Hartford City FC to Kick Off 2024 NPSL Season Play on Saturday

Hartford, Conn. – After winning the North Atlantic Conference title a year ago, Hartford City FC get their 2024 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) season underway on Saturday, May 4^th by welcoming in NPSL expansion side New Jersey United AC to Trinity Health Stadium for a 7pm kickoff.

MATCH INFORMATION

Fans looking to purchase tickets for Saturday’s match can in person at Trinity Health Stadium (250 Huyshope Ave, Hartford, CT, 06106) when gates open approximately one hour before kickoff, or online by searching Hartford City FC on Soccerstub.com. Tickets cost $10 for Adults and all children under 12 get in for free.

The match will be live streamed via Hartford City FC’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HartfordCityFC) with veteran broadcaster JJ Duke handling Play-by-Play duties. Highlights on the match will be available on the teams’ social media channels in the days following.

A 2023 TO REMEMBER

For the second time in three seasons, The Colts secured the NPSL North Atlantic Conference title, but they had to do it the hard way after the team finished the regular season with a 5-3-2 record. It was an up-and-down regular season as Hartford City FC rattled off three straight wins to begin the season, but then picked up just one point from four matches from June 3-17. But the Colts found a second wind over the final stretch of the regular season by earning seven points from their final three matches, outscoring their opponents 12-2 during that stretch, to enter the postseason with momentum.

HCFC knocked off the New York Shockers 2-1 in the Conference semifinals after going down inside the first 12 minutes but rallied back with goals from Matt McGonigle and Patrick Osiecki to advance in the postseason. Three days later up in Poughkeepsie, NY, the Colts battled top-seed Kingston Stockade FC in the title match for scoreless 90 minutes, with goalie Jamis Fite coming up with a number of crucial saves to keep the match tied. But HCFC struck twice in extra time over a span of three minutes when McGonigle scored from the penalty spot, as he did in the semis, and Henry Hamilton scored just minutes later to give the Colts needed insurance, as Kingston pulled one back in the 120^th minute. Hartford City would see the match out, lift the trophy and advance back to the East Regional Playoff Semifinal.

HCFC would travel to the Regions’ top seed FC Motown the following week and played one of the wilder matches of the season as the hosts took a 2-0 lead inside of 20 minutes, only to see Hartford City claw their way back into the game when Jake Williams followed in his own rebound 10 minutes before halftime, and then tying it when Evan Southern scored his fourth goal of the season with a lobbed effort just minutes into the second half. But unfortunately for HCFC, it wasn’t enough as FC Motown scored the go-ahead goal in the 66^th minute and added a fourth in the 88^th minute for a 4-2 victory. While the result on the night wasn’t a favorable one, it proved that Hartford City FC were worthy champions of their conference and left everything out on the field against arguably one of the strongest teams traditionally in the region.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2024

There will be plenty of familiar faces returning for Hartford City FC from last year’s title winning squad across the field. The goalie core all returns including Jamis Fite, who was North Atlantic and East Region Best XI in 2022, and Nate DiLoreto as the pair combined to post three clean sheets in the regular season. Larson Richards returns in defense for his fifth season with the club as well as Griffin Tomas and Nate Becher, with the duo combining to appear in 14 matches for the Colts during the regular season.

Fan favorite Mark Grant embarks on his seventh season with the squad and is only two years removed from being named to the All-NPSL Best XI. Last year’s All-Conference honoree Jake Williams comes back after notching a pair of goals and assists from the midfield and 2023 regulars Parker Vasic and Patrick Osiecki, who scored the winner in the Conference Playoff semifinal, are back in the mix as well.

The goals flew in from the Evan’s last year and HCFC will hope for more of the same in 2024, as All-Region & All-Conference honoree Evan Southern registered four goals and three assists a year ago and returns alongside Evan Jones, who added four goals in limited duty.

After completing his fourth season as the clubs’ Head Coach in 2023, Nick Balistierri elected to shift his role ahead of this season to focus solely as the Director of Football for HCFC. Which opened the opportunity for former Colt Louis Beddouri to come back and take the Head Coaching reigns for the 2024 season. Beddouri, who recently earned his UEFA B License and has worked with various clubs in France, returns to the team that saw him excel as a player, earning All-Region and All-Conference Accolades, along with scoring 12 goals for the club. Beddouri will be behind the bench for the teams’ match on May 11^th against the New York Shockers, while assistant Carl Stensland will guide the team through this Saturday’s contest.

ABOUT OUR OPPONENT

It’s a debut match for New Jersey United AC, who were announced as an expansion club by the NPSL league office back in February. The club is owned by Faton Bauta, a former NCAA Division I College Football quarterback, and will play their home matches at Saint Joseph High School in Metuchen, NJ. New Jersey United’s coaching staff includes Fernando Barboto, a veteran NCAA Men’s Soccer Coach who has led NJIT, Iona and St. Francis Brooklyn in the past and is assisted by MLS veteran RJ Allen and Samuel Roca. And with the long-standing tradition of great soccer players who hail from the Garden State, there is no doubt that the club will be bringing a talented squad of local players that will made the club a great entrant into the league.

Credit: JJ Duke

May 3 at 11:33 am