New York Rush Rowdies win Eastern NY U-16 Girls State Championship

(Via ENYYSA) – The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) Girls-Under-16 State Open Cup final on June 5 at Stringham Park in LaGrange featured two British-born coaches who have known one another for two decades in New York, the New York Rush Rowdies’ Steve Davis and HBC Buzz’s Tim Bradbury. Not surprisingly, New York Rush, from the Westchester Youth Soccer District (WYSD) and HBC, from the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), produced an even game.

The only difference was the New York Rush goal from Melenia Ralioman to give them a 1-0 victory so they bring the Girls-Under-16 Peter Masotto Cup home to Westchester. The namesake of the award is a Region 1 Hall of Famer and U.S. Soccer Life Member who volunteered as President of Eastern New York from 1984 to 2006. Masotto also coached the Massapequa Falcons girls team to the 1988 national championship.

+Read: Dix Hills Hurricanes U-16 Boys win 3rd straight ENY State Cup title

“It was a very even game,” commented New York Rush coach Davis. “Neither team executed very well in the final third.”

New York Rush also added the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award, as determined by the game officials, to their growing trophy case.

Eastern New York will help pay for New York Rush’s costs when they play for the Regional title as part of the National Championship Series from June 30 to July 5 in Barboursville, West Virginia.