Academy Pelicans continue strong play, split matches against GCU, Union 10
Pensacola FC’s men’s academy side continues to hold its own against older, more experienced The League for Clubs teams.
PFC Academy 3, Gulf Coast United 2
Felipe Lawall, 37, controls the ball during a district match between Fort Walton Beach and Booker T. Washington high schools in February 2024. Lawall, who has committed to play college soccer at the University of West Florida, has starred for Pensacola FC Academy in its first three matches. CREDIT: Gregg Pachkowski/pnj.com
Lawall brace seals win
Felipe Lawall scored twice and Nolin Godwin added one of his own Saturday to lead Pensacola FC Academy to a 3-2 win against Gulf Coast United, its first in The League for Clubs.
“For us it was another game where I think we controlled the match for long stretches and created some good chances,” PFC Academy coach Kyle Sealy said. “The difference between this game and (the 1-1 tie against AFC Mobile) is that we had some special individual efforts from Lawall and Godwin that made the difference.”
Lawall gave the Pelicans the lead in the 29th minute, but GCU’s Michael Cooper scored in the first minute of first-half stoppage time to even the score before the break.
Godwin scored in the 76th minute and Lawall got his second in the 87th to build a 3-1 lead. Ronald Kellum got one back for the Gulfport, Miss., side in the 89th minute to keep the closing minutes interesting.
“Lawall is really just continuing his form from club and high school for the past 12 months; he has a great blend of athleticism, game IQ and technical ability and he is growing in confidence,” Sealy said of the Booker T. Washington High School graduate and University of West Florida commitment.
The coach is optimistic about the group’s potential.
“The goals we gave up were really mostly down to lapses in concentration, which I think will improve as this young group gets more minutes under their belt,” he said. “I have to give credit to the three guys in the back line that have played every minute for us so far in Tickner, Reyes and Carner. Also may be sounding like a broken record but we have a ton of strength in our depth and the guys that come in off the bench have been great with Godwin coming in to continue our subs grabbing game changing goals.
Starting Lineups
PFCA — Edwardo Alonzo, Justin Bolden, Camden Carner, Ryan Chandler, Jackson Clarke, Tunga Kagoro, Felipe Lawall, Brandon Reyes, Eric Romero, Irumva Steven, and Jacob Tickner. BENCH — Exavier Ali, Tanner Boxberger, Rohan Francis, Nolin Godwin, Hayden Olsen, Ricardo Santamaria
GCU — Oliver Everson; Nalder Worthy Jr., Joe Guinchard, Camden Hayes, Cameron Messer; Michael Bart III, Callum Black, Roderick Alexander III, Samuel Rogers; Micahel Cooper, Zachary Howard. BENCH — Ashton Yard, Jordan Hall, Julio Espinosa, Ronald Kellum
Union 10 FC 1, PFC Academy 0
Nolin Godwin, from Flomaton, Ala., is an attacking player for the Univrrsity of Mobile and Pensacola FC 1559, the men’s academy team. CREDIT: Pensacola FC
Union 10 shuts out PFC 1559
Union 10’s Josh Bynoe scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against Pensacola FC 1559, it’s men’s academy team, in a midweek match between teams from The League for Clubs’ Gulf Coast Conference.
The loss dropped Pensacola FC Academy to (1-1-1, 4 points, 0 goal differential). Union 10 FC (1-0-0, 3 points, +1) was playing its first match.
Starting Lineups
PFCA — Edwardo Alonzi, Justin Bolden, Camden Carner, Ryan Chandler, Jackson Clarke, Felipe Lawall, Brandon Reyes, Eric Romero, Jacob Tickner, Miller Thorsen, Josiah Arroyo. BENCH — Irumva Steven, Tunga Kagoro, Exavier Ali, Rohan Francis, Nolin Godwin, Hayden Olsen, Ricardo Santamaria
UNION 10 — Austin Davis, Jen Scarborough, Josh Bynoe, Niyo Claude, Sam McDonald, Grantham Morgan, Guido Solaro, Justin Long, Lucas Ros, Ramez Hasan, Jordan Sinclair. BENCH — Luke Schwarz, Lucas Joiner, Hidden Player.
NEXT UP
The PFC Academy men’s team’s next game is a rematch with Gulf Coast United. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Thursday at Herbert Wilson Stadium in Gulfport, Miss. The squad will host Valdosta FC on Saturday, May 31.