Hauppauge: We can dance with Garden City (...and other extras)

How's that for an attention-grabbing statement?

Truth is, not many teams can stand toe-to-toe with the six-time Class B state champions (an NYS record), but after falling to Garden City in the Long Island championships last year, coach Abby Zeltmann thinks her squad can entertain the possibility.

"We're feeling good," she said after the 17-7 away win over last year's Class C champs, Mount Sinai. "You should never judge too early, but our goal is to go farther than we did last year."

That means GC, right?

"That's way down the line," she said. "But they're on our radar. Don't get it wrong."

I do love some good-natured competitiveness.

Other stuff from the game:

- Mount Sinai has some pretty sweet warm-up T-Shirts with the words "Unfinished Business" emblazoned near the bottom. Looks like the Mustangs have no intention of giving the C crown back to once-perennial winner Shoreham-Wading River, which was bounced back from Class B this year. The shirt is, of course, reference to last year, when Mount Sinai came one win short of a state title.

- Taylor Ranftle had a nice streak of four goals and three assists going for the first three games of the season. No such luck today...she marked her season high with seven goals and two assists. Said Zeltmann: "She's stronger this year because she has another year under her belt. She takes control of the offense...well, she was always able to take control of the offense."

- Speaking of consistency: Hauppauge has allowed opponents to score 4, 7, 4, and 7 goals in its first four games

- I know of at least one other person in attendance was bummed that Ranftle wasn't wearing her gameday eye-gear. The attack has these all-white contacts that are frankly, really, really intimidating. (The other person was News12/MSG Varsity guy, Andrew Rappaport, by the way.)

- Hauppauge came prepared for the sister act that is the Pirrecas. "We came down to watch their game against Eastport South Manor and they're a very good team," Ranftle said. "[Sydney and Shayna] are awesome and we watched tape on them...Shayna is on the crease a lot and they're really quick, so we had to tailor our defense around what they do." 

Sydney was held to two goals while Shayna had one and one. Not a bad day against a team like Hauppauge, but uncommon enough for the girls - Sydney, the freshman, came into the game with 22 goals and an assist over four games, while Shayna, the sophomore, had 11 and eight.