Team Schedule 2010 Open

TROJAN SCHEDULE INCLUDES NATIONAL POWERS
BY JAKE WHITE

One of the first things Steve Finnell did when he became Garden City High’s head lacrosse coach in 2007 was to try to schedule as many strong teams for non-league games and scrimmages as he could. His goal was quite simple; he wanted to prepare his squad for post-season play. Winning championships was paramount and if some non-league losses was the price to be paid, so be it.

The strategy paid off as the Trojans extended their string of Nassau County Class B Championships to four dating back to 2006. No Nassau team had won four straight since Section Eight took over lacrosse in 1961.

During the Finnell years, Garden City has a regular season league record of 26-2 and is 11-3 in playoff games. And playing against many of the best non-league opponents, the Trojans have won 13 of 20.

With that successful formula in place, coach Finnell has put together a 2010 schedule that pits the top-seeded Trojans against eight Conference B challengers, highlighted by an April 23 game with Wantagh. Section 8 has reduced the number of regular season games to 15 this year, so Finnell has lined up seven rugged non-league games and five scrimmages against some of the best teams in the east.

Beginning March 17, the Trojans will scrimmage Catholic League power St. Anthony’s, defending Nassau A Champ Hicksville, New Jersey’s highly-ranked Delbarton, and defending State A Champ West Islip.

The non-league schedule includes the March 24 opener against Class A contender Syosset, a trip to Smithtown West which has moved up to Class A in Suffolk, and a night game vs. South Side at Adelphi. The Trojans will also travel to Baltimore to play Maryland power St. Paul’s, and to Haverford PA to face Westchester’s Yorktown. Finally, Garden City will play host to New Canaan CT and then, on May 1, renew the annual rivalry with State C Champion Manhasset. That will be “Sports Fair” with Manhasset and Garden City boys and girls teams on several levels all playing at GC.

Last year’s 17-4 Trojan team featured 14 freshmen and sophomores. With key players returning, particularly on defense, Finnell is confident that his squad can be competitive against the best of opponents.

A look at the records shows that GC has more than held its own against these outstanding rivals. Garden City is 5-0 vs. St. Anthony’s, 10-3 vs. Hicksville, 6-2 vs. Syosset, 5-0 vs. New Canaan, 18-1 against South Side and 2-1 vs. Smithtown West. Yorktown and Garden City met seven times in State semifinal games and the Cornhuskers hold a 4-3 edge. Manhasset, of course, is the Trojans’ traditional rival since 1935. This meeting will be the 119th between the schools with the Indians ahead 65-53.





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