Buoyed by impressive showing in its two preseason exhibitions, coach Al Mylinski’s Greater Binghamton Futbol Club (GBFC) continued training this week as it prepares for its second NPSL season.
The team played at LeMoyne on April 7 and last Saturday participated in a four team round-robin outing at Binghamton University that involved the home side as well as teams from SUNY-Cortland and Siena.
“Our guys have constantly improved from one outing to the next,” Mydlinski commented following Saturday’s three 45-minute matches. “As with all soccer teams we’d like to finish more of our chances and you can bet we’ll we working on that as we head to the opener.” GBFC allowed just seven shots on goal at the BU outing while scoring on one of its 18 shots.
GBFC opens on Saturday, May 11 versus the Junior Lone Star team from suburban Philadelphia. The game is set for a 6 p.m. kickoff at the newly renovated GBFC stadium field at the Greater Binghamton Sports Center on Airport Road. The first team match will be preceded by a reserve team game between the two sides with kickoff set for 3 p.m.
Twelve players who saw significant action for the 2012 squad return to this year’s roster. Among those returnees is former star BU goalkeeper Jason Stenta. He is backed by reserve keepers Devon Lash (Broome CC) and Logan Calvey (Geneseo) and fronted by defenders Pat Thompson (Hartwick) and Bogdan Yatsishin. Local products Chris Riley (UE) and Ermin Corbic (Broome CC) return to the midfield as do Mike Aingworth (Medaille) and Mawuena Agbossoumonde (Syracuse). NSCAA All-America player Mike Rood (SV/Hartwick) lends firepower up front along with Ayoub Zekraoui (Algeria) and Cody Healey (Cortland).
Several newcomers have caught the eye of Mydlinski and assistant coach Andy Davis. Defenders Jerome Robinson (Binghamton), Domenico Vitale (LeMoyne) and Matt Guinto (St. John Fisher) have helped combine to hold all preseason opponents scoreless. The team’s midfield has been strengthened by the addition of Englishman Jonny Sinclair while former Hartwick players Jherrett Maroney and Joel Collins add to the midfield depth. Also battling for midfield playing time will be new additions Troy Bowersox (Broome CC) and Nick Cava (Geneseo). The recent addition of current BU assistant coach Dan Poe (Clemson) also promises to the midfield depth.
Up front newcomers Bozidar Jelovac (SUNY-Albany) and Armin Budnjo (Mohawk CC) have countered the probable job-related loss of last season’s leading scorer, Sergy Molchanovich.
Other promising and versatile players turning out for the team include Joseph Attakora and Matthew Owusu (both Utica Tech) and Andrew Brobbey and Stanley Pierre-Louis (both SUNY-Morrisville).
Meanwhile the team is anticipating the return of several collegians, which are eligible for play after May 1 and/or following the completion of their exam schedules. These include Jaisen Clark (Geneseo); Robbie Dickinson (American International); Tyler Forbes (Colgate); Trey Hildebrand (Monroe CC) and Sumner Kilmarx (Dartmouth).
“We are excited about our prospects for the coming season,” Mydlinski concluded. “But we know that there is great parity throughout the league and every match is going to be a battle.”
GBFC will be playing in the NPSL’s Keystone Division of the Northeast Conference. In addition to Junior Lone Star, other Keystone opponents will include FC Sonic (Lehigh Valley); Clarkstown (NY) SC Eagles; Hershey FC; Pocono Snow (East Stroudsburg); Reading Revolution; BuxMont Torch (Bucks County, PA) and the Morris County Colonials (NJ).
Season ticket sales commenced this week with details on various season and game ticketing available on the GBFC website.
