By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 10, 2022-Downtown United Blue shut out Brentwood Premier, 4-0, on June 4 at Stringham Park in LaGrange to win the Boys-Under-13 State Open Cup in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).
Jonathan Jimenez had a three-goal hat trick and Jud Grbesa netted the other goal while keeper Pierce Glover had the shutout in net.
Coach Danny Rodriguez said, “We moved the ball a little bit better than Brentwood with lots of combinations. Two goals in the first half and we scored a very important goal at the start of the second half.”
Downtown United will represent Eastern New York at the East Regionals from June 24 to 30 in Charleston and Barboursville, West Virginia as part of the National Championship Series.
Brentwood did not leave the Hudson Valley empty-handed as they received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died six years ago, started the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Sportsmanship Program in 1980 and it spread to Eastern New York, nationally and then to China and Ireland, and in the process, made soccer games kinder and gentler.
With approximately 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 nine 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/