By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 7, 2016-An era came to a close on June 4 at Stringham Park in LaGrange. For the past seven years, a team from the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL) won the Girls-Under-12 Small-Sided State Open Cup title. Alleycats won from 2009 to 2014 while Capital United won last year.
But last Saturday, the Syracuse Development Academy Blasters of the Mid-State New York Soccer League ended the CDYSL’s domination of this division with an emphatic 4-1 win over Capital United Blue Lightning in the 8 vs. 8 game.
“Our possession-style made a big difference,” said Syracuse coach Wayne Williams.
Maddie Luke scored two goals for the new champs while Olivia Lindsay and Mary Muller each added one.
Syracuse Development Academy also received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Mr. Rubenstein was President of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) from 1980 to 1984.
They will represent Eastern New York, which is helping pay for their costs, when they play in the Regionals from June 30 to July 5 in Barboursville, West Virginia.
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 on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.