By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 6, 2013-A long corner kick from Stringham Park in LaGrange proudly stands the United States Military Academy in West Point, the home of several cadets who went on to become five-star generals. At Stringham Park on June 2, Farmingdale United earned their fifth star as they have won the State Open Cup for an amazing five times.
While Farmingdale has been the dominant team in their age group (they are now playing Girls-Under-16), their championship games have come against five different opponents.
Farmingdale defeated the Lindenhurst Lady Flyers, 2-0, in the final between two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams. Kelly Gerdis scored on a header off a corner kick at the start of the game and Kaitlyn Loughren added a second off a through-pass from Taylor Sipos two minutes later.
"We started well, played hard from the start and that was the difference in the game," said Farmingdale coach Jamie Gonzalez.
Farmingdale did not give up a single goal in their four State Cup wins this year, outscoring their opponents 14-0. They will represent the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) at the Regionals from June 28 to July 2 at the University of Rhode Island. Eastern New York is donating $2,000 to the team and paying all expense fees for the Regionals.
Lindenhurst received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award as selected by the game officials. Now retired, Mr. Rubenstein was seemingly involved in every facet of New York soccer for decades and is a member of the Halls of Fame of Eastern New York, the US Amateur Soccer Association and the Long Island Junior Soccer League.
With 123,843 youth soccer players––68,587 boys and 55,256 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 12 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. Eastern New York 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 Special Children. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. Eastern New York is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.