Junior Lone Star FC is pleased to announce the club’s 2016 NPSL 14-match schedule on Friday, following the league’s release of the Keystone Conference schedule on Thursday.
Playing in the Keystone Conference of the Northeast Division, Junior Lone Star kicks off the 2016 campaign with three away matches, beginning with a weekend trip to the 2013 & 2014 Keystone Conference Champions Greater Binghamton FC Thunder and the Electric City Shock SC on Saturday, May 21st and Sunday, May 22nd, respectively. The Stars will then travel to BuxMont Torch FC on Wednesday, May 26th before playing their home opener on Sunday, May 29th against Jersey Blues FC at 6:30pm at the Monsignor Bonner Catholic High School in Drexel Hill, PA.
The team will play a total of 14 matches, 7 home and 7 away. The top two teams from the Keystone Conference will then progress to the Northeast Region playoffs where they will compete in a single-elimination bracket against the top two teams from the Mid-Atlantic Conference and the Atlantic Conference. The Northeast Region champions will then advance to the 2016 NPSL National Championship series where they will compete in a single-elimination bracket against the South, Midwest, and West Regions.
Junior Lone Star FC return to the NPSL after being on a hiatus during the 2015 season. The Stars finished fifth in their inaugural season in 2012, finished fourth in 2013, and third in 2014. The team will be led by head coach Bobby Ali, who has been at the helm since the club’s founding.
Meanwhile, the Stars will also compete in the inaugural Penn Challenge Cup NPSL during the 2016 NPSL Regular Season. The Penn Challenge Cup NPSL is a supporter-run contest that awards the club with the best record against Pennsylvania opponents during the regular season. The Penn Challenge Cup NPSL was created in partnership with BuxMont Torch FC, Electric City Shock SC, Hershey FC, and Junior Lone Star FC. The four clubs will play 12 Penn Challenge Cup fixtures throughout the 2016 NPSL season.
In another development, the Stars have scheduled two preseason matches against two NCAA Division II colleges from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (Wilmington University of Delaware, and Goldey-Beacom College, also from Delaware). The team will also compete in the 2016 Battle of the East Soccer Tournament (B.E.S.T) before the season opener.
The Stars will begin their preseason schedule this weekend when they travel to Newark, Delaware to play Wilmington University on Saturday, March 26th at 3:30pm before traveling to Wilmington, Delaware to play Goldey-Beacom College on Sunday, April 3rd at 3:00pm.
The full 2016 Junior Lone Star FC schedule is listed below, including pre-season matches (^) and Penn Challenge Cup matches (*):
Sat. March 26 at Wilmington University (3:30 PM – Wilmington University Sports Complex, Newark, DE)^
Sun. April 3 at Goldey-Beacom College (3:00 PM – Nancy Churchman Sawin Field, Wilmington, DE)^
Sat.-Sun. May 14-15 at Battle of the East Soccer Tournament (Philadelphia, PA)^
Sat. May 22 at GBFC Thunder (6:00 PM – Vison Field, Binghamton, NY)
Sun. May 23 at Electric City Shock SC (6:00 PM – University of Scranton, Scranton, PA)*
Wed. May 26 at BuxMont Torch FC (6:00 PM – Pennridge High School, Perkasie, PA)*
Sun. May 29 vs Jersey Blues FC (6:30 PM – Monsignor Bonner High School – Drexel Hill, PA)
Sat. June 4 vs GBFC Thunder (6:30 PM – Monsignor Bonner High School, Drexel Hill, PA)
Sun. June 5 vs Hershey FC (6:30 PM – Monsignor Bonner High School – Drexel Hill, PA)*
Sat. June 11 at NJ Copa FC (7:00 PM – Mercer County Community College – West Windsor, NJ)
Sat. June 18 at Hershey FC (6:30 PM – Hershey High School – Hershey, PA)*
Sun. June 19 vs BuxMont Torch FC (6:30 PM – Monsignor Bonner High School – Drexel Hill, PA)*
Sat. June 25 vs Clarkstown SC Eagles (6:30 PM – Monsignor Bonner High School – Drexel Hill, PA)
Sun. June 26 vs NJ Copa FC (6:30 PM – Monsignor Bonner High School – Drexel Hill, PA)
Sat. July 2 @ New Jersey Blues (5:30 PM – Drew University – Madison, NJ)
Sun. July 3 @ Clarkstown SC Eagles (4:00 PM – Ramapo College – Mahwah, NJ)
Sat. July 9 vs Electric City Shock SC (6:30 PM – Monsignor Bonner High School, Drexel Hill, PA)*
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE
The NPSL is a national league that operates in the 4th Division of the U.S. Soccer pyramid. NPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup through their affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The NPSL is the fastest-growing national soccer league in North America, operating in 80+ markets across the country. Six of the 12 North American Soccer League (NASL) clubs (New York Cosmos, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Jacksonville Armada, Indy Eleven, and Carolina Railhawks) operate teams in the NPSL. Visit www.npsl.com for more information.
ABOUT THE PENN CHALLENGE CUP NPSL
The Penn Challenge Cup NPSL, proposed by PENN97, is a supporter-run contest that awards the club with the best record against Pennsylvania opponents during the regular season. The Penn Challenge Cup NPSL was created in partnership with BuxMont Torch FC, Electric City Shock SC, Hershey FC, and Junior Lone Star FC. The four clubs will play twelve Penn Challenge Cup fixtures throughout the 2016 NPSL season. Visit www.penn97.com for more information.
ABOUT JUNIOR LONE STAR FOOTBALL CLUB
Junior Lone Star FC believes that the pursuit of excellence in the areas of academics and soccer helps develop maturity and self-confidence; therefore, the club provides the youth and young adults of the Philadelphia area with competitive and non-competitive soccer training so as to prepare them for collegiate and professional soccer. Junior Lone Star FC’s First Team compete in the National Premier Soccer League – Keystone Conference; the Reserves compete in the EDP U23 Premier League; and the Under-19s compete in the EDP U20 Super League. Visit www.juniorlonestarfc.org for more information.