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