Congratulations to 11-year-old Tyler Arnone of Hicksville and his soccer team, the South Huntington Rugrats on their recent capture of the 2003 U11 New York State Cup Championship title in North Rockland on June 14. The Rugrats defeated 64 teams from New York through a single elimination process, which began in September 2002 with the final match against Clarkstown, a team from the north.

With an all-expense-paid trip to Paris, France for Dannon Nations Cup on the line, the Rugrats and Clarkstown played a hard fought match for this once-in-a-lifetime chance. During the game, Arnone stepped up to the challenge and lifted his team to a 1-0 victory, scoring the game's lone goal in the second half of the game and earning him and his teammates the opportunity to be the U11 team to play in the 2003 Dannon Nations Cup.

When asked by the Dannon Company how it felt to have scored the winning goal, Arnone responded, "Scoring the winning goal was exciting, but I had my whole team right behind me." Arnone, an honor student at Fork Lane Elementary School, is also a player on the Eastern New York Olympic Development Program State Developmental Team.

In September, 32 countries and 2.5 million players will come together from around the world at the Parc des Princes in Paris to play for their respective countries. The trip is sponsored by the Dannon Company.

Tab Ramos, former national team and Metrostars player, will coach the Rugrats as they represent team USA.

Best of luck to Arnone and his entire team when the Rugrats do Paris!