Pensacola FC teams prepare for five matches in five days
PFC 1559, the men’s academy team, hosts AFC Mobile tonight, and both academy teams and the senior women play Saturday. The senior men play Sunday afternoon.
Justin Bolden, a senior captain at Tate High School in Cantonment, Fla., has committed to play for Huntington College in Montgomery, Ala. A speedy midfielder who can play outside back or either wing, he is expected to feature for Pensacola FC Academy this summer. CREDIT: Pensacola FC
AFC Mobile at PFC 1559
The League for Clubs may be a new organization, but the Pelicans of Pensacola FC and AFC Mobile’s Azaleas are old frenemies. They’ll renew that rivalry at 7 p.m. tonight at Ashton Brosnaham Stadium. Admission is $10.
The clubs have competed regularly since AFC Mobile was founded in 2015 — two years after Pensacola FC began play — first in the Gulf Coast Premier League, then the National Premier Soccer League’s Gulf Coast Conference. The Azaleas left NPSL after the 2022 season and, after sitting 2023 out, returned to GCPL play last year.
Like the Pensacola FC men’s senior team, PFC 1559 and AFC Mobile are competing in TLfC’s Gulf Coast Confrrence.
The PFC Academy features several players from area high schools just finishing or preparing to begin their first years in college.
“Our team is a younger group looking to make a big impact this season,” Kyle Sealy, 1559’s coach, said. “We have a lot of local players preparing for their freshman and sophomore collegiate seasons as well as a good group of returning players that will help us navigate the season.”
Sealy said the academy team will be aggressive.
“We plan to play our game focusing on being very proactive and playing on the front foot, forcing the opponent to deal with us on both ends of the pitch,” he said.
PFC ACADEMY
CREDIT: Pensacola FC
Youth night doubleheader
Pensacola FC’s men’s and women’s academy teams will host Gulf Coast United FC in an early season doubleheader Saturday, with the women kicking off at 4 p.m. and the men at 7 p.m.
It’s Youth Night at Ashton Brosnaham Stadium; each person who buys a $10 adult ticket can take their child into the stadium for free. Also, Pensacola FC will donate a percentage of Saturday’s proceeds to its Charity Partner, Children’s Home Society.
PFC LADY PELICANS
CREDIT: Pensacola FC
Lady Pelicans try again
Pensacola’s senior women’s team was scheduled to host its Women’s Premier Soccer League season-opener Friday against TLH Reckoning from Tallahassee, but the match was postponed because of electrical storms in the area. That match had not been rescheduled at this writing.
The PFC women are scheduled to play Florida Roots FC of Panama City at 7:15 p.m. Saturday at Choctawhatchee High School in Fort Walton Beach in the WPSL opener for both squads.
PFC PELICANS
CREDIT: Pensacola FC
Pelicans try to maintain form
The Pensacola men’s senior team won its season-opener 4-0 against Sowegans SC Saturday in Leesburg, Ga., behind a Bruno Marques hat trick.
The Pelicans will play Valdosta FC in their home opener beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday at Ashton Brosnaham Stadium. Admission is $10. Pensacola FC also is celebrating Senior Day; the club will recognize its graduating high school seniors.
Valdosta FC, in its inaugural season, lost 2-7 Saturday to Tallahassee SC.