Stephen Turnbull is the latest Sachem alum to play pro soccer. A Sachem East alum, he was playing for AFC Ann Arbor in the USL2, a semi pro team, when he signed a contract with NYCFC II.
NYCFC II plays in the MLS Next Pro league, a minor league of MLS.
Sachem alum Joe Scally played for the top tier NYCFC team in recent years before being transferred to Borrusia Mönchengladbach of the Bundesliga in Germany.
Turnbull played college soccer at Stony Brook where he appeared in 55 matches.
At Sachem East he was a four-year letterwinner and team captain as a senior. He was the team’s offensive player of the year as a junior and MVP as a senior.
Other pro soccer players from Sachem:
*Steve Schoen, Class of 1971: A goalkeeper, he played for the Connecticut Wildcats of the American Soccer League
*Harkan Wiffeuson, Class of 1981: A midfielder, Wiffeuson was only at Sachem for one season as an exchange student from Sweden. He went back to his homeland and played professionally at the division two and three levels
*Michael Kirmse, Class of 1990: Played professionally at the division three level in Germany for two years and returned stateside to play seven seasons in the USISL, and two seasons in the Indoor NPSL
*Daniel Brienza, Class of 1998: Played professionally in Brazil for Sao Paolo FC and on lower tier clubs in Italy
*Michael “Whitey” Russo, Class of 1998: Played professionally indoors in the New England area
*Mike Mourelo, Class of 1999: A midfield and center back, he played professionally for a few seasons in Puerto Rico after playing collegiately at Bryant University
*Sergio Saccoccio, Class of 2001: A goalkeeper, who after a very successful career at Northeastern University, played for the New Hampshire Phantoms of the USL and San Diego Gauchos of the PDL
*Joe Scally, Class of 2021: Played for NYCFC as a freshman at Sachem and later transferred to Borrusia Mönchengladbach of Bundesliga, where he is today