By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 13, 2016-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) Girls-Under-17 final game on June 5 at Stringham Park in LaGrange looked to be a mismatch between two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams. Brentwood Freedom were the three-time State Open Cup champs and defeated the Lake Grove/Newfield Tsunami, 5-0, in last year’s final.
But 2016 was a different story as Lake Grove/Newfield squeaked out a 2-1 overtime win on July 5 at Stringham Park in LaGrange. Jillian Colucci scored in regulation and Amanda Spitalera added the game-winner in overtime for the new State champs.
“Brentwood is a really tough opponent,” commented Lake Grove/Newfield coach Frank Stagnitta. “They have outworked and outmuscled us in the past but we are super fit this year so they could not do that to us again. The experience of losing last year’s final helped set us up to win today.”
Lake Grove/Newfield will be playing for the Regional championship from June 30 to July 5 in Barboursville, West Virginia and Eastern New York will help pay for their costs.
Brentwood received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Now living in Kentucky, Mr. Rubenstein was seemingly involved in 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 LIJSL.
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 11 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 United States Youth Soccer Association. For more information, please log onto http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.