Road Work: Sunday will be the first WSC (0-1-1) road match of the season. WSC finished the ’25 season 2-8-5 on the road, and 3-13-3 against clubs holding a playoff spot. That includes wins at Madison and Texoma and a 4-4 tie at Richmond, which is the club’s high mark for goals scored.
Youngest, Fastest and First: The early season has brought WSC some new milestones. Dean Guezen’s goal vs Charlotte just 45 seconds into the match was the fastest in club history, while Kyle Evans became the youngest goal scorer in club history with his stoppage-time finish against One Knoxville in the opener, notching his first professional goal aged 20 years, 146 days old, surpassing the mark of Ermin Mackic (20 years, 174 days). Andrew Hammersley also notched his first career clean sheet against NY Renegades in US Open Cup play.
Late Goal Forces 1-1 Draw: Viggo Ortiz scored seven minutes into extra time of the second half with a right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner to complete a very late rally and give Charlotte Independence a 1-1 come from behind draw with WSC Saturday night in Mt. Vernon. WSC had the lead for literally more than 90 minutes of play, as Dean Guezen’s left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner off a pass from Daniel Burko beat Charlotte keeper Matt Levy just 45 seconds into the match to give WSC a 1-0 lead, the fastest score in the clubs two seasons in USL League One play. The match was tight throughout, and WSC has a chance to go up 2-0 in the 7st minute, but Levy stopped Koen Blommestijn with a left footed shot from the centre of the box in the bottom right corner to keep the score at 1-0. It looked like WSC second year keeper Andrew Hammersley was going to earn his first career clean sheet as the clubs entered extra time, especially after turning back several Charlotte volleys in the last few minutes, but Ortiz was able to find the back of the net to salvage the tie. WSC outshot Charlotte 20-8, the second straight game they had more attempts than their opponent, but still ended up with the draw.
Season One vs. Greenville: Westchester SC officially arrived in USL League One last March 8, earning a hard fought 1-1 road draw against Greenville Triumph SC at Paladin Stadium in Greenville, SC. WSC wasted no time making their presence felt, earning a penalty in the 12th minute when Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. went down in the box. Westchester grabbed the early advantage after Obregón netted the attempt for the club’s historic first goal, but their lead was brief. The Triumph responded in kind, winning a penalty of their own in the 29th minute, which Sebastian Velasquez confidently converted to bring the match level at 1-1 before halftime. The second half saw moments of brilliance from both sides, with WSC keeper Dane Jacomen beating back a near-goal from Ben Zakowski and Chapa Herrera, and both sides struggled to maintain attacking momentum in harsh, windy conditions.
In the second matchup on July 2, The Triumph jumped out early and rode a trio of first half scores to a 3-0 whitewash of WSC. Greenville stormed out the gates early, with Rodrigo Robles scoring a brace and Chapa Herrera converting from the penalty spot in the first half, and Gunther Rankenburg turned back 12 shots to earn the clean sheet, giving the Triumph consecutive wins for the first time this season. It was also the first time they were blanked at home in USL League One play.
In US Open Cup: Daniel Burko converted a penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner in the 34th minute and added a second tally with a right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner in the 83rd minute, and second year keeper Andrew Hammersley recorded his first career clean sheet as Westchester Soccer Club opened US Open Cup play with a 2-0 win over New York Renegades Thursday night in Mt. Vernon. WSC largely controlled play throughout the match, holding possession 60% of the time, with eight shots on goal (as well as one shot off the crossbar) compared to just three shots on goal for Renegades. Burko, who has been among the early standouts for WSC became the second player in the two year history of the club to have two scores in a match, with J.C. Obregon being the only other player with more than one tally in any match last season. The win advances WSC to the second round of US Open Cup for the second consecutive year. WSC went 2-1 in the ’25 US Open Cup, posting their first-ever club win, 1-0 over FC Motown in Montclair, NJ on March 18 and following that up by beating the New York Pancyprian Freedoms 3-2 at The Stadium at Memorial Field, on April 2. In the third match, Jeciel Cedeño converted the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner in the eighty-fifth minute, breaking a 1-1 second half tie and giving Detroit City FC a 2-1 lead that they never relinquished, on their way to an eventual 3-1 win April 19th in the third round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in Hamtramck, Michigan.
WSC will hit the road for their second round US Open Cup matchup, travelling to Burlington, Vermont to take on the reigning USL League 2 Champions Vermont Green on April 1 at 7 pm.
Powder Call Up: The club also learned that defender Noah Powder (Edison, NJ) has been called up to the Trinidad and Tobago National Team for their upcoming FIFA Series 2026 matches in Uzebekistan, where they will meet Venezuela on March 27 and 30th respectively. Powder has represented Trinidad and Tobago at the international level since 2015. Powder made his senior national team debut in an international friendly against the United States on Feb. 1, 2021. Since then, he’s gone on to make 23 appearances and provided two goals and four assists for the Soca Warriors across Concacaf Nations League, Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA World Cup qualification play. Powder had a solid two-way performance, completing 20 of 25 passes and winning 5 of 6 duels and 2 of 3 tackles while making seven recoveries, four interceptions and four clearances against Charlotte in Week Two.
Close Shaves Still Cut Deep: The one goal loss in the opener to Knoxville continued a pattern for WSC from their inaugural season, when they went 2-14-7 when they entered the second 45 either tied or behind and were 2-11 in one goal w/l decisions. Six of their least eight home matches have now been decided by one goal. WSC was 2-14-7 when they entered the second 45 either tied or behind with Saturday’s draw. They were 2-11 in one goal w/l decisions, and were blanked five times, three times time at home. WSC’s longest winless streak (excluding their 3-0 forfeit win over Spokane on July 16) was a 12 match streak which started after a 2-1 win at Forward Madison on June 18 and ended with a 2-1 win over Texoma on Sept. 21. That stretch included six one goal losses and three ties.
New Faces Make Debuts. Westchester Soccer Club has a decidedly young and local look as the 2026 season comes closer, as new Head Coach and General Manager George Gjokaj has at least 14 athletes with local roots on the potential opening day roster.
Goalkeeper: Mattias Molina (Rosario, Argentina/Seton Hall), Defenders: Aleksei Armas (Florham Park, NY/Hofstra and Adelphi), Maximus Jennings (Montclair, NJ/Georgetown), Tim Timchenko (Kyiv, Ukraine/Iona), Mo Williams (West Orange, NJ/Notre Dame/Seton Hall), Midfielders: Aiden Borra (Syosset, NY/Sacred Heart and St. John’s), Kyle Evans (Rock Hill, NY/Marist), Forwards: Daniel Burko (Løvenstad, Norway/Hofstra), Miguel Diaz (Brooklyn, NY/St. John’s), Charlie Dickerson (Norwich, England/Providence).
The 10 newcomers join 14 returnees on the WSC preseason roster. Amongst the returning players, Goalkeeper Andrew Hammersley (Garden City, NY/Sacred Heart), Defender Noah Powder (Edison, NJ), Midfielder Conor McGlynn (Middle Village, NY/Siena College), and Forwards Ermin Mackic (Yonkers NY/SUNY Purchase), and Samory Powder (Edison, NJ) also have ties to the New York area.
Partners for ’26: WSC’s list of partners for the season include: Northwell (Healthcare), Healthfirst (Health Insurance), Leros Transportation Group (Transportation), Meagher & Meagher, Attorneys at Law (Personal Injury Law), Breezemont Day Camp (Summer Camp), RXR (Real Estate Development), MSG Networks (Media & Broadcasting), The Taco Project (Restaurant & Food), Duck Donuts (Restaurant & Food), Score PT (Physical Therapy), Walter’s (Restaurant & Food), Keller Williams (Real Estate), ICE AIR (HVAC), Westchester Smoothie (Restaurant & Food), Saw Mill Stone & Masonry Supply (Masonry/Retail), Floor & Décor Flooring & Home Improvement (Home Improvement/Retail), The Gentleman’s Lab (Men’s Grooming / Barbershop), Agora (Social Group), CPR Foundation (Non-Profit/Foundation), Velvet Llama (Liquor), Rory Dolan’s Restaurant & Bar (Restaurant & Food), and Strategic Security Corp (Security Services).
Up Next: WSC visits Vermont in US Open Cup play on April 1 before hosting Corpus Christi in USL League One play on April 4 and Sarasota on April 8.
