By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 20, 2022-The South Shore Bulldogs shut out FC Somers Arsenal, 3-0, on June 5 at Stringham Park in LaGrange to win the State Cup for the second time. As Boys-Under-18 State Cup champs, they brought the Ray Wolfe Cup home to Long Island.
The cup’s honoree played in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, coached in the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) and was State Youth Referee Administrator (SYRA) of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) for nearly a decade before passing away five years ago.
Lucas Montalto, AJ Renderos and Liam Stanley scored the goals while keeper Will Devall had the shutout in net.
South Shore coach Vincent Companion stated, “We were absolute warriors! We won every 50/50 ball and it means a lot to go out like this as our team is graduating from high school.”
South Shore will represent Eastern New York at the East Regionals from June 24 to 30 in Charleston and Barboursville, West Virginia as part of the National Championship Series.
FC Somers did not leave the Hudson Valley empty-handed as they received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died six 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.
With approximately 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 nine 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/