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The top returning Vermont high school boys soccer players? Our 2023 watchlist.

alex abrami, burlington free press
·7 min read

With the return of high school sports for the 2023-24 year just around the corner, it's time to draw up interest and intrigue with our seasonal preview content.

After conversations, texts and email messages with coaches and media colleagues throughout Vermont, below are the state's top returning boys soccer players. The list includes South Burlington's Hammad Ali and Oliver Clifford, second-team selections for Free Press all-state who helped the Wolves track down the Division I crown, and Colchester's Jacques Alfani, also a BFP second-team honoree who was a key attacking figure on the Lakers' run to the title game.

All told, the list recognizes 46 players to watch during the 2023 fall season.

Links to coverage: What to expect from the Burlington Free Press for preseason content

To follow: Watch lists for field hockey, football, cross-country running and volleyball. The girls soccer watchlist was published on Monday.

Enjoy!

2023 Free Press boys soccer watchlist

(Note: Players listed in alphabetical order)

Demunga Alfani

► School: Colchester

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Tabbed a Metro Division second-teamer and named to the BFP all-state honorable-mention list after tallying 10 goals, 10 assists for the Division I state finalists.

Colchester's Demunga Alfani, left, holds the ball during the 2022 Division I high school boys soccer championship game at Norwich University.
Colchester's Demunga Alfani, left, holds the ball during the 2022 Division I high school boys soccer championship game at Norwich University.

Jacques Alfani

► School: Colchester

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Older brother of Demunga Alfani, Jacques Alfani struck for 7 goals, 7 assists to land on the BFP all-state second team and coaches' Division I all-state.

Colchester's Jacques Alfani winds up for a shot on goal during the Lakers' 4-0 win over Mount Mansfield in 2022.
Colchester's Jacques Alfani winds up for a shot on goal during the Lakers' 4-0 win over Mount Mansfield in 2022.

Hammad Ali

► School: South Burlington

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Scored both goals in South Burlington's 2-1 win in the Division I title game for a 10-goal, 6-assist season, earning coaches' all-state honors and a spot on the second team for BFP all-state.

More: South Burlington rallies past Colchester to capture D-I boys soccer title

South Burlington's Hammad Ali gains control of the ball during the Wolves' 2-1 win over Colchester in the 2022 D1 State Championship game at Norwich University.
South Burlington's Hammad Ali gains control of the ball during the Wolves' 2-1 win over Colchester in the 2022 D1 State Championship game at Norwich University.

Aidan Brody

► School: St. Johnsbury

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Switched to defense later in the season and flourished, earning second-team honors in the Metro Division.

Luke Broussard

► School: Rice

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Landed honorable-mention honors in the Lake Division.

Rice's Luke Broussard, left, fights for position in a 2022 high school boys soccer game.
Rice's Luke Broussard, left, fights for position in a 2022 high school boys soccer game.

Evan Chicoine

► School: Mount Mansfield

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: A coaches' Division I all-state selection and Metro Division first-team honoree for the Cougars.

MMU's Evan Chicoine takes a shot on goal during the Cougars' 4-0 loss to Colchester in 2022.
MMU's Evan Chicoine takes a shot on goal during the Cougars' 4-0 loss to Colchester in 2022.

Ollie Choudhury

► School: Middlebury

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Tallied 6 goals, 2 assists to make the Lake Division honorable-mention squad.

Ben Clark

► School: U-32

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: A second-team Capital Division pick after tallying 4 goals, 6 assists.

Joss Clegg

► School: Mount Mansfield

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Had 2 goals, 4 assists to land on the second team in the Metro Division.

Mount Mansfield's Joss Clegg chases down a loose ball during the Cougars' 4-0 loss to Colchester in 2022.
Mount Mansfield's Joss Clegg chases down a loose ball during the Cougars' 4-0 loss to Colchester in 2022.

Oliver Clifford

► School: South Burlington

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: A second-team BFP all-state selection for his defense who also tallied 5 goals for the Division I champs.

Austin Cox

► School: Burr and Burton

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: Named to the first team in the Southern Vermont League 'A' Division.

Eddie Fallis

► School: Middlebury

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Had 2 goals, 8 assists to make the Lake Division honorable-mention squad.

Middlebury's Eddie Fallis, right, battles for the ball during a 2022 high school boys soccer game.
Middlebury's Eddie Fallis, right, battles for the ball during a 2022 high school boys soccer game.

Matt Fiaschetti

► School: Harwood

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: The best 1-on-1 defender for Division II finalist Harwood who made second team in the Capital league.

Clayton Foster

► School: Montpelier

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: Struck for 5 goals, one assist as a center back for the Division II champions, earning spots on the coaches' all-state and Capital first team.

Oakley Francis

► School: Vergennes

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: The center back had 3 goals, 5 assists to make the coaches' Division II all-state as well as first team in the Lake league.

Alex Giroux

► School: North Country

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: A second-team selection out of the Capital Division.

Liam Goslin

► School: Mount Mansfield

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: An integral defender for the nine-win Cougars.

Meles Gouge

► School: Twinfield/Cabot

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: The box-to-box midfielder tallied 16 goals, 12 assists to land on the coaches' Division IV all-state team.

Parker Hakey

► School: Missisquoi

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: A first-team selection out of the Lake Division.

Maddox Heise

► School: U-32

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield/forward

► 2022 season: Tallied 8 goals, 6 assists to make honorable-mention list for the Capital Division.

Judah Jackson

► School: Mount Abraham

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: A first-team pick in the Lake and a coaches' Division II all-state honoree.

Leo Jercinovic

► School: Stowe

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: An honorable-mention selection in the Capital Division.

Stowe's Leo Jercinovic, right, battles for possession during a 2021 high school boys soccer game.
Stowe's Leo Jercinovic, right, battles for possession during a 2021 high school boys soccer game.

Henry Kinney

► School: Essex

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: Made second team in the Metro Division.

Max Ladner

► School: Burlington

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Had 4 goals, 5 assists to land on second team in the Metro Division.

Burlington's Max Ladner wins the header during the Seahorses' game vs the Mount Anthony Patriots in 2022.
Burlington's Max Ladner wins the header during the Seahorses' game vs the Mount Anthony Patriots in 2022.

Abdoul Lailati

► School: Winooski

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Had 4 goals, 9 assists for the Division IV champions, landing on second team in the Mountain league.

Eamon Langlais

► School: Harwood

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Struck for 10 goals, 9 assists to make first team in the Capital Division.

Tyler Larocque

► School: Milton

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: Landed on the Lake Division honorable-mention list.

Brio Levitt

► School: Montpelier

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Goalie

► 2022 season: A first-team selection in the Capital who pitched a 12-save shutout in the Division II championship game for the Solons.

Ezra Lockhart

► School: Woodstock

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Had 10 goals, 2 assists for the Division II runner-up, to make first team in the Southern Vermont League 'B' Division.

Cody Magnant

► School: Twin Valley

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield/defense

► 2022 season: A first-teamer in the Southern Vermont League 'C' Division, plus a coaches' Division IV all-state pick.

Nahui Navarrete

► School: Burr and Burton

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Made first team for the Southern Vermont League 'A' Division.

Connor Nick

► School: Essex

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Tallied 6 goals, one assist as a winger.

Matthew Nop

► School: Proctor

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Selected to the coaches' Division IV all-state squad.

Landon Paulson

► School: Enosburg

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Racked up 24 goals, 10 assists to make coaches' Division II all-state as well as first team in the Mountain league.

Luke Rizio

► School: Mount Anthony

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Tallied 3 goals, 3 assists as a defensive midfielder.

Brock Roick

► School: Stowe

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Goalie

► 2022 season: Started every game for 13-win Stowe.

Wilfred St. Francis

► School: Rice

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Led the Green Knights with 6 goals to earn a second-team selection in Lake Division.

Alex Salvesvold

► School: Mount Anthony

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: Helped Mount Anthony allow just 14 goals in 15 games to land on first team in the Southern Vermont League 'A' Division.

Milo Schmidt

► School: South Burlington

► Class year: Sophomore

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Started every game as a freshman for the Division I champions.

South Burlington's Milo Schmidt wins the header from CVU's Kyle Clairmont during a 2022 high school boys soccer game.
South Burlington's Milo Schmidt wins the header from CVU's Kyle Clairmont during a 2022 high school boys soccer game.

Zach Smith

► School: Harwood

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Had 10 goals, 6 assists for the Division II finalists.

Peter Stiebris

► School: Enosburg

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield/defense

► 2022 season: The versatile player landed on first team in the Mountain Division.

Owen Thomas

► School: Otter Valley

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Landed on the coaches' Division II all-state team.

Chandler Turner

► School: Champlain Valley

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: Tallied 3 goals, 5 assists for 12-win CVU.

CVU's Chandler Turner, right, battles for the ball during the Lakers' 2-0 win over the Redhawks in the 2022 D1 semifinals.
CVU's Chandler Turner, right, battles for the ball during the Lakers' 2-0 win over the Redhawks in the 2022 D1 semifinals.

Connor Watson

► School: South Burlington

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Defense

► 2022 season: Started every game and moved to left back to help spur title run in Division I.

Shiloh Weiss

► School: U-32

► Class year: Junior

► Position: Midfield

► 2022 season: A second-team Capital Division pick who had 6 goals, 8 assists.

Gus Yerkes

► School: St. Johnsbury

► Class year: Senior

► Position: Forward

► 2022 season: Played in the midfield and, at times, the back line for eight-win SJA.

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Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont high school boys soccer: Players to watch for 2023 season