Sports
Garden City Field Hockey Claims Class B Title; Long Island Championship Awaits
The Lady Trojans won a 17th county title in a row and will now prepare for the Long Island championship on Saturday.
The Garden City field hockey team seems to produce winning teams one season after the next.
With a tradition like the Lady Trojans have, last winning the New York State title in 2008, it is no surprise the girls are able stay in contention each year.
On Sunday, top-seeded Garden City won the Nassau County Class B championship with a 3-0 win over No. 2 Cold Spring Harbor, its 17th county title in a row. The Lady Trojans will walk into the Long Island title game with a 15-0-1, where the only non-winning effort came on Sept. 16 against the same team they defeated for the title over the weekend.
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“It is hard to play a team three times and we knew they were a good, skilled team,” said Garden City head coach Diane Chapman. “We tried to score early to set the tone of the game and we were able to do that, and then maintain possession and control.”
Alexandra Bruno scored twice, a goal in the beginning of each half, to increase her total to 14 on the season. Jenna Fuchs added one goal with 7:44 remaining in the first half, her 11th on the season.
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The Garden City defense looked in top-shape for the extent of the 60-minute regulation at Adelphi University, limiting the Seahawks to just three shots on net against goalkeeper Laura Fanning.
The shutout was the 12th on the season in 16 games, where the team has outscored opponents by a combined score of 69-4. The path to the 2011 Class B title included a quartet of 8-0 wins and a 7-0 win. Garden City previously defeated No. 4 Clarke, 2-0, in the semifinals.
“The defense, when they are tested, they are able to come up big,” added Chapman. “Our goalie, Laura Fanning, made some good saves. Our defense was just able to shut down their potent offense when they were trying to push the fast breaks, but our defense were very solid and poised back there.”
As noted in years past, the road for Garden City often does not stop here. The Lady Trojans will play in the Class B Long Island championship against undefeated and top-seeded Sayville (17-0-0) Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Stony Brook University for a chance to win a seventh straight Long Island title.
Garden City will be looking to get back to the state championship game in Syracuse, where last year it fell to Lakeland-Panas for its first loss of the 2010 season.
