Before we release our full-fledged previews (watch for them next week), the Pennsylvania boys soccer season will begin.
Here is a list of the best returning boys soccer players to look out for in 2025, in place of the summaries of the Colonial League and Eastern Pennsylvania Conference.
14 boys soccer players to watch
Ibrahim Bah, Senior FWD, Hackettstown
Last fall, Bah, the sole non-senior first-team selection for the 2024 lehighvalleylive.com All-Area Boys Soccer team, had six assists and the most goals (35) of any local player making a comeback to the pitch. Bah was selected as a first-team all-star in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division and NJ.com Group 2 All-State in 2024.
Junior FWD Voorhees and Matthew Gomes
With 24 goals and six assists in the previous season, Gomes led all Hunterdon County players in scoring. As a sophomore, Gomes was selected to the NJSIAA Group 2 All-State second team. In 2024, he scored or assisted in 18 of the Vikings’ 23 games.
Cole Mertz, Jr. FWD, Northwestern Lehigh
Despite being overshadowed by Jacob Van Lierop’s record-breaking goal total from the previous season, Mertz finished his sophomore season with 23 goals and 15 assists. Nathan Hunsicker, the coach of Northwestern Lehigh, believes the Tigers will be a formidable team in the future, thus expect Mertz’s goal total to rise this season.
William Allen and Sr. FWD Wilonja Esomba
Esomba’s first season with Allen and his first year in the US were both last year. Esomba, who was selected as a 2024 EPC first-team all-star, finished the previous season with 19 goals and 7 assists.
Junior FWD Pleasant Valley’s Royce Thompson
Isaac Blagogee, the coach of Pleasant Valley, said that Thompson was a powerful attacking danger the previous season. Thompson, who mostly played on the wing for the Bears, finished his sophomore season with 17 goals and eight assists.
Selman Eris, Senior FWD, Moravian Academy
Eris has scored 31 goals and provided 22 assists in his first three seasons with the Lions, including a career-high 17 goals in his junior year. Eris was selected to the third team of the 2024 LehighValleyLive.com All-Area.
Jake Cooke, Senior FWD/MID, Delaware Valley
Coach Mike Miklosey of Del Val says Cooke is a leader on the field with dominant skills. Cooke starts his senior season with 22 goals and 17 assists, having finished his junior season with 13 goals and a team-high nine assists.
Logan Mesics, Senior MID, Northwestern Lehigh
Mesics scored 20 goals and provided 14 assists while playing at the center of the Tigers’ midfield the previous season. During its undefeated 2024 season, Mesics scored or contributed to all but two of Northwestern Lehigh’s ten league, district, and state playoff victories.
Caelan Stangil, Senior MID, Northwestern Lehigh
Stangil scored 15 goals and had 20 assists last season, more than any other local player returning this season. Stangil was selected to the third team of the 2024 LehighValleyLive.com All-Area.
Dante Keen, Senior MID/DEF, Northampton
Keen finished third on the Konkrete Kids in assists with ten, despite spending the majority of the previous season playing on the right side of their defense three. Chris Bastidas, the coach of Northampton, praised Keen’s one-on-one defense and back-row distribution.
Senior DEF Soleymani Ben, Freedom
Freedom coach Tyler Nolan says Soleymani, who is starting his fourth season in the Patriots’ back line, is an important piece of the team. Centerback Soleymani was selected as an EPC second-team all-star in 2024.
Junior DEF Emmaus and Ben Grossi
Due in part to his ability to deliver free kicks and corner kicks, Grossi led the Green Hornets with 10 assists while starting at fullback in his sophomore season. Grossi was selected to the EPC third team all-star squad and the Lehigh Valley Live.com third team all-area team in 2024.
Senior GK William Allen, Martin Severo
Severo, who switched from playing on the field to goal in high school, finished his junior year with 84 saves and eight clean sheets. Severo was selected as an EPC third-team all-star in 2024.
Senior GK Bangor’s Christian Fekete
James Ellison, the coach of Bangor, said Fekete had a dominant presence in the box and saved multiple penalties. Fekete scored two goals and provided two assists as a junior, demonstrating his versatility when used in attack.
Your support is essential to our journalism. Please sign up for a lehighvalleylive.com subscription now.
You may contact Desmond Boyle at [email protected].
MORE BOYS SOCCER
-
Phillipsburg highlights senior athletes taking career to next level
-
Nazareth honors nearly 50 athletes with signing ceremony
-
Freedom sends off senior athletes with signing event
