Its a busy time around New York City. Leagues Cup is off and running, the playoff push in Major League Soccer is on, and just past the city's borders on Long Island, an amateur team is prepping to head west and play for a second consecutive national championship.
This weekend, the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) will see four of its best teams descend on Southern California for its Spring Season National Finals. One of those teams is NY Renegades FC out of Hicksville, New York, a mix of former professionals and college-aged players that play out of the SUSA Orlin & Cohen Sports Complex in Central Islip.
The Renegades are heading to Los Angeles, specifically Drake Stadium at UCLA, to try and defend the national title they won during the Fall Season back in March. They'd become only the second-ever UPSL team to win back-to-back national championships.
Team president and head coach, Boris Linares, explained that he hopes two wins this weekend send messages to the players, staff, fans, and any other amateur team that wants to listen.
"One, vindication, you know, of all the hard work we put into it. That's foremost," Linares explained. "Second, is show the country that doing things the way I do things is not necessarily bad and it's actually good, you know, the name says it all. My wife helped come up with a name calling us 'renegades,' and there's a reason for that name."
A win on Friday would put the Renegades into Sunday's championship match. That would also secure the team a coveted spot into the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament next year. Both the UPSL Spring national champion and runner-up automatically qualify for the First Round proper, which means a guaranteed match against a local professional team with a chance win more prize money and play on a national stage.
The UPSL National Finals is free to stream on the league's YouTube page (in both English and Spanish).
A stellar season
The Renegades compete in the American Conference, North Division of the UPSL, specifically in the Premier Division of the league. With over 900 teams, the UPSL is separated into three divisions for the men with promotion and relegation, plus separate divisions for women and academy teams.
The quality of UPSL teams varies, but the Renegades have become a consistent contender.
New York finished the UPSL Spring regular season undefeated (9W-1D-0L), securing a spot in the conference playoffs for a seventh straight season. The team reached the conference final for a sixth straight time, and won the conference once again after scoreless match with Red Hook FC ended with a victorious penalty kick shootout.
In the national playoffs, the Renegades achieved two shutouts before reaching the East Region Final against Detroit City II, the reserve team of USL Championship side Detroit City FC. Goals from Mathews Carriel, Angelo Quintanilla, and Erick Turcios gave the Renegades the 3-1 win and a spot in the nationals.
It's hard to pick one part of the Renegades team that excels above others. The team scored 44 goals and only allowed eight duringf the regular season. Sebastian Ruiz Restrepo and former professional Junior Rosero combined for 27 goals to lead the team.
Rosero has been able to get defenses to zero in on him, allowing Ruiz or winger Dylan Woods the chance to attack unopposed.
The team's three-man goalkeeper committee includes former Jamaican professional Eric Edwards.
There's plenty of other pro experience on the roster, including defender Milton Campos (Loudoun United), midfielder Mario Barrionuevo Ávila (Ecuadorian Serie A), defender Leo Folla (Chattanooga Red Wolves), and defender Samuel Cáceres (Club Atlético Independiente). They mix in with players still in or just out of college, like winger Erik Turcios (SUNY Old Westbury) and others.
Sustained success
Its all part of a plan for Renegades. Founded in 2019, before launching a men's senior side in 2021, the organization was originally created to train high school and college level soccer players for chances in Europe and South America.
Unlike other programs, Linares was focused on giving players who couldn't commit time, whether for school or work, the chance the train. Late practice windows, access to video highlights, and more were all things Renegades tried to provide.
"The whole thing was to try to bring those systems here so that they can learn how to properly train and prepare, so when they go abroad, they actually can actually know what's expected of them and what they have to be good at," Linares said.
Maybe that's part of the reason why success isn't new to the Renegades. In their half-decade of play in the UPSL, the team has become the team to beat in the Northeast.
The results prove it. The UPSL plays two seasons a year — one Spring (running from late spring to end of summer) and one Fall (running Fall up until early Spring the next year). There have been seven seasons played since Spring 2023 and the Renegades have made the American Conference playoffs each season.
They've made the conference final six straight times, and won the conference five of those times.
Linares believes that it comes down to consistency. He's been head coach since the team's founding and his systems have been applied
"I think that helps when you are playing in the system instead of just changing, from coach to coach," he explained. "Teach them what's expected of them, not only with the ball, but, you know, running without the ball, sort of like they do in Spain because that's where I got most of my techniques and systems for playing.
"I think that's our biggest advantage. All the players have grown up and then when we incorporate a new, younger player, they actually fit in and gel in. So it's a combination of having veterans as well as the younger players."
That success has also gotten them into the US Open Cup before. The Renegades qualified through the local qualifying tournament by beating a gauntlet of New York City amateurs over the last two years. That set up First Round matches against Columbus Crew 2 and Westchester SC, both of which saw NYR defeated.
Renegades players don't just play against professional teams in the Open Cup. Over the last few years, Renegades have hosted professional sides from Central America.
In 2023, the team faced Guatemalan first division side Comunicaciones FC on Long Island, playing to a 3-3 draw. Last month, in the middle of the playoff run, Renegades hosted Salvadoran professional club CD Municipal Limeño in Central Islip. The teams played to a 1-1 draw, with the hosts taking the lead thanks to a Reneau Rances goal, before Los Chancheros equalized and ultimately won on penalty kicks.
Renegades goal vs CD Municipal Limeño
Eyeing another US Open Cup appearance
Friday will be a rematch of the Fall 2025 national semifinal with the Renegades again facing Miami United FC, with whoever wins likely to be the favorite in the national final.
Renegades know Miami will want to avoid a repeat result after losing 3-0 in that Fall 2025 semifinal.
"It's like looking at a mirror, man," Linares joked, knowing how well both teams recruit both locally from deep talent pools. "They're just solid. They know how to win. I remember in the last semifinal, we caught them twice on the counter because they're relentless. They're not afraid."
Miami United, the last team Brazilian legend Adriano played for in 2016, is hunting for its first UPSL title and a return to the US Open Cup. The other side of the bracket includes Deportivo Rose City (Portland, Oregon) taking on Central Kansas United (Salina, Kansas).
The thought of a third straight Open Cup tournament is there, even if Linares wants to focus first on Miami. The Fall 2026 season is set to start the week after the national finals, something Linares is hoping he can convince his opponent to postpone, and there's months of games between now and a potential Open Cup First Round next March.
The thought is still there. The Open Cup format still isn't known, but there are plenty of teams the Renegades could face, be it a rematch against Westchester SC, a non-preseason friendly against the New York Cosmos, or a first-time ever meeting against Brooklyn FC.
"I just feel honored to just go and face them, you know, they're pro, and measuring ourselves against any team is always, one an honor, and two, I hope they see us as worthy opponents, worthy of being there and playing with them."
Until then, NY Renegades are hoping to prove they are worthy enough to hoist the UPSL championship once more as one of the nation's best amateur teams.
This post is free to all readers. Consider becoming a paid subscriber to support our continued coverage.
