By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 9, 2024-Paige Pena scored all four goals as the FC Somers Lady Hammers defeated the Rockville Centre Red Storm, 4-1, to win the Girls-Under-16 State Open Cup championship under sunny skies on June 2 at Stringham Park in LaGrange.
The cup’s namesake, Peter Masotto, was an East Region Hall of Famer and U.S. Soccer Life Member who volunteered as Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) President from 1984 to 2006, coached the Massapequa Falcons girls team to the 1988 national championship and died two years ago.
“It was a good game, we scored an early goal and finished the match. We’re very happy to represent Eastern New York at the Regionals,” stated FC Somers coach Milan Davidovic.
FC Somers will be playing at the East Regionals from June 27 to July 3 in Charleston and Barboursville, West Virginia as part of the National Championship Series.
Rockville Centre received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died in 2016, 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, making soccer games kinder and gentler in the process.
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/