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Sports

Garden City Football Wins Semifinal Game Against Wantagh

The Trojans defeat Wantagh 14-12 to advance to the finals against Carey next Friday.

Coach Tom Flatley continues to add to his coaching legacy with a close 14-12 win against Wantagh in the semifinals of the Nassau Class II playoffs at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.

The game went down to the final plays as Wantagh wouldn’t back down, causing five turnovers throughout the game – none more costly for Garden City than the fumble recovery with a little over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

As Garden City was trying to run the clock down with the slim two-point lead, the Warriors forced a key fumble. The turnover gave Wantagh good field position and a chance to finally snap a long 16-game losing streak to the Trojans.

But that’s where Flatley’s Trojan defense stepped up, causing a turnover of their own, as Jack Reina recovered a Wantagh fumble and another chance for Garden City to ice the game. With less than two minutes remaining the Wantagh defense stood tall, with a little help from a questionable motion penalty on Garden City, and the Trojans were forced to punt.

Taking possession on their own 8 yard line the Warriors had one more chance. After moving the ball out to their own 40-yard line the game was finally put away with a fourth down sack by Brian Goepfort.

Garden City had won a tough game against Wantagh and advance to the finals against undefeated Carey for the Nassau County championship on Friday at 7 p.m. at Hofstra.

The game didn’t start on a positive note for the Trojans as they allowed Wantagh to march 78 yards for a touchdown on their first possession to go up only 6-0 as the extra point clanged off the upright. Garden City was moving the ball in the first half but came up short because of key turnovers but finally punched it in on a Brett Stewart keeper midway through the second quarter to take the 7-6 lead as Gerard Smith drilled his PAT.

The Trojans added another score in the third quarter as Stewart found Brian Colamussi in the end zone and another Smith PAT to put Garden City up 14-6 and looked to be rolling after the halftime adjustments that Flatley is noted for.

Wantagh made it a game with a nice fourth quarter drive that culminated with a touchdown but the two-point conversion failed to tie the game as the Garden City defense stood tall once again.

The last seven minutes were tense but the Garden City boys delivered another playoff victory for Flatley and his staff.

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