Photo: Central Coach and PSP columnist Josh Trott talks to Central seniors. Photo courtesy of Kyla Brown.

Boys Soccer in the Public League is divided into three divisions, A, B, and C. Each year the top two teams in B and C  are promoted, while the bottom two in A and B are relegated. This year the top eight teams in A, and the top two in both B and C, will make the playoffs.

Public League A Division

In 2015 the Public League can expect one of the most exciting seasons in a long time with as many as eight teams likely contenders for the league championship.

Northeast returns a strong engine and proven goal scorer in Adin Carrera-Hernandez. He can expect a  team of great athletes behind him from the biggest school in the district. On the other hand, Northeast lost a lot with the graduation of goal scorer Abraham Kamara.

Philadelphia Academy Charter High School (PACHS) will also be strong, returning midfield forward combo Chris Schlegel and Stefan Koprovika. The team did graduate many other starters including Chase Nasife, who is going to play college ball for Immaculata University, and Wyatt Broohmead, who is bound for Bryn Athyn College. Coach Larry Teal reports that Rich Nagle, Dylan Prendergast and Blake McGeehan are bound for the U. S. Marines. The Philly tough they learned in the public league will stand them in good stead there.

Central High School graduated the bulk of their starting line, including Jason Pixley, who will play college soccer at West Chester University, and Abdul Sule, who will play at Bryn Athyn. The team returns central midfielder Nicolas Heredia and center back Jorge Linero, both four-year varsity players and three-year starters. The two will lead the team as co-captains.

Washington High School returns No. 23, Desmond Asuava. Asuava dominated the midfield last year and will only be better as a junior. Asuava traveled through Liberia without his family before making his way to the United States. Another Washington player to watch is the slippery Stephan Fyt­syk. Washington is a large school and still holds the most league championships over the last decade. Washington will contend again.

Olney High School did well last year, pushing all the way to the semifinal of the Public League playoff. The team graduated some talented attackers, and goalkeeping was not a strong spot last season, but with plenty of talent the team should hope for a finish in the top half of the A Division.

The two teams promoted out of B Division should also contend for places at the top of table. Furness, last year’s 2A Public League champ, defeated Prep Charter 3-0 to advance to the quarters, where they held undefeated Northeast at bay for seventy minutes before the eventual scored the lone goal of the game. Furness reportedly did not lose any major talent, and they should be a team to beat this year. Some who have seen the team in action report that, while small, they are organized and employ movement and clean two touch soccer.

Benjamin Franklin lost their best midfielder, but after two successive campaigns leading to promotions, they will play with a lot of confidence and should be able to beat anybody. They also were able to win their play-in game last year, beating Lincoln 3-1.

Some schools that may not contend for top honors but that will contend for playoff spots are Fels, Lincoln, Frankin Town Charter, and Prep Charter. Fels finished third last year, but graduated a large group of players. Lincoln limped into the playoffs last year, before falling to a B division team. They have some talent but also have holes. FTC just missed the playoffs last year, and while the team may be young, they will always play hard. The team took time to train unofficially this summer, and have some genuine talent on their team. Prep are like FTC, a small school that takes a lot of pride in their soccer. They will be in a fight this year to reach the final few playoff spots. Mohamed Kamara graduated to play for Bryn Athyn.

Prep’s Mohamed Kamara, now with Bryn Athyn. Courtesy of Bryn Athyn Soccer

South Philly High School will scrap to stay out of the relegation spots this year, as they have graduated core talent in two successive years.

B Division

Newly relegated Bartram should challenge to win the division with a very talented team which was only short four or five bodies from playing with everyone last year. Their top competition will be an energetic Masterman team and a committed Kensington squad. E&S and Palumbo will also be good this year.

C Division

Look to Swenson for a challenge to win the division. Roxborough worked hard to get ready this year, with coach Mark Dumsha scheduling more preseason games than anybody else in the C Division. Edison can expect to finish in the top half of the division as well.