By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 6, 2019-Yogi Berra would know what to say as the Girls-Under-13 State Open Cup on June 1 at Stringham Park in LaGrange was “deja vu all over again.”
Last year, Alleycats Academy Red defeated SDA East Kicks, 4-2, and the Albany-based team won again this year, shutting out SDA East, 3-0.
Casey Holstein scored two goals, Ani Safaryan added another and keeper Hailey Blake had the shutout in goal. Holstein also scored in last year’s final.
Alleycats coach Chris Le explained, “We were able to control the pace of the game. SDA East pushed us hard in the second half but we were able to push right back.”
Alleycats will represent the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) at the Regionals from June 28 to July 4 in Charleston, West Virginia as part of the National Championship Series.
SDA East received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. The namesake of the award, who died in 2016, was inducted into the Halls of Fame of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) and Eastern New York plus was honored as a Life Member by U.S. Soccer. Amoroso started the LIJSL Sportsmanship Program in 1980, it has since been copied around the world and he spoke about the benefits of Fair Play across the United States.
USA teammates Crystal Dunn and Allie Long plus Jamaica goalkeeper Nicole McClure, training for the Women's World Cup in France, all played on youth teams that won Eastern New York’s State Open Cup when they were kids.
With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 11 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association. For more information, please log onto http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.