GCPL Season Preview: Central Division

Home Venue: Olympia Stadium

2017 Season: 4th in west division; 2-6-0; 6 pts

Player to watch: Trevor Bisson (Midfielder) — The 19 year old Baton Rouge native returns home after an impressive freshman campaign at Rensselaer Polytechnics Institute, where he was named conference freshman of the year. The former BRSC academy standout could be the spark United need this summer.

Coach’s Corner: Adrian Garcia – “Our goal is to continue improving. Baton Rouge has a plethora of talent and we just need to continuing building the platform for them to perform. We want to make it to Mobile, that’s our goal.”

Writer’s predictions: In only their second season in the GCPL it will be interesting to see how Baton Rouge United responds after a lackluster 2017 campaign. Baton Rouge has structered their roster more like a U23 squad, which could be a cause of concern when facing the more seasoned clubs like Gaffa FC and Motagua New Orleans. However their are some young bright spots that could prove their quality this summer.

Home Venue: Freedom Ridge Stadium

2017 Season: 1st in east division; 7-3-0; 22 pts; league champions

Player to watch: Tom Cosgrave (Defender) – The GCPL Cup MVP was the anchor in Gaffa’s defense last season and looks to be more of the same this season.

Coach’s Corner: Brian Strong – “Obviously defending our title is our main priority, but we are set to test the waters on a national scale. Getting ourselves better prepared for the US Open Cup is also top of the list.

Writer’s predictions: The league champs return in 2018 with majority of their core players. The addition of former USL player, Phillip Buffington, will certainly add to an already impressive unit. If the Jackson Mississippi club can get their traveling woes in order, it’s quite likely they’ll be back in the big game.

Home Venue: Traceway Park

2017 Season: inaugural season

Player to watch: Grant Falla (Midfielder) – The Mississippi Rush product is an up and comer to keep an eye on. The former Pine Belt Sports Player of the Year and Mississippi College sopohmore will look to make a name for himself this summer in the GCPL.

Coach’s Corner: Rob Gardner – “We know we’re young and will have to prepare ourselves facing some of these clubs with seasoned veterans players, but we’re confident in our unit to perform well. We just want to see progress from our players this year, we’ll be pushing for playoffs, but the development is our main goal at the moment.”

Writer’s predictions: The Blues have built their squad with a more developmental approach and will looking to feature a good amount of young talent. In a similar situation like Baton Rouge United, the Clinton MS club may be challenged often versus the more seasoned clubs.

Home Venue: Pan American Stadium

2017 Season: 2nd in east division; 7-3-0; 21 pts; USASA Region III Champions; USASA National Cup Finalists

Player to watch: Reece Wilson (Forward) — Last season Wilson bagged nine goals and three assists in eight games played and is the all-time goal scorer for GCPL. The 29 year old hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. With the addition of Carson Gorecki and Gino Ray to Motagua’s attacking front, the Blue Eagles could be the most dangerous team going forward in the GCPL.

Coach’s Corner: Steven Morris – “Finding our rhythm early on is the key for us. We expect it out of each other to be the best team when we play. So we expect nothing less than another title.”

Writer’s predictions: Motagua New Orleans is one of the more successful clubs in the southeast United States, with loads of experience on a regional and national scale. In last year’s campaign, Motagua took some time to finding a rhythm that would get them back to their winning ways. A late season push saw them qualify for the semis, but an underwhelming peformance saw the Blue Eagles fall 3-2 to Cajun SC. If the New Orleans club can start the season off strong, they should be back in the playoff hunt come July.

Home Venue: Wolverine Stadium

2017 Season: inaugural season

Player to watch: Eric Schwing (Midfielder) – The former Baton Rouge United midfielder, who found himself on the All-West GCPL team last season, will look to do much of the same as he returns to his hometown.

Coach’s Corner: Nick Chetta – “We’re very confident that we’ll make some noise this season. We have a strong group of boys and the way they’ve been training has the coaching staff very excited to get started. Winning the GCPL Cup is our goal, that simple.”

Writer’s predictions: Northshore United saw some early success last summer during it’s first year of existence. With the emphasis on attracting up and coming younger players around the Northshore area, United has done a great job of adding a mix of seasoned players, who have played at the PDL and NPSL levels, in as well. The Covington based club could be the newcomer that surprises a few of the big boys.