By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 11, 2019-Two goals off corner kicks by central defender Bella Romano was the difference as the Brentwood Blaze topped Alleycats 2000/2001G, 2-1, to bring the Barbara Rodriguez Cup home to Long Island as Girls-Under-19 State Open Cup champs.
The award is named for the Northport resident who volunteered as the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) State Cup Chairperson for 23 years from 1992 to 2014, and her cup final was played on June 2 at Stringham Park in LaGrange.
It was Brentwood’s second consecutive State Open Cup championship.
Brentwood coach Chris Roche said, “I thought that both teams played their hearts out.”
Brentwood will represent Eastern New York at the Regionals from June 28 to July 4 in Charleston, West Virginia as part of the National Championship Series.
Alleycats received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award, as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died in 2016, 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.
USA teammates Crystal Dunn and Allie Long plus Jamaica goalkeeper Nicole McClure, competing in the Women's World Cup, 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.