By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 5, 2015-In a final between two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams, the Deer Park Wolfpack defeated the Farmingdale Fury, 2-1, to win the Boys-Under-14 State Open Cup of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).
Deer Park received the new Rocco Amoroso Cup as Boys-Under-14 champions. The namesake of the award has been inducted into the Halls of Fame of the LIJSL and Eastern New York plus was honored as a Life Member by U.S. Soccer. Amoroso started the LIJSL Sportsmanship Program in 1980, it has since been copied around the world and he has spoken about the benefits of Fair Play across the United States.
“Farmingdale is an extremely good team and has been so for quite some time. Deer Park, on the other hand, took a longer road to get to this level,” commented Deer Park coach Joe McGarty about the final. “I thought the game was evenly played and fought. I felt that we created the more dangerous chances and I think my players just worked a little harder because they had a desire to prove it was no fluke they were in the final.”
Joseph Leon scored Deer Park’s first goal off an assist from Samuel Escobar. The winning goal was created when Leon was tripped near the goal and Escobar converted the penalty kick.
Deer Park also received the Howard Rubinstein Sportsmanship Award and a $2,000 check from Eastern New York to defray their costs during the National Championship Series. They will be playing in the Regionals from June 26 to 30 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 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.