Good Afternoon to all our members around the world:
What a phenomenal 2016 season your club has had over the period of 10 months with the First Team, Under-23s, and Under-19s!!!!
We begin with the First Team:
After finishing third in the National Premier Soccer League Keystone Conference and missing the Regional playoffs by only two points during the summer, the First Team bounced back in the Fall to capture dual championships in the East PA Amateur Cup and East PA Open Cup, respectively and places at the 2017 USASA Region I Cups.
Additionally, the First Team qualified for the prestigious 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup third qualifying as well as finishing first in the Philadelphia Premier Soccer League Fall Season.
During the 2016 season, the First Team played 27 official matches (NPSL, PPSL, EPSA Cups, Lamar Hunt Open Cup) with a 19-4-4 record. In the process, the First Team scored 67 goals while conceding 34 goals.
Anthony Allison led the team in goals with 17 from 20 appearances in all competitions. Mohamed Sesay led the team in assists with five in 12 appearances in all competitions. Prince Monyan lead the team in appearances with 18 in all competitions and he also led the goalkeeping department in clean sheets with seven.
Other achievements of the First Team included:
CHAMPIONS, 2016 NPSL Penn Challenge Cup
CHAMPIONS, 2016 U.S. African Cup
CHAMPIONS, 2016 Battle of the States
CHAMPIONS, 2016 PHL Unity Cup (Ivory Coast)
RUNNERS-UP, 2016 Battle of the East
Technical Staff on the First Team included:
Bobby Ali – Head Coach
Neewilli Saie – Assistant Coach
Kara Smith – Assistant Coach
JLSFC U23s
The U23s, mainly comprising of players under the age of 21 on the other hand, competed in the Diaspora World Cup League where they represented Liberia and the USASA Region I U23 Cup.
The U23s reached the Quarter-Final stage at the Diaspora World Cup and the Semi-Final stage at the USASA Region I U23 Cup.
During the 2016 season, the U23s played 14 official matches (Diaspora World Cup, USASA Region I U23 Cup, and an International Friendly) with a 10-1-3 record. In the process, the U23s scored 22 goals and conceded only 8 goals.
Bill Walleekendeh led the U23s in goals with 11 from 14 appearances. He also led the team in appearances with 14. Foray Thoronka led the U23s in assists with 5 from 10 appearances. Boubacar Keita led the goalkeeping department in clean sheets with 8 in 11 appearances for the U23s.
Other achievements of the U23s included:
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY: 2-0 win over England’s AFC Sudbury Academy U20s
SEMI-FINALISTS, 2016 Capital Cup
QUARTER-FINALISTS, 2016 Battle of the East
Technical Staff for the U23s included:
Neewilli Saie = Head Coach
Sallen Woewiyu = Assistant Coach
JLSFC U19s
The U19s competed in the EPYSA U19 State Cup in the summer as well as the Inter County Soccer League U19 Elite Division during the Fall.
The U19s reached the Quarter-Final stage of the EPYSA U19 State Cup where they lost after-extra time when the game was abandoned due to lightning. Even though they were disappointed and they felt they could’ve won that match, they went into the Inter-County Soccer League with more determination and they were crowned the Fall 2016 ICSL U19 Elite Division Champions!!!!
During the 2016 season, the U19s played 11 official matches (EPYSA U19 State Cup and ICSL Fall League) wherein they had a 9-0-2 record. In the process, the U19s scored 31 goals and conceded only 9 goals.
Abubakarr Bangura led the U19s in goals with 11 from 11 appearances in all competitions while Solomon Kamara led the goalkeeping department in clean sheets with 5 in 11 matches.
Technical Staff for the U19s included:
Samuel Cole = Head Coach
Idrissa Koroma = Assistant Coach
JLSFC Former Players
Two of our former players have been exceptional in 2016.
In the USA, our former U19 midfielder Derrick Jones signed his first ever pro contract with USL side Bethlehem Steel FC (third tier) before eventually signing a Homegrown deal with the Major League Soccer (MLS) side Philadelphia Union (first tier). The 19-year old Ghanaian/USA midfielder was a bright spot for the Steel in its inaugural season, scoring five goals and serving up three assists in 26 matches. He also made his debut for the Union in an international friendly match against English Premier League side Crystal Palace FC. Jones capped a successful 2016 season by being called to the U.S. U20 Men’s National Team where he played in four of the team’s five matches this Fall in England and Costa Rica.
In Europe, our former First Team defender Anthony Dunor was an integral part of IFK Haninge’s success this season after helping them gain promotion from Sweden’s Division 3 Sodra Svealand to Sweden’s Division 2 Sodra Svealand (fourth tier). Additionally, Dunor helped his club win the prestigious Stockholm Cup for the second successive year. The 25-year old Liberian/USA defender played in 12 of his club’s matches while scoring 1 goal during the season.
FOCUS ON 2017
We can’t wait to start the 2017 season!!! We have so much to do to give our players the exposure they need to move on to the next level.
In league competitions, the First Team will compete in the National Premier League and the Philadelphia Premier Soccer League. In cup competitions, the First Team will compete in the prestigious Lamar Hunt US Open Cup where we intend to reach the round wherein we get to plan a MLS side. The First Team will aslo have the USASA Region I Open and Amateur Cup and a subsequent USASA National Amateur Cup as well as the EPSA Open Cup and Amateur Cups in the Fall.
The U23s will be involved in the EDP U23 league and the US Club Soccer National Adult League. In cup competitions, the U23s will compete in the USASA Region I U23 Cup.
The U19s will compete in the Atlantic Premier League U19 Division in the Winter/Spring as well as the EDP Super 20 League in the summer. In cup competitions, the U19s will compete in the EPYSA State Indoor Cup as well as the EPYSA State U19 Cup and subsequent USYSA Regionals and USYSA Nationals.
In addition to league and cup games, a friendly match against a prestigious National team has already been confirmed for our U23s. Our First Team will be heading to both Florida and Canada for preseason as well as a post-season trip to Liberia in December. Our U19s will be involved in series of College Showcases around the country to give the players exposure to college coaches.
Even though this club is an amateur club, we intend to run this great organization in a more professional manner as our status in the United States has been elevated over the past five years.
We can only thank our supportive Board of Directors (Dempster Jardiah, George Beyan, Winston Smith, Mekehwon Myers), our hard-working Coaching Staff (Bobby Ali, Kara Smith, Neewilli Saie, Samuel Cole, Idrissa Koroma, Sallen Woewiyu), our phenomenal Captains (Anthony Allison, Fatoma Turay, Mitchell Torh, Joseph Aidoo, Vlandy Eric Slueue, Bill Walleekendeh, Solomon Kamara, Ephraim Sirleaf), and our 100 committed players from the club’s three teams who have made our 15th Anniversary season a resounding SUCCESS!!!
Special thanks reserved for the BEST fans in the country!!!! You guys stuck behind the club all throughout this season and you pushed our players to play at their maximum potential. You guys supported us in the cold weather when we lost our first preseason game 1-5 to Bethlehem Steel on February 26th and you guys were still supporting us in the cold weather when we defeated Phoenix Sport Club 3-2 to win the EPSA State Open Cup title on December 11th, thereby ending a very successful 2016 season. Without your unwavering support, we wouldn’t have achieved what we achieved.
To our Sponsors and Donors, we appreciate your financial support. When we didn’t have anywhere to turn, you were there to alleviate some of the costs we incurred. Thanks for those donations. They came in handy.
In the coming days or weeks, we will be announcing Coaching Staff for the various teams as we prepare for a busy 2017 season.
Once again, thanks to all those who have made this season a success.
Happy Holidays to you all and see you in 2017!!!!!!
Thankfully yours,
Paul A. Konneh, III
President and Executive Director
Junior Lone Star FC | Junior Lone Star Football Club, Inc.
p: 610-809-5985 | e: PKonneh@juniorlonestarfc.org
2016 EPSA State Open Cup Champions
2016 EPSA State Amateur Cup Champions
2016 NPSL Keystone Conference 3rd Place
2016 NPSL Penn Challenge Cup Champions
2016 USASA Region I U23 Semi-Finalists
2016 ICSL U19 ELITE Champions
2016 EPYSA U19 State Cup Quarter-Finalists
ONE COMMUNITY ONE TEAM ONE DREAM – OUR STARS
Celebrating 15 Years of Community Involvement Through Soccer (2001-2016)
Website: www.juniorlonestarfc.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/juniorlonestarfc
Twitter: www.twitter.com/juniorlonestar
Instagram: www.instagram.com/juniorlonestarfc
#JLSFC