Yonkers Ukrainians Krylati finish half-season in first place

YONKERS, N.Y. - The Yonkers Ukrainians Krylati men's soccer team is off to its best season start in recent history. Halfway through the season, the team is unbeaten in league play with a record of six wins and one tie. With 19 points, Yonkers Ukrainians Krylati is currently positioned atop the standings of the Eastern District Soccer League's First Division. During the season, the team scored 17 goals while allowing only seven (a league low).

Krylati also played well in the New York State Cup, where they made it to the quarterfinals before falling to Integral from Jamaica, Queens. (For complete league results, visit the EDSL website at www.edslsoccer.com.)

The team has benefited from the acquisition of some new players. Sammy Warycha is playing his first season on the first team after many years in the Krylati youth program. He has proven himself to be one of the team's best utility players, scoring some key goals in the striker position and also using his size and tenacity on defense. The club hopes that other young players will follow Mr. Warycha's lead and make the successful transition to the first team.

Also new to the team are a group of players from Spring Valley, N.Y., led by Taras Strominsky, who have been playing together since coming to America two years ago. The Krylati club decided to join forces with these talented players after playing a friendly game against a Spring Valley-based team this past Memorial Day.

The team hopes to continue its success through the spring half of the season, which starts at the end of March. The team mix of Ukrainian- and American-born players has proven to be an effective one, with each group learning from the other.

Sergei Rayko, a former Dynamo Kyiv player, coaches the team, and Mark Howansky is the player/manager. Roman Hlushko is the president of the Krylati Sports Club, which operates under the auspices of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUMA), Yonkers Branch.

Interested players should contact Mr. Howansky at (201) 864-5751 or mhowansky@hotmail.com.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 18, 2001, No. 11, Vol. LXIX

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