Garden City wins another county title

You know, if this field hockey stuff hadn't gone so well, Laura Fanning probably could have done all right as a punter or tae kwon do expert.

Simply put, the Garden City goalie can really kick it.

Fanning had three kick saves -- they were beauties -- and booted away three other loose balls. Her third kiboshed a breakaway with 5:31 to play, and the ball went sailing about 40 yards.

"It was all that adrenaline…" said Fanning, who seldom gets to display her goalkeeping skills (15 saves in 12 shutouts), thanks to her team's dominance.

Speaking of which . . .

Garden City did what Garden City has always done: win.

The top-seeded Trojans captured a 17th straight county title in a 3-0 victory over Cold Spring Harbor in the Nassau Class B final.

SEE PHOTOSClass B final: Garden City 3, Cold Spring Harbor 0

Alexandra Bruno, despite being marked tightly for most of the game, had two goals and an assist to lead Garden City (15-0-1). Jenna Fuchs added a goal and Catherine McTiernan had an assist. Taylor Striar made six saves for No. 2 Cold Spring Harbor (12-3-1).

"It gets better every time," Bruno said, reciting what for two years has been her catchphrase after postseason wins. "But this one is more special because I'm a senior and any of these games can be my last."

She helped ensure Sunday’s game wasn’t the finale. The midfielder put the Trojans on the board at 21:52 of the first half, whacking one in from the right arc of the circle into the center of the cage. Fuchs, on a penalty corner, scored off a give-and-get-back pass from McTiernan with 7:44 left in the first half. And Bruno’s goal on a penalty stroke created the final margin with 20:10 to play.

“For some people it’s their very first championship and for others it’s their last,” Trojans coach Diane Chapman said. “Each year is different so we treat each one like it’s new.”
Garden City, seeking a seventh consecutive Long Island title, will face the Suffolk Class B champ in the L.I. final at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Stony Brook.

Beating Cold Spring Harbor had Garden City “pumped,” Bruno said. The Seahawks have been their most competitive rival the last two seasons, twice playing them to 1-1 ties. “It’s rewarding,” Bruno said, “because they’re a team that’s always given us a hard time.”

And more on the goalie: “Incredible feet,” Chapman said. “Her distance and placement on those clears was great. She played an outstanding game.”

In Fanning’s two years as a starter, Garden City has outscored its opponents 159-12, and they’ve played eight games this season in which Fanning didn’t have to make a save. That vaunted defense and a ball-control offense has sometimes made the cage on their end a lonely, desolate space.

“I don’t get that many opportunities because of how good this team is,” the senior said, “so it’s great to finally be able to show what I can do.”