Sullivan helps GC girls win 5th straight state title
CORTLAND, N.Y. - Marching across the field after yet another state championship victory, the Garden City girls lacrosse team celebrated like a bunch of cartoon characters.
"Five, five, five," they clucked in unison, mimicking the seagulls from "Finding Nemo."
They clowned afterward but during the game the Trojans were all business, coming from behind to rout Bedford's Fox Lane, 20-10, and capture the school's fifth straight state Class B girls lacrosse title Saturday at SUNY Cortland. It is the 11th state championship for the Trojans.
"It never gets old," said Barbara Sullivan, who had four goals and three assists and was named tournament MVP. Added Caroline Tarzian, who had seven goals and two assists: "It gets more exciting every single year."
Shannon Mangini had four goals, Mikaela Rix three goals, Katie D'Antonio two goals and one assist and Catherine Dickinson two assists to complete the scoring for Garden City (21-0).
For seniors like Mangini it was the culmination of four straight trips upstate without ever suffering a loss in Cortland.
"It feels amazing," Mangini said. "My ultimate goal this year was to win the state championship and go undefeated. With this team those goals were a total reality."
Even with all the recent dominance this was the first time that anyone on this Garden City team finished the season undefeated. When did Mangini realize the undefeated season was a reality?
"From the beginning," she said. "Even in tryouts, when we saw the talent we had."
Title number five and the undefeated season looked in jeopardy early when Fox Lane (19-4) jumped to a 6-1 lead in the opening eight minutes. It was by far the largest deficit the Trojans faced this season.
Garden City coach Diane Chapman took a timeout and her team responded with a 6-0 run to go up 7-6. Fox Lane regained the lead but the Trojans went ahead for good at 9-8 when Tarzian beat the buzzer with a remarkable sprint and score at the end of the first half. Garden City scored nine of the first 10 goals in the second half.
"It's so much better to be up one at the half than tied," Tarzian said.
Fox Lane was making its first appearance at the state tournament. The Foxes saw first hand what the rest of the state has known for years, Garden City is the class of Class B.
Said coach Bill Broggy: "In practice it used to be: 'Who are you practicing for?' 'John Jay and Yorktown.' Now the standard will be: 'Who are you practicing for?' 'Garden City.' "
As the second team to play in a tripleheader, Garden City was in a unique position. The Trojans were on the field warming up as Farmingdale celebrated its Class A title and was on the field for its own celebration while Shoreham-Wading River prepared for the Class C title game. The Trojans defeated both teams during the regular season.
And yet the team is able to keep things in perspective.
"I think we take it for granted sometimes and don't realize it," Tarzian said. "This is more than any of us ever could have imagined."
Said defender Shannon Defliese, another senior celebrating her fourth straight title: "It's so rare for most teams to even make it up here. It's beyond me right now, I'm out of words . . . This was definitely the best one."
Out East: Mecox Bay Dairy, Kent Animal Shelter, Custer Institute & Observatory and local champagnes NewsdayTV's Doug Geed takes us "Out East," and shows us different spots you can visit this winter.
Out East: Mecox Bay Dairy, Kent Animal Shelter, Custer Institute & Observatory and local champagnes NewsdayTV's Doug Geed takes us "Out East," and shows us different spots you can visit this winter.
