By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 8, 2015-The Girls-Under-15 State Open Cup championship game on May 30 in LaGrange was a lengthy affair where one overtime goal made the difference. Smithtown Hotspur outlasted the South Merrick Lady Cyclones, 2-1, for supremacy in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and received the new Jack Bauman Cup, going to the top Girls-Under-15 team in the state. It’s appropriate that this game featured two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams as Mr. Bauman is considered the father of Long Island women’s soccer since he made sure that girls had as many opportunities to play soccer as boys did on the island.
“We were fortunate enough to have a majority of the chances,” Smithtown coach J.R. Balzarini stated. “South Merrick gave us everything they had. They are very well-organized.”
Jenna Blank scored in regulation and Amanda Andriano netted the winner in the second overtime.
Smithtown received a $2,000 check from Eastern New York to defray their costs during the National Championship Series. The team will be playing in the Regionals from June 26 to 30 in Barboursville, West Virginia.
South Merrick was awarded the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award for the Fair Play they demonstrated on the field.
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 Special Children. 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.