By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 8, 2026-In an intense game between two teams from Long Island, Atlantic United Thunder defeated New York Hota Bavarian, 3-1, in the Boys-Under-16 final for the Livio D’Arpino Cup at the Blue Sky Sports Complex in Middletown on Saturday, May 30.
Jacob Velasquez scored two goals and Zander Ariasa added one for Atlantic United.
“We always battle Hota as they are a proud club with a long tradition,” Atlantic United coach Tim Graham explained. “It was as close a 3-1 game as you can get. I’m very proud of our boys as they overcame fatigue with all the games we have played this spring.”
Atlantic United will represent Eastern New York at Nationals from July 13 to 20 in Salt Lake City.
Hota 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 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 on Christmas Day 2002. He was the third vice president of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), first vice president of the Eastern New York Adult Soccer Association and president of the Italian-American Soccer League. D’Arpino’s impact was so profound that Roman newspaper Il Messaggero recently wrote an article about him, 24 years after his passing.
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, east of Route 81. ENYYSA encourages 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 US Soccer and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/