By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 7, 2025-B/W Gottschee Academy 11 shut out White Plains Academy National 2011, 1-0, on Sunday, June 1 at the Blue Sky Sports Complex in Middletown in a final played for the Howard Rubenstein Cup, emblematic of the Boys-Under-14 State Open Cup title in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).
Howard Rubenstein volunteered in seemingly 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 Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL). The cup was named in his honor years ago and Howard passed away last year.
“It was a tough game and both teams played well,” stated B/W Gottschee coach Henry Morales. “Whoever scored the first goal was going to win.”
That goal was scored by Justin Londono. B/W Gottschee goalkeepers Declan Daly and Matthew Reyes shared the shutout in goal.
White Plains did not go back to Westchester empty-handed as they received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died nine years ago, started the 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.
B/W Gottschee will represent Eastern New York at the East Regionals from June 28 to July 3 in Loudoun County, 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/