By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 11, 2025-It was fitting that two teams from Long Island would play in the final for the Peter Collins Cup as the cup’s namesake volunteered as Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) President from 1977 to 2004, coached the Hicksville Minutemen to the Boys-Under-19 national finals and was a U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer and U.S. Soccer Life Member.
Stony Brook LGN Storm Blue shut out New York Hota, which won the Peter Collins Cup last year, on Wednesday night, June 4 at Centereach Field on Long Island. The final score of the Boys-Under-18 and 19 State Open Cup final was 1-0 after two overtime periods. Jack Heins scored the gamewinner with five minutes left in the second overtime and keeper Luka Verbanac had the shutout in 120 minutes of play.
“The game was pretty crazy as it had been postponed twice in the Hudson Valley and then played on Long Island a few days later with much anticipation,” Stony Brook LGN coach Frank Stagnitta explained. “It was a really tough final. Hota is a really good team. Our team is very deep-rooted and has a toughness about them. It was a once in a lifetime event to win a state final in front of your own fans.”
Stony Brook LGN will represent the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) at the East Regionals from June 28 to July 3 in Loudoun County, Virginia as part of the National Championship Series.
“We’re training three to five times a week to be prepared and we have a good combination of high school seniors and college freshmen for Regionals,” Coach Stagnitta added.
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/