By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 9, 2016-Smithtown Chelsea of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) are Boys-Under-15 State Open Cup champs after their 3-0 shutout of Orange County’s Primo FC 00-01 of the Eastern New York Premier League (ENYPL). The title game was played on June 4 at Stringham Park in LaGrange.
As Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) champs, Smithtown will be playing for the Regional championship from June 30 to July 5 in Barboursville, West Virginia and Eastern New Yorkwill help pay for their costs.
“We had to stay composed and calm to retain possession,” commented Smithtown coach Chris Herrschaft. “Primo FC has too many weapons to contain so we had to keep the ball.”
Chris Galindo had two goals and Ryan Grande added one to give Smithtown the title. Goalkeeper Jake Meaney had the shutout in goal.
Primo FC received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Now living in Kentucky, 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 LIJSL.
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.