By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 13, 2016-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) Boys-Under-17 final game on June 5 at Stringham Park in LaGrange featured two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams who know one another well. This game was also a rematch of last year’s final that the Massapequa Aces won, 4-0, over the Smithtown Galaxy.
The rematch was much closer with Massapequa becoming State champs for the second consecutive year with a 2-1 victory.
“We won the midfield battle as the guys in midfield were outstanding,” commented Massapequa coach Shaun Foster. “But we did not close out the game and gave them life.”
Matt Sloan and Nial Coffey scored for Massapequa while Jared Percoco replied for Smithtown.
Massapequa brought the Boys-Under-17 Jose Vargas Cup back to Long Island. Vargas was an enthusiastic ref who served as State Referee Administrator, State Youth Referee Administrator and State Director of Assessment as well as President of the East Hudson Youth Soccer League and East Fishkill Soccer Club.
Massapequa also added the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award, as determined by the game officials, to their growing trophy case.
Massapequa will be representing Eastern New York in the Regional championship from June 30 to July 5 in Barboursville, West Virginia and Eastern New York will help pay for their costs.
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.