As we now get to the final three teams in the LILJ top 24 preseason rankings, the Garden City Trojans enter the rankings at number three. The last two seasons they have proven to be the best team in the state of New York in Class B, winning consecutive state championships under Head Coach Steve Finnell, with last year’s coming against Victor in an epic 9-8 game. This season Garden City looks to add to their rich history by capturing a third straight state championship and the 10th in the history of the program.
This season Garden City returns several players that helped win the last two state championships. At attack they return senior Holy Cross commit Andrew Ottomanelli who is their leading scorer from attack, tallying 42 goals and 17 assists for 59 points last season. Although they did graduate key players from last season in Stevie Finnell, Jack Archer, Henry Gibbons, and James Paisley, they return a number of upperclassmen at midfield that will look to fill the void which includes senior Holy Cross commit Aidan Considine, senior Hamilton commit Carson Kraus, and Villanova bound junior Michael Berkery. At the face-off X the Trojans have a young gun freshman Brayden Robertiello who is already entering his second season on varsity, and they also welcome back face-off specialist Luke Cascadden who transfers back to Garden City from Lawrenceville.
Year in and year out Garden City is among the top defensive teams on Long Island and in the state of New York and this season should be no different. The Trojans defense is anchored by Princeton bound senior Matt Kephart, junior Luke LeSueur, and short-stick defensive midfielders Blake Cascadden (Cornell) and Owen Wuchte (Bucknell). In the net for his senior year is arguably the best goalie on Long Island Denis Fargione the senior who will be heading to Villanova. In 2023 he was an absolute brick wall as he compiled 145 saves with a near 60% save percentage and will once again be very tough to score on in 2024.
This season the Trojans’ quest for a three-peat will see them face many of the top teams in Nassau County in the newly structured power conference, and they will have great competition in Class B between South Side and Manhasset as teams that they will likely cross paths with down the line.
GC also graduated two of its 3 year starters on defense Cole Webber (Virginia) and Tristan Mullahey (Navy).
GC just reloads.