Men's Soccer | 8/26/2021 8:56:29 AM
St. John Fisher College will look to win its second Empire 8 Championship in just over six months, as the 2021 season gets underway on Sept. 1, with all nine teams in action. The top five teams will advance to the Empire 8 Championship Tournament, which will take place with first round action on Monday, Nov. 1, semifinal round games on Wednesday, Nov. 3 and the championship three days later on Saturday, Nov. 6. The Empire 8 Champion will receive an automatic berth into the 2021 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship.
Fans can watch the action all season long, free of charge on the
Empire 8 Network.
Players to Watch
Justin Bonetto, St. John Fisher, Sr., M, Buffalo, NY/Williamsville North – Bonetto was named the Empire 8 Player of the Year last spring, helping lead the Cardinals to the league title.
Junior Coulibaly, Elmira, Sr., M, Kati, Mali/Elmira Notre Dame – Coulibaly emerged as one of the top midfielders in the Empire 8 during the 2019 season, earning honorable mention and All-Tournament Team accolades.
Julius Klohr, Houghton, Gr., F, Charlotte, NC/Covenant Day – Klohr earned All-Empire 8 first team accolades last spring after scoring four goals in just six games. Two of his four goals were game-winners.
Sory Konate, Utica, Jr., M, Harlem, NY/Forsyth Satellite Academy – Konate was an All-Empire 8 first team selection last spring and enters the season as a Player of the Year candidate.
Jim Mahony, Hartwick, Sr., M, Bournemouth, England/Bournemouth Collegiate – Mahony will be counted to lead Hartwick in the midfield in 2021. He won Hartwick’s Phillip S. Wilder, Jr. Award for academic distinction last season.
Sam Smyth, Nazareth, Sr., F, Pittsford, NY/Rush-Henrietta – Smyth is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection, having earned first team honors in 2019 and second team plaudits in 2018. He was also a 2019 United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-Region pick.
Jeaneste Pierre, Russell Sage, Gr., F, Newburgh, NY/Newburgh – Pierre garnered All-Empire 8 second team accolades last spring and helped lead the Gators to the Empire 8 Championship game.
Stephen Schill, Alfred, So., D, Southold, NY/Southold – Schill transferred to Alfred from Division I Merrimack College and will be expected to anchor the Saxons defensive unit in 2021.
Seth Spurgeon, Keuka, Sr., F, Chittenango, NY/Chittenango – Spurgeon tallied eight goals in just 14 games in 2019 for Keuka in its final season as a member of the North East Athletic Conference (NEAC).
Team Capsules (Sorted by Spring 2021 Standings)
St. John Fisher
St. John Fisher earned its second Empire 8 title last spring and returns six All-Conference selections, including the reigning Player of the Year Justin Bonetto, co-Goalkeeper of the Year Jadon Schlierf and Doug May Coach of the Year, Jack Burgasser. Fellow first team picks Ben Woolingham and Matt Gentile are back, along with second team standouts Jackson Bishop and Ryan Brown. Gentile was also named the Empire 8 Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Houghton
Houghton earned a share of the Empire 8 Regular Season title last spring, advancing to the league semifinals. The Highlanders return 15 players and four All-Empire 8 selections, including Julius Klohr, a first team pick, who scored four goals in just six games last spring. In addition, second team selections Andy Loomis, Logan Schrock and Oscar Palacios return, looking to make an even greater impact in 2021. Brice Bogna, Houghton’s leading scorer in 2018 returns in 2021 and will help provide depth up front. The Highlanders are looking to make their fourth postseason appearance in the last seven seasons.
Russell Sage
The Gators of Russell Sage will look to win their first Empire 8 Championship in 2021. Russell Sage advanced to the Empire 8 Championship last spring and return 16 players from that squad, including All-Empire 8 selections Nathan Ficht, Jeaneste Pierre and Christian Vaalstuen. Ficht, a center back, earned first team accolades, while Pierre and Vaalstuen were second team picks. In addition, head coach Matt Esposito has brought in transfers Eduardo Sanchez, Mikey Considine and Kanon Tebo, who will make an immediate impact.
Nazareth
Nazareth, who rolled to the 2019 Empire 8 Championship, battled several injuries last spring but should be back at full strength in 2021. The Golden Flyers return 10 starters and 22 players from the spring, including senior standouts Sam Smyth and Zein Mohamed along with junior Dylan Rippe and Spring 2021 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, Cooper LaValley. Smith is a two-time All-Empire 8 selection, earning first team accolades in 2019 and second team plaudits in 2018. LaValley was also a first team pick last spring. Junior defender Jon Herrick returns after earning second team honors in the spring as well. Overall, Nazareth is looking to win its fifth Empire 8 title this season.
Utica
The Pioneers return 19 players and eight starters from the spring season, while advancing to the Empire 8 Tournament. Junior midfielder Sory Konate was an All-Empire 8 first team pick in 2021 and will be expected to lead the offensively. Ramazani Juni, a 2021 All-Empire 8 first team pick, will team with Konate to provide offense, while Colin McCarthy, Daniel Varsames and Patrick Hynes will anchor an experienced defensive unit. Both Varsames and Hynes are expected to move into the top-10 in school history for total games played. Hynes was a 2019 All-Empire 8 second team selection.
Alfred
Alfred advanced to the Empire 8 Tournament in the spring and returns all but five players from the squad, including junior Justin Eaton, who was the 2019 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year. Eaton burst onto the scene in 2019, scoring 13 goals in 16 games. Junior Andrew Macias and senior Gavin Harrington, along with sophomore transfer Stephen Schill and first-year Connor Scriven will also be counted on to lead the way.
Elmira
The Soaring Eagles return 15 players from their 2019 team that advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals. First-year head coach Lamine Balde will look to lift the Soaring Eagles back into the postseason. Senior midfielder Junior Coulibaly, along with Mark Brado, Jr., Giovanni Garufi, Gavin Wise and Nicholas Zanger will be counted on to lead the Soaring Eagles in 2021. Coulibaly was an All-Empire 8 honorable mention selection and was named to the Empire 8 Championship All-Tournament Team in 2019.
Hartwick
The Hawks are eligible for the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a Division III program in 2021. Hartwick enjoyed a long and storied history as a Division I men’s soccer program, having won the NCAA Championship in 1977. This season, the Hawks return a strong mix of veterans, coupled with several promising newcomers. Sophomore Jim Mahony will be counted on to lead the way in the midfield, along with Jimmy Noel, Jake Zona and Diego Espinola. Zona was an All-Empire 8 second team selection in 2019.
Keuka
Keuka makes its Empire 8 men’s soccer debut in 2021. The Wolves ended their reign in the NEAC coming up a goal short of making the NCAA Championship in 2019. Keuka returns 15 players from its 2019 team, including Seth Spurgeon, who scored eight goals in just 14 games as a sophomore that season. Suleman Sey will be counted on to patrol the midfield, while Ben McKeown will anchor the defensive unit for head coach Steve Christenson.
Final Spring 2021 Empire 8 Men’s Soccer Standings
St. John Fisher (6-1, 4-1 E8) – League Champions
Houghton (5-2, 4-1 E8)
Russell Sage (5-3, 3-2 E8)
Nazareth (3-3, 3-2 E8)
Utica (1-5, 1-4 E8)
Alfred (0-6, 0-5 E8)
^ Elmira, Hartwick and Keuka opted out of league play for the 2021 spring season.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
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