A historic season for Saint Lucian striker Donavan “‘Gusto” Phillip ended with a share of the USL League Two Golden Boot. Phillip, who played for the Flint City Bucks, finished on 12 regular-season goals, as did Northern Virginia’s Gage Lyons.
Phillip’s performances in the final stretch of the campaign helped the Bucks become division champions. The North Carolina State University senior followed up a strong 2024, where he scored 15 goals between League Two and the NCAA.
In 2025, Phillip found the back of the net for the first time in Flint’s third game of the season. He scored two hat tricks, including a dramatic display in the Bucks’ regular season finale, capped off by a goal in the 89th minute, the game in which Flint clinched the Great Lakes Division title for the third season in a row.
That last goal of the season, at Flint’s Atwood Stadium, also handed Phillip the club scoring record, previously held by Jelldrik Dallmann, who netted 11 times in 2022. The last Bucks player to earn the Golden Boot was Dzenan Catic, who scored 16 regular-season and two postseason goals as his team claimed the 2014 national title.
“Being named a Golden Boot winner is a tremendous honour, especially with the high level of talent across the league. This was a major goal of mine coming into the season, and I’m proud to have achieved it,” said Phillip. “I’m also proud of the work I put in throughout the year and truly grateful to my teammates and coaches who supported me along the way and made this possible.”
Phillip wasn’t just a scorer in the regular season, as he added nine assists. He then scored five more goals in four postseason matches, powering Flint City to the Central Conference title and a national semifinal appearance.
“Gusto has been electric all year – scoring, creating, and stepping up in every big moment,” said Bucks head coach Paul Doroh. “He’s everything you want from a No. 9: relentless, fearless, and team-first. He has a big personality and can score in any way you ask of him.”
As the powerful Saint Lucian heads back to school this month, he carries with him great memories of his time with Flint City. And he has certainly left his mark on the club, with his name firmly etched in the history books.
