South Georgia's title-defending 2023 campaign ended just one point shy of a second postseason appearance. Now kicking off its ninth season as a club and sixth in the professional ranks, Head Coach Ian Cameron and his Ibises will look to rebuild after losing over 69% of their goalscoring production from a season ago and three integral playmakers to the USL Championship.
Ironically, Tormenta FC's 2023 season kicked off with a 1-0 victory on the road against eventual 2024 League One champions North Carolina FC - just one of two instances in which NCFC was held scoreless at home in 2024. The Ibises' 2024 season was defined by fine margins and tough results; 19 of South Georgia's 32 regular season matches were decided by one goal or fewer, and 10 of Tormenta FC's 14 losses were to clubs that finished the season above the playoff line. A promising three-match winning streak to end September was followed by points dropped against Players' Shield winners Omaha and league runners-up Charlotte in October, sealing the Ibises' postseason-less fate.
South Georgia will be losing the services of its all-time appearance leader Pablo Jara - who played in 108 of South Georgia's 134 regular season League One matches and helped the club to a championship in 2022 - to Richmond. Also of note, the Ibises are losing the vast majority of their goalscoring production from a season ago as their top two scorers - Kazaiah Sterling and Mukwelle Akale - are moving on to USL Championship sides Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and New Mexico United, respectively.
The good news for South Georgia is that the Ibises are retaining defending USL League One Young Player of the Year Jackson Khoury who is under contract for the 2024 season. Also returning to Statesboro will be midfielder Pedro Fonseca and defenders Nick Akoto and Preston Kilwien. Exciting additions to the squad will include former Chattanooga defender Aaron Lombardi, League One's all-time appearance leader Conor Doyle, and a pair of former USL Championship shot-stoppers who will compete to fill the shoes of Pablo Jara in Drew Romig and Ford Parker.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Conor Doyle | Image Credit: Union Omaha
MID - Conor Doyle
League One's all-time appearances leader and 32-year-old midfielder Conor Doyle will lead a South Georgia side with one of the most inexperienced rosters in the league which features an average age of younger than 25. Doyle spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons in Chattanooga before moving to Omaha, claiming the 2021 and 2023 Players' Shield and a League One title in 2021. After making his professional debut with Derby County FC in 2010, Doyle has gone on to appear for D.C. United, Puerto Rico FC, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, the Colorado Rapids, and Jacksonville Armada FC. A U.S. Open Cup veteran, Doyle won the trophy in 2013 with D.C. United and helped Omaha reach the Quarterfinals of the 2022 edition of the tournament.
MID - Jackson Khoury
The defending USL League One Young Player of the Year is back in Statesboro for his second professional season. The 21-year-old Central Coast Mariners academy product enjoyed a stellar first professional season in Statesboro, leading all eligible young players with seven goals, 13 total goal contributions and 37 chances created. The Australian goalscorer accounted for four match-winning goals or assists and registered a career-best three-goal-contribution match in a 4-1 win in Madison on July 26. Khoury's 13 goal contributions are tied for the third-most in league history for a first-year professional behind Arturo Rodríguez's (NTX) 17 in 2019, Jacob Labovitz's (GVL) 14 in 2022 and Tumi Moshobane's (LAN) 14 in 2019.
Jackson Khoury | Image Credit: Richmond Kickers
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