Massapequa Arsenal win their third Eastern New York State Open Cup Championship

(ENYYSA / Randy Vogt) – The Boys-Under-19 State Open Cup final between Massapequa Arsenal of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) and Kosmos Greek-Americans of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) had an unusual aspect as all three goal scorers were named Nick. Niko Psaras scored on a 10-yard blister midway through the first half for Kosmos. Nicholas Cestaro responded on a header for Massapequa in the second half and Nicholas Christiansen scored toward the end of regulation, just in the nick of time, to give Massapequa a 2-1 win and their third State Open Cup title.

“I think we were the fitter of the two teams and we had more heart and desire,” commented Massapequa coach Tobias Bischof.

It’s fitting that this game played on Saturday, June 13 was at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview as the teams were competing for the new Peter Collins Cup, going to Boys-Under-19 champs in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). Peter is a Bethpage resident and U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer who volunteered as President of the LIJSL from 1977 to 2004, a period during which the LIJSL tripled in size. On his watch, the LIJSL became the first league to start a Special Children’s Program, a high school soccer showcase and a soccer convention. Additionally, Peter coached the Hicksville Minutemen to the Boys-Under-19 national finals.

The three-time champs from Massapequa received a $2,000 check from Eastern New York to defray their costs during the National Championship Series. They will be playing in the Regionals from June 26 to 30 in Barboursville, West Virginia.