf, Pat McCann and Joseph Lopez.
To challenge for a consecutive CSL title, the Irish club brought in two old faces, Kele Sylvester and Karim Russell, their rival Cedar Stars’ winger Samuel Gehman, ex-League of Ireland left midfielder Jack Doherty plus 13 more players.
Sikele Sylvester returned to Lansdowne Bhoys after spending a season with Cedar Stars Academy.
Players in:
Jordan Ayris [FWD] – from Cedar Stars Academy
Robbie Egan [RB] - Galway United (Ireland’s second tier)
Jack Doherty [LM] - Carrick United (Ireland)
Leo Folla [MF] – from Zum Schneider F.C 03
Johan Mauritzon [DF] – LIU Post Pioneers (DII) alumn
Samuel Gehman [LB/LM] – from Cedar Stars Academy
Karim Russell [LB] - returnee
Sikele Silvestre [MF] – from Cedar Stars Academy
Andre McFarlane [MF] - University of Carolina (DII college) alums
Ogoo Housainou [MF]– from Lansdowne Bhoys Reserves
Oshane Jenkins [CB] - ex-Jamaice U-17 player
Dawda Bah [MF] – former Gambia international
Artan Balaj [MF] – Dominican College (DII college) alumn
Pau Rocas [DF]
Thomas Rouine [DF] – Savanah College of Art and Design alumn
Paul Wilson [MF]- from Cavalier F.C (Jamaica's first tier), ex-Jamaica U-23 player
NY Greek Americans
The Greeks will use the services of five more former DI college players this season, which includes University of Kentucky 2017 top scorer Noah Hutchins. NYGA snatched talents from their fellow Cosmopolitan teams also, taking in Tom Wharf from Lansdowne, Sean Reilly from the Rocks, Charlie Ledula from NY Pancyprian Freedoms and Phil Bannister from the Stars.
Players in:
Will Steiner [GK] – Villanova (DI college) alumn
Tom Wharf [DF] - from Lansdowne Bhoys
Sean Reilly [DF] - from NY Shamrock SC
Eric McKenna [DF] – Stonybrook University (DI college) alumn
Dom Falanga [DF] - St. Joseph’s Brooklyn (DI colleg) alumn
Pat McCann [MF] - from Lansdowne Bhoys
Noah Hutchins [MF] - University of Kentucky (DI college) alumn
Daniel Espinoza [MF] – Stonybrook Univerity (DI college) alumn
Phil Pannister [FWD] - from Cedar Stars Academy
Jhonathan Valbuena [FWD] - from NYCFC Academy
Charlie Ledula [FWD] – NY Pancyprian Freedoms
NY Pancyprian Freedoms
NY Pancyprians will be without many of their key players from last season as their second top scorer and assist leader Daniel Bedoya exited the club alongside strikers Charlie Ledula and Ryan Scheiderman.
The club did a fine job in replacing the players they lost, bringing in pacy midfielder James Nealis from the Greeks (what’s a summer transfer list without a Pancyprian-NYGA transfer?) and two players from the Cosmos on loan, fullback Jonathan Borrajo and keeper Hector Guerrero.
New York Cosmos B fullback Jonathan Borrajo joined NY Pancyprian Freedoms on loan. New York Cosmos Images
Players in:
Jonathan Borrajo [RB/DM] – on loan from New York Cosmos, ex-MLS player
Hector Guerrero [GK] – on loan from NY Cosmos
Gerassimos ‘Mackie’ Magoulas [LM] – Dowling College (DII college) alumn
Shavon John-Brown [MF] - Grenada international
Jordan Shankle [DF] – St. John’s University (DI college) alumn
James Nealis [MF] – from NY Greek Americans
Players out:
Daniel Bedoya [CAM]
Diogo Dos Santos Pereira [FWD]
Charlie Ledula [FWD] – to NY Greek Americans
Andre Moreira De Giorgi [FWD]
Brandon Savino
Ryan Scheiderman [FWD]
Andrew Withers [GK]
Shamrocks
Shamrocks signed five new players, which includes ex-Stony Brook defender Barnabas Marko and Irish duo and former DII college players Mark Roche and Dylan McCabe.
Shamrocks signed Mercyhurst Lakers University alumn Mark Roche before the start of the season. Shamrock Images
As for the players they lost going into the season, 2016-17 Shamrocks Player of the Year Giuseppe Barone departed from the club to go on trial in Spain and last season’s starting right back Ethan Evans is now playing for SSVg 09/12 Heilienhaus in Germany.
Players in:
Mark Roche [MF] – Mercyhurst Lakers Univeristy (DII college) alumn
Dylan McCabe [DF] – Carson-Newmann University (DII college) alumn
Barnabas Mako [DF] – Stony Brook University (DI college) alumn
Yannick Diese [MF] – from Zum Schneider F.C
Gabriel Vargas [MF] – Xavier High School player
Players out:
Ethan Evans [RB] – to SSVg 09/12 Heiligenhaus (Germany)
Guiseppe Barone [MF] – (trial in Spain)
Central Park Rangers
Central Park Rangers’ top two new signings are former Siena College center half Milorad Sobot and ex-Quinnipiac playmaker Raphael Carvalho.
Players in:
Kevin Kretschmer [FWD] – from Manhattan Kickers
Milorad Sobot [DF] - Siena College (DI college) alumn
Raphael Carvalho [CAM] – Quinnipiac University (DI college) alumn
Players out:
None
NY Athletic Club
NY Athletic Club’s two most prominent new players are Rafik Mekhaldi, who played three seasons for Cornell University and Amara Sesay, who netted 18 goals in 17 matches for Wheaton College last year.
Players in:
Samer Abouhamad
Wiliam Blanke
Michale Knapp (returner from the 2014-15 season)
Rafik Mekhaldi [FWD] - Cornell University (DI college) alumn
Amara Sesay [FWD] – Wheaton College (DIII) alumn
Ricky Siewers [MF] – Virginia Military Institute (DI college) alumn
Chuong Tran
Hoboken F.C
Promoted side Hoboken F.C only brought in three players but one of them is one of the top summer new signings thus far, Colin Stripling. Stripling played four seasons for D1 college powerhouse Monmouth University, where he made the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 2013 and the All-MAAC First Team the following season.
Players in:
Colin Stripling [MF] - Monmouth University (DI college) alumn
Kevin Halliday [MF] – Tufts University (DIII college) alum
Dillon Ventura [DF] - Babson College (DIII) alumn
Zum Schneider F.C
Zum Schneider F.C joined the list of CSL teams with New York Cosmos players as they inked Ivan Berterama alongside 10 new players from elsewhere.
Players in:
Matel Anasta [FWD] – Marist College (DI college) alumn
Ivan Berterama [FWD] – New York Cosmos B player
Ahmed Faiad [GK] former St. Francis College (D1 college) player
Owen Gillam [MF] – Utica College (DIII college) alumn
Moritz Hochstetter
Oluwaseun "Victor" Ogunwale
Christopher Poppensieker
Noah Teperow – [DF] Seton Hall University (DI college) alumn
Jesus Vasquez
Mario Vukadinov
Atay Yilmaz – from Malatyaspor USA Reserves
Doxa SC
Doxa SC last year’s captain Patrick Alvarez parted away from the club to play for CSL D2 side Real Ole F.C. Nicolas vonEgypt transferred to Real Ole alongside Alvarez.
On the flip side, Doxa scooped midfielder Calvin Moyes and keeper Robbie Webster from Shamrocks and added an Adelphi University alumn, Joseph Sanchez, to their roster. Sanchez won the NE10 Most Outstanding Player in 2016 with Adelphi.
Players in:
Demetrios Argyros [CB] – from Doxa Reserves
Demetrios Berdousis – from Doxa SC Reserves
Joseph Lopez
Calvin Moyes [DF] – from Shamrocks
Kamile Pruszko – from Stal Mielec (CSL second tier), Siena College (DI college) alumn
Marcello Alessandro Russo – from CD Iberia (CSL second tier)
Joseph Sanchez [MF] – Adelphi University (DII) alumn
Paul Macklin Sandoval [FWD] – Queens College (DII) alumn
Robbie Webster [GK] – from Shamrocks