Last updated at Jun 11, 2010 8:07AM
Team Schedule 2010 Open

TROJANS WILL MEET WANTAGH IN REMATCH
FOR COUNTY LACROSSE TITLE

BY JAKE WHITE

Sometimes in sports a team will click and play its best down the stretch as the big game arrive. Based on their performances in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the Nassau County Class B Lacrosse playoffs, the Garden City Trojans could be just such a team. If they are, then the timing is perfect because this Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Hofstra, Garden City will play Wantagh for the county title. The Warriors (16-2) are the only Conference B team to beat GC (15-3) this year. That was a 10-9 double overtime decision a month ago. Since then, the Trojans have won 9 of 10 games, including their last eight in a row,

“We’re playing with a lot of intensity,” said Coach Steve Finnell. “Our defense continues to play well and our offense has been scoring a lot of goals. We’re healthy and we’ve beaten some good teams. Wantagh is very good and presents a real challenge, but we are very happy to get another shot at them.”

Wantagh features a high scoring attack, including the county’s top scorer, Brandon Mangan who has 63 goals and 40 assists. He scored the winner when the teams met the first time. The key in that game was Warrior goalie Jake Gambitsky who made a season-high 21 saves. They beat Carey and Lynbrook last week to reach the final.

Garden City trounced Long Beach, 12-4, in the quarterfinals behind a true team effort on offense. Eleven different players scored points, with senior Matt Montgomery leading the way with 2 goals and 2 assists. Brian Coleman and Devin Dwyer also had two goals. The Trojans started slowly in the first 18 minutes but they turned it on from that point to outscore the Marines 9-2 with the kind of aggressive play that characterized their semifinal 12-4 win over Levittown Division.

Division came into the game seeded third with a 16-1 record. The Blue Dragons’ only loss came in the final game of the regular season to Garden City, 10-6. This time it wasn’t nearly as close as GC showed why it had been installed as the pre-season top seed. The semifinal was a defensive show, a virtual training film for the Trojans’ usual back line of Steve Jahelka, Brian Fischer and Billy Sweeney. But add three names to that list. J.P. Burnside, who was playing ice hockey during the last couple of football and lacrosse seasons, was a force on defense and even added his fourth goal of the season. Goalie Alex Castronovo was once again very solid, holding the high-scoring Blue Dragons to just four goals. Probably most unnoticed by the casual fan was the brilliant play of Matt Confort, a defensive midfield specialist. Matt shut down his man around the goal, executed a number of solo clears and picked up loose balls in big situations.

Tom Gordon, who leads the Trojans with 39 goal, had 3 against Division and added two assists. Devin Dwyer had four assists to raise his team leading total to 44. He also leads in total points with 33-44-77. Rob Savage and Matt Montgomery had two goals each. Garden City led throughout, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. Division stayed in contention, trailing by 6-3 at halftime, but the Trojans blew the game open in the third period as Gordon and Rob Savage each scored twice.

Now the Trojans will be out to capture their fifth straight Nassau Class B Championship. It has been a busy time for Coach Steve Finnell, who did a great job preparing his team while at the same time becoming a father for the third time. Steve’s lovely wife Sue gave birth to their second son, Jeffrey Warren Finnell who checked in at a robust 10 pounds. Congratulations!

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DWYER LEADS TROJANS OVER DIVISION, 10-6
BY JAKE WHITE

Sometimes it is hard to remember that Garden City High’s Devin Dwyer is just a sophomore. That was especially true last Friday at Levittown when he either scored or assisted on the first nine Trojan goals in a 10-6 victory over Division that enabled Garden City to pull into a three-way tie for the Conference B-1 lacrosse Championship.

Dwyer became a starter a year ago as a 5-3, 120 pound freshman. Somehow, he not only avoided being crushed by huge defensemen, he became the general of the offense and led the team in assists. A year has passed and it looks as if Devin has added six inches in height and 20 pounds. He is even more comfortable running the offense, generally from behind the cage. Through 15 games he has scored 28 goals and assisted on 38 others.

If the opposition leaves him alone behind the cage as Division often did, he has the ability to thread passes to his teammates, particularly big Tom Gordon who leads the team with 31 goals. Overplay him, and he will often beat his defender and score. At a key point in the Division game, that is just what he did.

The Blue Dragons, who trailed 7-3 at the half, closed the gap to 8-5 in the first minute of the fourth quarter. After Garden City got possession, Dwyer took the ball behind the Division net. When the defense decided to cover everyone in front and leave him alone, he made a move which belied his age. He simply stood there holding the ball in his stick. More than a minute passed as Divison made no move on Dwyer. Finally, with time ticking off the clock, a Levittown defender ran at Dwyer who made a quick move around him and beat the goalie with his fourth goal of the game. The lead went to 9-5 and Division’s comeback attempt was over.
GC had opened a 5-2 first quarter lead on goals by Rob Savage, Tom Gordon, Dwyer, Kyle Hughes and Matt Montgomery. Devin assisted on three of those and added three more goals over the next three periods. Meanwhile, the defense, anchored by senior goalie Alex Castronovo, kept the high-scoring Division offense in check.

The big win left Garden City (12-3, 7-1) tied with Wantagh and Division. Wantagh had edged GC 10-9 in two overtimes and Division had gotten by the Warriors, 16-14. When power points were compiled, the Trojans and Wantagh were dead even, but Wantagh’s win against GC head-to-head gave them the edge in the voting. The seeding is significant because it means that if the Trojans advance to the semifinal round, they will face another tough game. With the schedule GC has played, that should not shock them.

The playoffs were scheduled to open on Wednesday, May 19 at home vs, 15th seeded Mepham. A GC win would advance them to the quarterfinals at Hofstra on Tuesday, May 25 at 7 p.m. against the winner of Long Beach-Bethpage. The Class B semifinals are at Hofstra on Thursday, May 27 at 3:30 p.m. and the Nassau B Championship will be played on Wednesday, June 2 at Hofstra at 3:30 p.m.

This could be a good year for Long Island’s lacrosse powers. None will have to leave the Island. The L.I. Championships are at Hofstra on Tuesday, June 8 (Class B at 3:30). The state semifinals are at Hofstra on Thursday, June 10 (B at 3:30) and the New York State Championships are scheduled for Saturday, June 12 at Stony Brook’s LaValle Stadium with the Class B game at 11 a.m.

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TROJANS FACE DIVISION FOR CONFERENCE LAX TITLE
BY JAKE WHITE

A funny thing happened on the way to the playoffs. Seeded number one in Conference B-1, Garden City High’s lacrosse team was expected by some to march through its eight game league schedule on the way to its quest for a fifth straight Nassau County Class B Championship. Apparently, Levittown Division and Wantagh didn’t get the memo. Wantagh shocked the Trojans with a 10-9 double overtime win on April 23. Then, Division, the biggest surprise in the county, edged Wantagh, 16-14, to remain undefeated last week.

What all that adds up to is a classic match-up in the final game of the regular season when the Trojans travel to Levittown this Friday (May 14) for a 4:30 game that will have major post-season implications. A Garden City win will leave all three top teams with 7-1 Conference records. Power Points will decide the final order and Trojan coach Steve Finnell will be hoping for the top spot. The second and third seeds will have to play each other in the Class B semi-finals if form holds in the playoffs, while the number one seed would not have to meet either of the other two until the final.

Projecting that far ahead is not what coaches like to do. Right now Finnell’s team is absolutely looking no further than Levittown where the Blue Dragons have been pouring in goals and defying skeptics. They are the real thing, but one factor has to be considered. Division (14-0) has not played anything close to the difficult non-league schedule that the 11-3 Trojans have faced. GC’s three losses have each been by one goal. The Garden City defense has allowed less than five goals per game, but the Blue Dragons’ high powered offense will test that record. Meanwhile, the Trojans will need to score goals and that hasn’t always come as easily as hoped. Against league opponents, however, GC has averaged in double figures and Division’s defense has not played on the same level as its offense.

Four Conference B-1 wins bolstered spirits following the heart-breaking last ten second loss to rival Manhasset. The Trojans beat a good Long Beach team, 10-6, as Devin Dwyer and Tom Gordon each scored three goals. The Marines managed to stay close, but the Trojan defense stiffened in the second half.

Last Saturday, GC trounced MacArthur, 14-2, despite leading just 1-0 after the first quarter. The offense got untracked with seven second period goals, including four within one minute. Eleven different players recorded either goals or assists. Liam Kennedy, Patric Berkery and Dan LoSardo each had two goals while Matt Confort, Conor McDonnell and J.P. Burnside each scored their first goals of the season.
A work-man-like, if unspectacular 10-2 win over Bellmore Kennedy followed. Devin Dwyer showed off his terrific stickwork in this one as he assisted on six Trojan goals. Tom Gordon, Kyle Hughes and Dan LoSardo tallied twice each..

On Wednesday, the Trojans tuned up for the big game by pounding Calhoun, 15-2, to raise their Conference record to 6-1. This time the offense clicked early and often with 10 goals by halftime. Fifteen players scored points led by Dwyer (4 goals, 2 assists) and Tom Gordon (2 and 3). A highlight for the players was midfielder Jared Mitchell’s first goal of the season. The popular senior is an outstanding faceoff man and one of the best at picking up ground balls in tough situations. If he never scored, he would be an asset, but the goal was a team pleaser.

Now comes the unexpected drama of a Conference Championship showdown against Division. Regardless of the outcome, Garden City will open the playoffs at home next Wednesday, May 19 at 4:30 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.

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MORE THAN 2,000 SEE INDIANS EDGE TROJANS IN WOOD STICK CLASSIC
BY JAKE WHITE

What may have been the largest crowd ever to see a lacrosse game at Garden City High School jammed Warren King Field last Saturday for the playing of the 119th renewal of the oldest uninterrupted scholastic lacrosse rivalry in the nation. A crowd estimated at between 2,000 and 2,500 fans watched Manhasset and Garden City play a tight defensive struggle worthy of all the pre-game build-up. In the end, it was the Indians who prevailed, overcoming a two goal Trojan lead and scoring the winner with just ten seconds remaining in the game.

Manhasset coach Bill Cherry summed it up best when he said “Two great teams. Two great defenses. A 7-6 game is a sign of great defense and offense that makes the most of its opportunities. That’s my kind of game.”

There was little to separate the teams from the opening whistle. Pat Berkery gave the Trojans a one goal lead but the Indians came back to take a 2-1 lead after a quarter. GC went ahead 4-2 by halftime but again Manhasset rallied, scoring twice to tie, including a goal just six seconds into the third period.

As the clock ticked down, the tension built on the field and in the stands. Devin Dwyer broke the tie with a goal early in the fourth quarter then Connor Horl followed ten seconds later with a spectacular play as he won the faceoff cleanly, raced toward the goal and fired a shot into the right corner to put the Trojans on top, 6-4

Manhasset (10-0) wasn’t about to quit, however. A man- up goal closed the margin to one with 6:02 left. The Indians tied the game with 1:29 remaining on a fast break after a missed Garden City shot. Then after gaining possession of the ball, Coach Cherry called a timeout to set up a final play. It worked to perfection as high scoring Drew Belinsky broke free and raced across in front of the goal to fire home the winner with just ten seconds on the clock.

Trojan coach Steve Finnell was understandably frustrated. Garden City (7-3) has three losses, all to top teams by one goal, including one in double overtime. “We certainly had our chances to win this one. Give Manhasset credit for making some big plays at the end.”

The game was typical of the great rivalry which has seen 17 of the last 22 games decided by three goals or less. Three times since 1999 the games were decided in overtime – all won by Garden City. Never-the-less, Manhasset leads the over-all series, 66-53 since it all began in 1935.

The very difficult non-league portion of the schedule is now over for Garden City which won 5 of 7 against top competition. Now comes the the rest of the league schedule. GC begins that stretch with a Conferecne B-1 record of 2-1. Wantagh and Levittown Division are unbeaten as they play each other this week. After a May 5 game against Long Beach, the Trojans host MacArthur Saturday at 1 p.m. and Bellmore Kennedy at 4:30 Monday. Then next Wednesday, May 12, GC travels to Calhoun at 4:30.

LAX NOTES: The Wood Stick Trophy was presented by three former Trojan stars, All-Americans Tim Worstell ’79 and Andy Kraus ’86, and Fred Mayer ’53....Garden City’s 8th graders beat Manhasset, 5-2, and the Trojan JV beat the Indians, 14-4. J.V. coach Tom Flatley visited with his team a month after being seriously injured in an auto accident....GC has allowed just 4.8 goals per game....MSG Varsity televised the Wood Stick Classic and will replay it a number of times on Channel 14.

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GARDEN CITY HOSTS MANHASSET IN WOOD STICK CLASSIC LACROSSE THIS SATURDAY
BY JAKE WHITE

Seventy-five years after it began, the lacrosse rivalry between Garden City and Manhasset has never been more hotly contested or more anticipated. The 119th renewal of what has become known as the Wood Stick Classic takes place at Warren King Field this Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.

This time around the game matches teams which have been ranked as high as the top five in the nation. Manhasset won its first ten games, including a dramatic overtime win over Chaminade last week. The Trojans have won 7 of their first 9, including triumphs over Yorktown, New Canaan and Smithtown West.

Losses to highly-ranked St. Paul’s of Maryland (7-6) and 10-1 Wantagh (10-9 in two overtimes) have been their only setbacks.

Coach Bill Cherry’s Indians are coming off a season in which they captured the New York State Class C Championship. On the way, they defeated the Trojans, 8-2, breaking a streak which had seen Garden City win 11 of the previous 12 meetings.

Coach Steve Finnell’s Trojans have won four straight Nassau County Class B titles and will be a strong contender to keep their crown. Garden City has closed the gap in the last decade but Manhasset still leads the oldest uninterrupted public school lacrosse rivalry in the nation by a 65-53 margin. Sixteen of the last 21 games have been decided by three goals or less.

The J.V. teams will meet prior to the varsity game and the two outstanding girls varsity teams will play at Warren King Field following the Wood Stick Classic.

Last week, the Trojans played two more of their many tough opponents. A 5-4 come-from-behind non-league win over New Canaan, Connecticut followed an exciting, but disappointing, 10-9 double overtime loss to a surprisingly strong Wantagh team. That one hurt because it was a Conference B-1 game. The loss left GC with a 2-1 league record while the high-scoring Warriors improved to 4-0.

The game was a seesaw affair as Tom Gordon’s three goals put the Trojans ahead, 3-1. Wantagh then came back with four straight to go on top 4-3. Five straight GC goals followed and it looked as if the Trojans might be in control, however Wantagh got a goal with five seconds remaining in the third quarter and then tied the score at 9-9 with three minutes left in regulation. Both goalies, Jake Gambitsky of Wantagh and Dan Marino made spectacular saves in overtime, but finally Brandon Mangan, the leading scorer on Long Island, won it for the Warriors with an unassisted goal with 2:07 left in the second overtime. Gambitsky finished with 21 saves.

With both offenses as cold as the rainy day, the Trojans trailed New Canaan, 3-1, until the final 1:07 of the third period when Stephen Jahelka and Tom Gordon scored to tie it up. Midway through the final quarter, Liam Kennedy and Devin Dwyer hit the net to give Garden City a much-needed victory with the Manhasset game just days away.

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TROJANS FACE WANTAGH TODAY IN KEY LEAGUE TEST
BY JAKE WHITE

After rolling to three one-sided victories last week, Garden City’s top-seeded lacrosse team faces what could be the most challenging game of the Conference B-1 league schedule when they host the Wantagh Warriors at Warren King Field today (Friday) at 4:30 p.m.

The Trojans (6-1, 2-0) are regarded as one of the best defensive teams on Long Island and they will have to put that reputation on the line against high-scoring Wantagh which so far has had little trouble hitting the net. The Warriors have played a number of shoot-outs, including a 20-16 win over South Side. Clearly, Wantagh has been yielding goals as well, and the Trojans hope to take advantage of that with an improving offense that has accounted for 42 goals in the last three games.

The two teams have some history. Though Garden City has won 11 of the 13 meetings, the two losses came in playoff games, including a big upset in the 2001 county final. Further, some of the Trojan wins were completed with a flurry of late Wantagh fouls. In 2005, when Garden City pulled away late to win, 9-4, in the regular season game, four Wantagh players drew slashing penalties in the final minute. Later in the playoffs, GC won 16-4, but a late Warrior foul resulted in an ejection and an injury to a key Trojan player.

Things have calmed down in recent years and the teams didn’t play in 2009. Further, none of the current players were around for the earlier drama and even both head coaches have changed. Hopefully, that means that the focus will be on well-played lacrosse in what shapes up as one of the big games of the season.

Last week, Garden City opened its league season, by blanking Carey, 12-0, with senior goalie Tim Moynihan playing most of the way. Devin Dwyer led the scorers with 4 goals and 3 assists – all in the first half. Kyle Hughes and Liam Kennedy also scored twice. Coach Finnell dressed and played a number of J.V players and freshman Justin Gutterding took advantage to score his first varsity goal.

Last Saturday, the Trojans played in the Haverford (PA) School’s annual Checking For Cancer invitational. Garden City was matched with an old rival, Yorktown, a team which they had played seven times in the state semifinals. Yorktown won 4 of those 7, including knocking off Coach Steve Finnell’s 1990 and 1991 teams when he was a star middie. “I finally beat Yorktown ,” he joked after the game, won easily by the Trojans, 14-3, in their best offense performance of the season.
Garden City took an 11-2 halftime lead and was able to play virtually everyone. Tom Gordon (4), Kyle Hughes (2), Patric Berkery (2) and Devin Dwyer (2) were multiple scorers.

On Tuesday at Great Neck South, the Trojans coasted to a 16-5 win after taking an 8-1 first quarter lead. All of the starters came out after that first period but Devin Dwyer managed to squeeze in two goals and four assists in 12 minutes. Kyle Hughes also tallied twice. Over the final three quarters Liam Kennedy, Andrew D’Antonio and Jack Spencer each had two goals. Mike Lofrese added his first varsity goal. Connor Horl dominated the faceoffs and scored on a fast break.

Now things get serious again with today’s game with Wantagh and next Monday’s non-league battle against New Canaan, Connecticut at Warren King Field.

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LAST MINUTE HEROICS HIGHLIGHT TROJAN LAX WINS
BY JAKE WHITE

When Garden City High lacrosse coach Steve Finnell was putting together his non-league schedule for 2010 his goal was to play the best teams he could and provide his talented team with the kind of challenging competition that would prepare them for their run to another championship. Based on the three games played recently, it would seem that his plan is working.

The Trojans came from three goals down to defeat host Smithtown West, the 13th ranked team in the nation, 6-5, with 23 seconds remaining in the game. They then had to tie South Side in the final quarter before winning, 3-2, with two seconds left in double overtime. Finally, they traveled to Baltimore where the final goal was scored by St. Paul’s in the final minutes of a 7-6 loss. Pass the Tums.

While the loss to St. Paul’s was difficult, there were some consolations. St. Paul’s , a perennial power, began the season as the nation’s number three team. Garden City (3-1) had displaced them in that rank and the game showed little separated the two teams. Further, Devin Dwyer returned to his attack position after missing time with an injury suffered on a late hit after he scored his second goal of the Smithtown West game. He contributed a goal at St. Pauls. And once again, the defense put the team in a position to win.

At Smithtown, GC came out flat in the first half and trailed 4-1. After intermission, however, the offense got in gear. Two goals by Dwyer and one by Rob Savage tied the score before Patric Berkery put the Trojans ahead 5-4. West came back to tie with a minute left, but Matt Montgomery got possession and set up Tom Gordon who rifled in the winner with 23 seconds left. It was a big win since Smithtown West is considered to be a serious contender for the Suffolk A crown after moving up from Class B. “You can’t spot a team that good three goals” said a relieved coach Finnell. “We may have been a little flat at first because we had two scrimmages canceled and hadn’t played in 10 days. Our guys certainly competed when it counted, however.”

The game at Skelos Field in Rockville Centre pitted the Trojans against South Side, a team which had been scoring a lot of goals and allowing a lot, too. With that scouting report, it is difficult to imagine a game in which goals were so rare. Trailing 2-1 with less than three minutes left in regulation, Garden City tied the score on a goal by Patric Berkery. The outstanding sophomore middie played hero again when he scored the winner on an unassisted goal with two seconds left in the second overtime. An examination of the stats tells the story of the game. “We took 40 shots and made 3,” said Finnell. “It was hard to believe. We dominated early and just couldn’t find the net.”

At St. Paul’s, Tom Gordon (3), Patric Berkery (2) and Devin Dwyer (1) scored the goals and therein lies both a strenghth and a weakness. Those three players have been outstanding, but no one else has stepped up to be a consistent scorer and at the level of competition the Trojans are playing they will need that to happen.
One thing is constant: the defense has played well with Brian Fischer, Steve Jahelka, Billy Sweeney, J.P. Burnside, Matt Confort and Conor McDonnell playing in front of goalies Alex Castronovo and Dan Marino.

After the league opener at Carey on April 14, Garden City plays Westchester power Yorktown at Haverford School in Pennsylvania this Saturday (April 17) at noon. Over the years the Trojans have played Yorktown in the state semifinals seven times with the Cornhuskers winning four. Then next Tuesday (April 20) the Trojans play their seventh straight away game, traveling to Great Neck South for a 4:30 p.m. start.

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TROJANS TOP SYOSSET IN LACROSSE OPENER
By Jake White

Turn back the clock one year to the opening game of the 2009 high school lacrosse season. A freshman and sophomore laden Garden City squad travels to Syosset and loses a 6-3 decision as the offense struggles. For a day the outlook looked bleak, but the young team came back to win 17 of its next 19 games and capture a fourth straight Nassau County Class B Championship.

Now, flash forward to the 2010 opener played last week at Garden City. The opponent? None other than the Syosset Braves. The young stars of 2009 are a year older, bigger, stronger and more experienced. The final score: Garden City 10, Syosset 5 – and it probably should have been even more one-sided.

“We did some good things, particularly on defense in the second half,” said Trojan coach Steve Finnell. “But we didn’t take care of the ball the way we should have. We gave them a lot of unforced turnovers at a time when we should have been pulling away.”

One thing is for sure: the Trojans will not be sneaking up on anybody this year. Nassau coaches seeded them number one in Class B and national magazines have GC listed in the top 10 in the U.S. Other coaches talk about the Garden City defense with Brian Fischer, an All-American as a sophomore last year, Stephen Jahelka, and Billy Sweeney fronting for goalies Alex Castronovo and Dan Marino. But make no mistake, based on strong scrimmages vs. St. Anthony’s, Hicksville and Delbarton, plus the opener with Syosset, this Garden City team is very athletic and very deep. “We play a lot of people because we have a lot of people who can play,” Finnell told his team after one scrimmage.

If the team has questions, they would seem to be on offense. However, thus far goals have been coming at a very encouraging rate. Sophomore Devin Dwyer, who led the team in assists a year ago, has been a highly effective feeder, recording five assists against Syosset. He seems to have excellent chemistry with Tom Gordon, who had four goals vs. Syosset, three on passes from Dwyer. Liam Kennedy, Brian Coleman and Dan LoSardo should see plenty of action as well. The midfielders have shown strong scoring ability Soph Patric Berkery has unlimited potential. Seniors Jared Mitchell, Kevin Dachille, Jim Kenny and Matt Montgomery along with underclassmen Conor McDonnell, Rob Savage and Matt Confort provide the depth which few teams can match. The return of J.P. Burnside bolsters the defense.

The very difficult non-league schedule resumes this Saturday night, April 3 when the Trojans travel to Smithtown West for a 6 p.m. game against a team which is ranked among the best in Suffolk. Then, on Tuesday, April 6, Garden City plays South Side at Skelos Field in Rockville Centre at 4:15 p.m.

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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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