By Dylan Butler
Leading the way is defender Christos Chronis, a Bayside resident and a former standout at Holy Cross High School. Chronis, who can play either left back or left midfield, is a two-year Olympic Development Program player and should fight for immediate playing time.His younger brother Andreas Chronis, an extremely talented midfielder, recently transferred from Holy Cross to rival St. Francis Prep.Enrique Caceras, another defender out of Holy Cross, has also committed to play at St. Francis College. He was a member of the Albertson Storm Clash squad that played in a pair of national youth tournaments.Diego Martinez, a former star at John Bowne, could also see extensive playing time right away. A member of the Brooklyn Knights and another ODP player, Martinez is a solid, athletic defender who can also play in the midfield and has an excellent attacking sense. He was in the United States Under-18 national team camp last summer.Joshua Alarcon, a Ridgewood resident who attended Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School in Manhattan, played his club ball for the Storm Academy Arrows and also signed with St. Francis College. He is a defensive midfielder who is very smart tactically and technically and could start immediately.Alarcon's teammate on the Storm Academy Arrows, Gilbert Chaux will also play at St. Francis College. Chaux, who terrorized the PSAL 'B' division when at Robert F. Wagner High School, is also a state ODP player who has an excellent first touch and is extremely dangerous in the offensive third of the field.Courtney Barrett, a strong, athletic defender from St. Francis Prep, is part of Acquista's deep recruiting class. The 6-foot-3 Barrett is excellent in the air and was a three-year starter at St. Francis Prep, winning a city and state CHSAA title in 2003.Jonathan Zappel, who helped lead Archbishop Molloy to the CHSAA double last year, has also committed to play at St. Francis College. He is a smart, athletic and fearless right fullback.Ryan Reyes, who won a pair of CHSAA 'B' city titles at St. John's Prep transfers from Iona College to St. Francis College. Reyes, who also plays for the Storm Academy Arrows can play either right or center midfield.Queens resident Orhan Sokoli rounds out the class. The strong central defender from Kosovo red-shirted after sustaining an injury in the preseason last year.St. Francis College's rival Long Island University has inked a pair of PSAL standouts from Queens.Mohammed Mashriqi, the 2003 TimesLedger PSAL Player of the Year, has signed a letter of intent to play at LIU. The former Flushing star, who can play either in the midfield or up front, played his club ball for famed Blau-Weiss Gottschee.Former Grover Cleveland standout Frank Alesi will also play at LIU, which won the Northeast Conference tournament last year and played in the NCAA tournament.Archbishop Molloy goalkeeper Marcelo Del Rio, who came up huge for the Stanners in their state CHSAA penalty kick shootout win over St. Anthony's, has committed to play at Marist College.Del Rio's former teammate Pablo Trillo, a talented and technical midfielder, will play at Binghamton in the fall.On the girls side, four seniors at St. Francis Prep have made their college choices. Jackie James, who missed her entire senior season with a knee injury, follows in her older brother's shoes and will play at St. John's. Her brother Dennis, who was a star at Holy Cross, also played soccer at St. John's.The Flushing native, who played in the midfield in high school, will likely see time as an outside back before eventually settling in as a central defender.Simone Canfarotta, a three-year starter at St. Francis Prep, will attend LaSalle University while Cynthia Ditarano will play at Drexel University and Vicky Rodriguez has committed to play at Pace University.Katie Sanchez, a four-year starter at the Mary Louis Academy, has signed a letter of intent to play at Fordham University.Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
