By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 9, 2024-Stony Brook LGN Wildlings Blue shut out Brentwood Premier Man City, 1-0, to win the Boys-Under-16 State Open Cup championship on June 2 at Stringham Park in LaGrange. This is the Wildlings’ second consecutive State Cup championship. Brentwood Premier Man City topped them in a shootout in the 2022 final during the year when Brentwood advanced to the national championship final.
The cup’s namesake, Livio D’Arpino, was an Eastern New York Hall of Famer who was seemingly involved in every level of local soccer before his untimely passing in 2002. He was the third vice president of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and the first vice president of the Eastern New York Adult Soccer Association. Livio also was President of the Italian-American Soccer League, of which he was voted a Life Member.
“It’s always a war for us against Brentwood,” stated Stony Brook LGN coach Matt Mannina. “We won because of our stepping power, strength and resilience.”
In the second half, Dylan Lopez chipped the ball to Elliot Burgueno who scored the only goal of the game. Stony Brook LGN keeper John Caso recorded the shutout in net.
Stony Brook LGN also received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died eight years ago, 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.
Stony Brook LGN will represent Eastern New York at the East Regionals from June 27 to July 3 in Charleston and Barboursville, West Virginia as part of the National Championship Series.
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 10 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 US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log onto http://www.enysoccer.com/