By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 14, 2024-A penalty kick shootout was needed to decide the champion in the Boys-Under-11 Gold Challenge Cup championship match played on June 1 at Stringham Park in LaGrange. When it was over, the East Fishkill Wolves of the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League (HVYSL) became the champs. Their game with Soccer Kids NYC of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) was tied at 2 after regulation, at 3 after the second overtime period concluded with East Fishkill taking the shootout, 4-2.
“A dousy of a game that came down to penalty kicks. An incredible match!” East Fishkill coach Brent Boscarino exclaimed, “Both teams showed great sportsmanship during a well-officiated game. A back-and-forth match.”
Henry Taylor, Michael Collins and Liam Weiss scored for East Fishkill.
Soccer Kids NYC received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as selected by the match referees. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died in 2016, 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, making soccer games kinder and gentler in the process.
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/