2021 men’s soccer Y
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Season outlook The York Lions men’s soccer program is often spoken of as one of the best in the country, with a constant stream of A-list talent occupying the walls of York Lions Stadium. But when one program raises the bar for competition, others often follow. Head coach Carmine Isacco believes this year, accelerated by the pandemic, will signal a change of the guard in the OUA. Better competition has been ushered in, signifying the potential for a conference full of parity in 2021. “This season won’t be easy,” he said. “I think the playing field has leveled off in the OUA and the regular season games are going to be much more competitive. We will need to be very concentrated on our game plan, technically motivated and spot on with every roll of the ball.” Traditionally, York meets its most challenging opponents once the team gets out of the OUA and into the U SPORTS championship, and their recent record is impressive with just five regular-season losses in seven years. The Lions have reached
Omar Marzouk is another Lions top scorer who returns to the team roster this season; only he led the team in scoring in 2018. With 16 points (14 goals, two assists) and an OUA West all-star nod that campaign, he also had a knack for the dramatic with four game-winning goals over the course of that regular season. Jon Alec Duenas is a Lion to watch for the upcoming season as a potential contributor after a breakout playoff season in 2019. Duenas, as a third-year player, rose to sixth in team scoring (three goals, one assist) during the regular season, but when the Lions took the field for U SPORTS championships in Montreal he made a huge impact, scoring the winning goal in the consolation final over UBC, winning the player of the match award, and recording an assist in the consolation semifinal win over Calgary. Defensively, there will be many new faces on the pitch but the talent is there to continue York’s domination. Former
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WE WILL NEED TO BE VERY CONCENTRATED ON OUR GAME PLAN, TECHNICALLY MOTIVATED AND SPOT ON WITH EVERY ROLL OF THE BALL CARMINE ISACCO, MASTER COACH the OUA championship final and the national tournament in seven straight years and 10 times overall in Isacco’s 13 seasons at the helm. This year, Isacco’s group enters the season as the No. 5 ranked team in the country – behind the No. 4 Carleton Ravens, an OUA opponent who beat them 3-0 in the 2019 OUA championship. However, the team enters the year with a number of returning players poised to make an impact in 2021 with much of its trademarked skill and firepower still in place. Dieu Merci Yuma is among the returning players offering firepower. A former top scorer and championship winner in Portugal’s fourth division of professional soccer, Yuma was York’s scoring leader in his first season as a Lion in 2019, notching 11 points and earning a place on the OUA West first all-star team.
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YORK LIONS
Canada West all-rookie team member Joey Seo and returnees Marcus Brooks, Gabriel Jodhan and Marco Muia make up an impressive group on defence. Division changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic mean the Lions will play in the OUA East alongside teams they don’t traditionally see in the regular season, including Carleton, Ontario Tech, Ottawa, Queen’s, RMC and Trent. The top two teams in each division will automatically qualify for the playoffs, as will the next two best squads, and the eight that advance will play through to the two best facing off in the OUA championship on Saturday, Nov. 13.
2021 MEN’S SOCCER
SCHEDULE oct. 17
nov. 3
8:15PM
3:15PM
oua quarter-finals
SEP. 30
oct. 22
nov. 6
6PM
6:30PM
oua semifinals
SEP. 23
AT ontario tech AT trent
playoffs
VS ontario tech AT carleton playoffs OCT. 7
OCT. 24
nov. 13
2PM
3PM
championships
oct. 9
OCT. 29
nov. 18-21
3PM
8PM
championships
AT RMC VS rmc
VS CARLETON oua
VS queen’s u sports
oct. 15
OCT. 31
8PM
3:30PM
VS trent
CARLETON university
AT queen’s
2019 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS
2019 OUA PLAYOFF RESULTS
DATE Sat. Aug. 31 Thu. Sept. 5 Sun. Sept. 8 Fri. Sept. 13 Sun. Sept. 15 Fri. Sept. 20 Sun. Sept. 29 Wed. Oct. 2 Sat. Oct. 5 Sun. Oct. 6 Fri. Oct. 11 Sun. Oct. 13 Fri. Oct. 18 Sun. Oct. 20
Sun. Oct. 27 McMaster Fri. Nov. 1 Toronto Sat. Nov. 2 Carleton
OPPONENT RESULT vs. Guelph T 0-0 vs. McMaster W 1-0 at Waterloo W 4-0 vs. Western W 4-0 at Brock W 3-0 at Laurier W 9-3 at Guelph T 2-2 at McMaster T 0-0 at Brock W 5-0 vs. Waterloo W 1-0 vs. Laurier W 3-0 at Algoma W 10-0 at Western W 1-0 vs. Windsor W 1-0
W 4-1 W 2-0 L 0-3
Quarter-final Semifinal Championship
2019 U SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS at Université de Montréal Thu. Nov. 7 Montréal L 0-2 Fri. Nov. 8 Calgary W 3-2 Sat. Nov. 9 UBC W 1-0
Quarter-final Consolation Semifinal Consolation Final
Final regular season record: 11-0-3 Final playoff record: 4-2
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2019 stats REGULAR SEASON SCORING LEADERS Player Dieu Merci Yuma Chris Jacovou Soji Olatoye Lucas Puntillo Omar Marzouk Jon Alec Duenas Cristian Cavallini Eddie Lay Milan Beader Vaughan Bianchi Milan Drapic Michael Thornton Jorgo Nika Francesco Sinopoli Marcus Brooks Adam Parda Gianfranco Gileppo Josh Kiselyov Reggie Laryea
GP G 14 8 14 8 8 4 12 4 11 2 11 3 8 3 4 1 8 3 13 2 1 2 8 1 13 2 12 1 12 0 11 0 4 0 14 0 14 0
A 4 3 1 1 3 1 1 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1
P 12 11 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
PLAYOFF SCORING LEADERS GWG 3 2 1 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
REGULAR SEASON GOALKEEPERS Player Mike Argyrides George Tzimas
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YORK LIONS
GP GA SV SO W-L-T 14 15 38 11 9-1-3 1 0 1 0 0-0-0
Player Chris Jacovou Dieu Merci Yuma Vaughan Bianchi Jon Alec Duenas Eddie Lay Omar Marzouk Jorgo Nika Milan Beader Cristian Cavallini Gianfranco Gileppo
GP G 5 3 5 3 5 0 5 1 5 1 5 1 5 1 5 1 5 0 5 0
A 0 0 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 1
PTS GWG 3 1 3 1 3 0 2 1 2 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0
PLAYOFF GOALKEEPERS Player Mike Argyrides
GP GA SV SO W-L 6 8 30 2 4-2
* Bold denotes returning players
MASTER Coach CARMINE ISACCO Master Coach
Carmine Isacco was named the head coach of the Lions men’s soccer team in 2007 and has built the program into one of the best in U SPORTS. He is now the master coach of York’s soccer program, overseeing both the men’s and women’s teams, as well as the first assistant coach for York9 in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). The Lions men’s team has made nine appearances at the national championships with him at the helm and has won four national banners (2008, 2010, 2014-15). They are also six-time OUA champions under his guidance (2007, 2013-15, 2017-18) and have won provincial medals in 11 of the 12 years he has led the program. The Lions have finished first in the OUA West Division in each of his 12 seasons and have earned the No. 1 spot in the weekly U SPORTS rankings at least once in each year since he took over. In 2015, he guided the women’s soccer team to an undefeated regular season (15-0-1) and the team was ranked as high as No. 2 in the U SPORTS rankings. Isacco is a six-time recipient of the OUA men’s coach of the year award, (2007, 2010, 2012-14, 2016) and won his first OUA women’s coach of the year award in 2015. He is also a two-time U SPORTS coach of the year (2007, 2014) and a three-time York coach of the year (2010, 2015-16). In 2015 he served as a guest coach with the Canadian senior
men’s team for a pair of friendlies in advance of World Cup qualifying, and he was an assistant coach with the U22 team at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. He joined the Lions after spending two seasons as the head coach of the men’s team at the University of Toronto, where he led the Varsity Blues to a pair of OUA silver medals and a CIS silver medal in 2005. His coaching career has also seen him claim a national championship with the Hearts-Azzurri S.C. in the U18 division. In addition to his role as club head coach for Hearts-Azzurri, he also served as the club’s general manager, responsible for the administration of over 2000 young soccer players. As head coach of Toronto Supra in the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL), Isacco was named coach of the year in 2002 in the Ontario Youth Soccer League. As a player, Isacco took to the pitch at the University of Maryland, where he was named a freshman all-American and a three-time all-ACC first team member. In 1993 he participated in the World University Games. After graduating with a bachelor of arts degree from Maryland, he turned professional and played four seasons with the Toronto Italia Soccer Club in the National Soccer League (NSL). In his first season with the club he was named goalkeeper of the year and he also received Canadian all-star status three times. Following his stint in the NSL, Isacco was a player and assistant coach for the Milwaukee Rampage in the A-League. While with Milwaukee, he was named an all-league first-team all-star, playoff MVP and he captured a league title in 1997. He has also spent time with the Rochester Rhinos and Toronto Lynx as a player/assistant coach in the A-League. His indoor playing career in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) saw him claim a league title in 1998 with the Milwaukee Wave and he was named a league all-star while playing for the Edmonton Drillers. Other stops in the indoor NPSL include the Toronto Shooting Stars and Buffalo Blizzard.
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Assistant coaches LUCA FORNO
HIEU QUACH
Luca Forno joined the Lions coaching staff in 2010 after four seasons as a player on the team. He was a captain for three seasons (2007-09), earned the team MVP award in the squad’s OUA title-winning campaign in 2007 and also helped the Lions win the 2008 U SPORTS championship.
Hieu Quach has been with the Lions men’s soccer program since 2007. He came to York along with head coach Carmine Isacco and previously worked as an assistant under Isacco for two years at the University of Toronto. He has played a big role in the success experienced by the Lions, including the team’s six OUA banners (2007, 2013-15, 2017-18) and four U SPORTS titles (2008, 2010, 2014-15).
Associate Coach
He has been a key member of the coaching staff in the years since, adding five OUA titles (2013-15, 201718) and three national championships (2010, 2014-15) to his resume. Forno, who played one season at Francis Marion University in South Carolina before coming to York, graduated with a degree in administrative studies. He is also the Grassroots Director at Vaughan Soccer Club and serves as Referee Liaison with the Toronto FC and the MLS.
Assistant Coach
Quach was a three-year starter at central midfield for the Varsity Blues, earning a conference all-star selection in 1996 and academic all-Canadian honours in 1998. He graduated from the University of Toronto with an education degree after earning a bachelor of science from Dalhousie University.
Forno currently holds his CSA National B license as well as the CSA National Children’s license.
RASIH PALA
Goalkeeper Coach Pala’s playing experience as a goalkeeper is notable as he played professionally in the Turkish Second Division after spending four seasons as an NCAA Division 1 athlete at Northern Illinois University, playing both goalkeeper and attacking midfield. He also represented Canada at the CONCACAF U17 championships and won a national championship with the Ontario provincial team. He spent his entire youth career playing for local clubs within the Greater Toronto Area. Pala is currently completing his CSA National B licence. He holds his Ontario Soccer Goalkeeper Diploma and also has been facilitating the Ontario Goalkeeper Diploma course for coaches throughout the province over the past two years.
SUPPORT STAFF FRANCESCO VESCIO
Strength & Conditioning Coach
JOEY CICCHILLO
Strength & Conditioning Coach
ALEXANDRIA BOUSSEY Senior Student Therapist
PATRYK DLUGOSZ Student Therapist
LOVELEEN GAIDHU Student Therapist
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YORK LIONS
PLAYER PROFILE “As young players, you often show up and immediately want to prove yourself by working really hard. But you’re not necessarily working smart. You have to be smart, and poised on the ball during games to make the right plays.” Yuma enjoys spending time with the less experienced players on the team who aren’t receiving as much playing time, in order to encourage them to stay focused on their goals. He knows it can be tough to wait for their turn, but he tells them their time can come if they practice the right way. A good team needs its leaders. For the York Lions men’s soccer team, they got a good one for the 2019 year in Dieu Merci Yuma. It’s not every day that a U SPORTS institution gets to house players who are emerging from professional playing careers. But as Yuma explains, everyone has a unique path to get to their current point. “As soon as I left high school, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind. I wanted to play professional football, and I was going to no matter what.” So as soon as the 25-year-old graduated from Sir Wilfid Laurier C.I. in Guildwood Village, he was on a plane overseas to begin a professional career as a young man trying to make it in the vast, complex world of European professional football. He spent the next four years gaining life experience and developing his skills on the pitch. Yuma competed for FC Hlucin in the Czech Republic, CS Sedan in France, then finished his career with FC Cratos and FC Electrios in Portugal. He felt his best experience was in France, where he played in the commune of Sedan located in the mountainous northeast portion of the country called Ardennes.
Yuma’s expectations for this season are fairly onedimensional. He expects to win, and he expects to win everything. All the way up to the U SPORTS national championship. “We weren’t satisfied with a silver medal in 2019. There is a rich history here of winning OUAs, and that is the minimum. We expect to win everything. As far as this year, we’re setting the expectation of being a top team and being the team nobody wants to play against. ” Yuma also says his expectations are more defined this year because it’s his final year of eligibility. While he has only played out one full season at York (2019), Yuma’s number of eligible years is determined via an OUA regulation by the number of seasons he played professionally after turning 20. He played three, giving him two years to leave his impact with the Lions. On an individual level, he expects to have a “much better” year than he did in 2019 – a season where he already led the team in scoring and earned OUA West first-team allstar honours. “But it’s not really about that. In the end, if the team is successful, I’ll be happy.”
“The football is very rich there. Everyone is very good. You’re on a team where there is no weak link. If there is one, it’s you. I was also in an environment that was very unique – the soccer culture there is almost like a religion. People knew who I was walking around the town. It was very surreal.” In the sink or swim world of professional sports, Yuma had to showcase his prowess in order to earn a new contract every year. With that came a healthy dose of perspective he’s been able to pass along to his new Lions teammates. 2021 men’s soccer
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roster 24
PEDRO APARICIO
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MARCUS BROOKS
M 5-10 • 165 3rd Year
D 6-0 • 180 4th Year
Schulich School of Business Toronto, Ont. Neil McNeil H.S.
Mechanical Engineering Calgary, Alta. Dr. E.P. Scarlett H.S.
Commerce Brampton, Ont. Castlebrook S.S. / University of Memphis
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DANIEL CASA
• Appeared in 13 games and started nine in the midfield • Scored two goals and added one assist, also recorded five shots and two shots on goal • Started five of six playoff games and led the OUA with three assists • A composed midfielder who sees the field well and finds spaces to get into the final third • Won the silver medal at the 2017 Canada Summer Games with Team Alberta
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ALESSANDRO CALADO
• Started 12 games on defence at right back, recording one assist on the season • A strong, physical defender with a good ability to get forward • Appeared in five games in one season with the University of Memphis • Member of Brampton Youth for four years and was on three championship teams from 2012-14
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SEBASTIAN COLLURA
D 5-6 • 130 1st Year
M 5-11 • 155 1st Year
F 6-0 • 165 1st Year
Commerce Toronto, Ont. Chaminade College School
Kinesiology & Health Science Winnipeg, Man. University Hill S.S.
English Thornhill, Ont. St. Theresa of Lisieux C.H.S.
• A disciplined, hard-working fullback with great one-on-one defensive skills • Won four straight OPDL league championships with club team • Regular captain on club squads throughout his career
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MATHEUS DE ALMEIDA
• A technically gifted midfielder / winger with a good work rate • Played for Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy • Helped Team Manitoba finish in second place at the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games • In 2018, was named the Manitoba player of the year and made the Top X1 in the club nationals
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FRANKROSS DI MATTEO
• A talented attacker who is dangerous in and around the net • Won back-to-back York Region championships in 2017 and 2018 and qualified for OFSAA both seasons • Named senior male athlete of the year in 2017
2
MILO DJURICIC
M 5-10 • 150 1st Year
D 5-8 • 165 1st Year
D 6-4 • 190 1st Year
Criminology Woodbridge, Ont. Bishop Allen Academy
Human Resources Management Vaughan Ont. St. Joan of Arc C.H.S.
Commerce Brampton, Ont. St. Michael’s College School
• A technical midfielder with good vision
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JON ALEC DUENAS
M 5-10 • 155 4th Year Criminology North York, Ont. Msgr. Percy Johnson C.S.S. / Hastings College • Appeared in 12 games as a reserve midfielder and tied for sixth in team scoring with three goals and one assist • Dressed in all six playoff games, scoring the winning goal in the consolation final over UBC and had an assist in the consolation semifinal win over Calgary • A tricky technical winger with a quality first touch • Won the gold medal at the Canada Summer Games in 2017 with Team Ontario
YORK LIONS
VAUGHAN BIANCHI
M 5-10 • 160 1st Year
• A pacey defender who likes to get forward and has incredible work ethic • Appeared in 11 matches and made seven starts for New Haven University in the NCAA, scoring one goal against Post on Oct. 15
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• A physical left back with good technical skill • Won Ontario Cup titles at the U18 and U21 levels with Vaughan Soccer Club
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SHYON GAEENI
• A strong, physical presence on the back line who has the ability to be a program leader in the future • Named the junior athlete of the year in 2016 and was named senior soccer MVP in 2018 while leading his team in assists • Received St. Michael’s Archangel Award for the best combination of athletics and academics
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AGOSTINO GRECO
GK 6-1 • 195 3rd Year
M 5-9 • 155 3rd Year
Commerce Toronto, Ont. William Lyon Mackenzie C.I.
Commerce, Management Bolton, Ont. St. Michael S.S. / Alderson Broaddus College
• Appeared in two playoff games as a first-year goalkeeper in 2018, picking up a clean sheet in the 1-0 victory over UNB in U SPORTS consolation semifinals • A good shot-stopper with a strong physical presence in the net • Played previously with Vaughan Azzurri of League1 Ontario
• A versatile midfielder with tons of energy and excellent vision Scored three goals and had four assists at Alderson Broaddus University • Profile missing • OFSAA Champions in 2017 with St. Michael S.S.
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JUSTIN HENDRIKS
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GABRIEL JODHAN
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BARYAL KHAN
D/M 6-0 • 145 1st Year
D 6-0 • 170 3rd Year
D 6-1 • 175 1st Year
Engineering Brampton, Ont. Cardinal Ambrozic S.S.
Communications Studies Aurora, Ont. Aurora H.S.
Kinesiology & Health Science Hamilton, Ont. St. Jean de Brebeuf C.S.S.
• A versatile player with good technical skill • Is shifty and has great one-on-one abilities • Former athlete of the year at Cardinal Ambrozic.
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OMAR MARZOUK
• Appeared in 13 games and started three on defence • A defender with a high technical skill level who is strong at playing out of the back • Won the gold medal at the Canada Summer Games in 2017 with Team Ontario
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DANIEL MCINTOSH
• A tenacious, strong defender • Team captain of boys’ soccer team at St. Jean de Brebeuf … Named to the honour roll in each year of high school
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MAHMOUD MEHDI
F 6-1 • 180 4th Year
D/M 6-0 • 180 3rd Year
M 6-2 • 175 1st Year
French Studies North York, Ont. Sir John A. Macdonald C.I.
Sociology Toronto, Ont. Dunbarton H.S. / La Salle U / Western Illinois University
Information Technology Mississauga, Ont. E.S. Gaetan Gervais
• Appeared in 11 games and started eight after an injury forced • A versatile athlete who plays both midfield and defence and has a strong physical presence him to miss time early in the season • Dressed for all six playoff games and started two, scoring one • Appeared in 25 games over two seasons in the NCAA at La Salle and Western Illinois goal, the second tally in the semifinal win over Toronto, and • Was twice named the LOSSA finals MVP while starring for the added an assist at the national tournament boys’ soccer team at Dunbarton and leading the team to two • Scored his first career goal in 2017 OUA semifinals with LOSSA championship titles, also won OFSAA gold medal seconds remaining in injury time to tie the game and send it to overtime • A striker with raw talent and incredible pace and intuition
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MATTHEW MOLLICOLA
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MUDASER MUHTAJ
• A shifty technical winger with good one-on-one attacking abilities
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MARCO MUIA
F 5-7 • 150 1st Year
M 5-6 • 132 1st Year
D 6-4 • 195 2nd Year
Neuroscience Maple, Ont. Blyth Academy
Kinesiology & Health Science Bowmanville, Ont. David & Mary Thompson C.I.
Psychology Vaughan Ont. Bill Crothers S.S. / St. John’s University
• A technically gifted attacking player with a dangerous left foot • A former Team Ontario player • Spent the last three years in Europe, playing for a variety of clubs including Benfica, Estoril, Brentford FC and Pisa
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SHAYNE NAZREN
• A dynamic midfielder with great technical ability • Participated in soccer and cross country in high school and advanced to the OFSAA championships in both sports
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SOJI OLATOYE
• Comes from a high pedigree and has the talent to be a significant piece of the team’s back line • Appeared in six games and started one in first season with the Lions • A member of Team Ontario for three years • Earned an invitation to the Canadian national team camp in 2015 • Starred on the boys’ soccer team at St. Marcellinus, winning the ROPSSA championship.
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JAYTIN PABLA
M 5-11 • 165 1st Year
M/F 5-10 • 150 4th Year
D/M 6-0 • 165 1st Year
Kinesiology & Health Science Mississauga, Ont. St. Marcellinus S.S.
Psychology Brampton, Ont. Notre Dame C.S.S. / La Salle University
Commerce Woodbridge, Ont. Emily Carr S.S.
• A hard-working midfielder with good vision • Helped club team reach the Ontario Cup finals • Former member of the Ontario provincial team.
• Appeared in eight games and started seven in first season before missing the end of the season with an injury • Tied for fourth in team scoring with four goals • In 2018, led NCAA’s La Salle in goals (six), points (13), shots (24), shots on goal (14) and game-winning goals (two) and earned conference all-star honours
• A creative midfielder with great vision and skill • Can also play in the back thanks to his strong ball distribution abilities • Former member of Toronto FC Academy • Participated in multiple age-group showcases with the Canadian national team
2021 men’s soccer
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JELANI PARSONS
GK 5-9 • 150 1st Year
M 5-11 • 147 1st Year
Engineering Aurora, Ont. Cardinal Carter C.H.S.
Schulich School of Business Maple, Ont. Cardinal Carter C.H.S.
Business & Society Brampton, Ont. Edmund Campion S.S.
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• A goalkeeper with great technique and a good shot-stopper • Won multiple club championships with Vaughan at the Ontario Cup • Captained senior boys soccer team at Cardinal Carter and won MVP in 2020
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JOEY SEO
NIKO SIGUR
• An active box-to-box midfielder with excellent work ethic and technique
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MARCEL TESOLIN
D 5-10 • 165 2nd Year
M 5-11 • 160 1st Year
M 5-9 • 160 2nd Year
Kinesiology & Health Science Victoria, B.C. Belmont S.S. / Camosun College / Trinity Western University
Business Economics Burnaby, B.C. Notre Dame S.S.
Kinesiology & Health Science Brampton, Ont. St. Marcellinus S.S. / La Salle University
• A relentless fullback who brings good physicality and strong technique • Spent one season with Trinity Western in 2019, playing in 13 games and earning a spot on the Canada West all-rookie team • Had a trial in the Canadian Premier League • Has previously played in Brazil and South Korea
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MICHAEL THORNTON
• A very technical midfielder who can impact the game on both ends • As a member of Mountain United, won the 2016 BC provincial championship and the 2018 BCSPL League Cup title, ending the season as the team’s leader in goals, assists and minutes played in 2019 • Former a member of Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy, winning the USSDA Northwest Division championship in 2018
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GEORGE TZIMAS
• An experienced, box-to-box midfielder with great work rate and good feet • Appeared in 10 games with the La Salle Explorers in one season, including one start
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JON VENTRELLA
F 5-9 • 173 3rd Year
GK 6-1 3rd Year • 190
D 5-7 3rd Year
Kinesiology & Health Science Toronto, Ont. Monarch Park C.I. / University of Memphis
Commerce, Accounting Vaughan, Ont. St. Joan of Arc C.H.S. / St. Thomas University
Social Work Fairbanks, Alaska Hutchison H.S. / Southwestern Oregon College
• A fast, dynamic one-on-one player with an honest work rate • Appeared in eight games and started one in first season with the Lions, scoring the first goal of his career in a 4-0 win over Waterloo and also added one assist on the season • Trained with multiple European soccer clubs in his youth, including A.C. Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester Spent multiple seasons in Europe, with FC Hlucin in the Czech Republic, FC Crato and FC Electrios in Portugal, an Electricio F.C. in Portugal City
YORK LIONS
STEFANO PANTALEO
M 5-4 • 120 3rd Year
• Appeared in seven games in the midfield, recording two shots and one shot on goal • A quick midfielder with strong attacking traits • Captain of high school team and earned MVP honours in his senior season • Is a triplet and both sisters, Julia and Victoria, are members of the Lions women’s soccer team
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AGOSTINO PRINCIPATO
• Played in one game in his first season with the Lions, taking over at halftime and making one save in a 10-0 win over Algoma • A very athletic goalkeeper with a good mentality in the net • Spent one season at St. Thomas, posting an undefeated record in nine regular-season games and helping the team finish in second place in the standings and reach the CCAA national tournament • Earned second-team all-star honours while with the Tommies
• A box-to-box midfielder with an excellent engine and strong passing abilities • A multi-sport athlete in high school, he was a two-time boys’ basketball team MVP at Our Lady of the Bay
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JADON VILFORT
ANTHONY WILLIAMS
roster 9
DIEU MERCI YUMA
D 6-2 • 190 2nd Year
D 5-8 • 160 1st Year
F 6-1 • 182 4th Year
Psychology Ottawa, Ont. St. Joseph C.H.S.
Kinesiology & Health Science Mississauga, Ont. St. Marcellinus S.S.
Kinesiology & Health Science Toronto, Ont. Sir Wilfrid Laurier C.I.
• A quick, hard-working attacking player who constantly drives at opponents • Former Ontario Cup finalist in 2018
• A strong, tenacious defender with great technical abilities • Former member of the Ottawa Fury FC, winning the team’s Community Award in 2019
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EMMANUEL ZAMBAZIS
FILIP ZENDELEK
M 6-0 • 160 3rd Year
GK 6-3 • 170 1st Year
Health Studies Toronto, Ont. Pinewood International School
Kinesiology & Health Science Churchill, Ont. Holy Trinity C.H.S.
• Named OUA West second-team all-star in first season with Lions • Drafted in second round, 11th overall by York9 FC in inaugural Canadian Premier League-U SPORTS draft. • A smart and calm midfielder with elite vision, skill and ball handling ability • Played in 12 games for Lions at midfield, notching one goal and two assists • Played three seasons with Iraklis in the Greek Football League • Participated in Canadian youth national team camps and represented Canada at the 2017 CONCACAF U20 championship • In 2016, played with the Greece national U19 in two friendlies against the Czech Republic
• Earned OUA West first-team all-star honours • Started all 14 games at forward in first season with the Lions, tied for the team lead in goals (eight) and ranked first in assists (four) and total points (12), ranked fourth overall in OUA scoring • A big, physical attacker with good feet who can find goals in many different ways • Spent multiple seasons in Europe, with FC Hlucin in the Czech Republic, FC Crato and FC Electrios in Portugal, an Electricio F.C. in Portugal • Won Division 4 championship and was fourth in league scoring while playing in Portgual
• A goalkeeper with great reflexes who is excellent with the ball at his feet
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men’s soccer