By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 8, 2025-In an incredible final in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), the Long Island Slammers topped Just Play Soccer, 3-2, in overtime on Sunday, June 1 at the Blue Sky Sports Complex in Middletown.
“It was an amazing game!” exclaimed Long Island coach Frankie Pampin, the 2022 Regional Coach of the Year. “We were up 2-0, then they scored and then converted a penalty kick in the last minute of regulation. We went down a player in overtime and scored 10 against 11 to win the game.”
With the same coach and many of the same players, Long Island won the State Open Cup as the Gunners Soccer Kids two years ago.
Miguel Varilla and John Pulla scored the Long Island goals in regulation and Isaiah Soriano netted the game winner in overtime.
Long Island also 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 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.
The cup’s honoree, Ray Wolfe, played in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, coached in the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) and was State Youth Referee Administrator (SYRA) of Eastern New York for nearly a decade before passing away six years ago.
The Long Island Slammers 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/