Garden City loses in state Class B field hockey final

SYRACUSE - Yes, Garden City has built a reputation throughout New York, wrought of consistent dominance. Of course, from that, comes the Yankee-esque "championship or bust" expectations in the views of some observers. But if anyone sees fit to deem the Trojans' season a failure, it's folly.

In the state Class B final Saturday, Garden City ran into what, quite simply, was a better team. No collapse. No choke. No shame.

The Trojans, 2008 champions, have been stood up twice by Lakeland, which captured its second straight title with a 2-0 win.

Garden City having outscored its opponents 88-5 entering this game perhaps veiled the fact that reaching this point wasn't a layup. The players readily admit they weren't the Trojans of old.

"Honestly," Mikaela Rix said of Lakeland, "their team is great field hockey players and ours is great athletes playing field hockey . . . They play year-round, whereas most of us are lacrosse players. They have better stick skills and it showed."

That's not an excuse or sour grapes, just truth. Many of Garden City's field hockey-first players graduated, including three All-Long Islanders and two All-Americans. They returned only three starters.

Then during the season, injuries became their plague. Players sometimes looked half-mummified after games, what with all the tape and bandages. It was to the point where the team, without prompt, would repeatedly credit trainer Jen Chimienti as if she'd scored the winning goal. Following the loss to Lakeland, Catherine Dickinson's mom quipped that the Trojans leaving the field unscathed was a victory in itself. Her daughter was one of the first wounded this season with a broken nose. That the Trojans made it this far and dominated along the way is a testament to their talent - even if unfinished.

"Yeah, it would've absolutely been great to be state champions, but we are state finalists," said coach Diane Chapman, whose teams have won 14 Long Island titles and taken states six times since 1991. "To be one of the teams in the tournament . . . There's a lot of teams throughout the state at home wishing they were in this position."

And credit the Trojans (19-1-1) for having played close with a Lakeland team that has a loaded roster and features four of the top players in New York. Last year, they outplayed Lakeland in the semifinals but lost on a breakaway goal in overtime. This time, the teams played about evenly except, as Rix said, "They put two in and we couldn't."

Rebecca Bard scored first for the Hornets (19-1-1) at 13:48 of the first half, scooping a shot into the left corner during a scramble in front of the cage. Then with 8:26 to go before intermission, Emma Bozek added the insurance, putting a Chelsea Remling pass inside the left post.

"They've got great players and we did a good job of limiting them," said Chapman, whose team cleared seven of Lakeland's penalty corners. "But you can only hold a good team for so long."

Garden City will again have to replace a chunk of its roster next year as it will lose eight seniors, Rix, Erin Mullins, Gabi Nesi and Caroline Tarzian among them. This season's silver lining, though, was the team's perseverance and the emergence of juniors Catherine McTiernan, Tara Mahon and Alex Bruno, who led Nassau with 33 points.

From McTiernan, an apology to the seniors and a promise the Trojans "will be extra motivated and go harder next year."

From Rix, a request of the returning players: "Beat Lakeland. Get back up here and finish it."