Preview: Garden City Boys Varsity Soccer

Sixteen minutes.

That’s all that separated the Garden City boys’ varsity soccer team from making the playoffs last year before a season-ending 1-0 loss to Jericho in a game it needed to win or tie to qualify for the postseason.

But this season, coach Carlo Mazarese and the Trojans are looking not only to reach the postseason but make some noise after getting there.

“We always start the season with one goal in mind, the championship,” Mazarese said. “More often than not, we are in the mix. Last year was one of those abnormalities that we were not in the mix in the end. We start with the same goal, (which is) to get far in the playoffs.”

So far, Garden City has shown no ill-effects from that loss by getting off to a dominating 3-0 start, including Wednesday afternoon’s 4-0 whitewashing at two-time defending Nassau Class A champion South Side. The Trojans have outscored the opposition 15-4 this season.

“It’s a different team,” Mazarese said. “Each team has its own personality. We’re going to forget about last year and think about this year.”

Senior Sean Bingham has been a big reason behind the offensive explosion with an astounding seven goals and two assists in the three games. Bingham, who led the team with eight assists last season, had three goals in each of the first two games before getting the opening tally on Wednesday. The Trojans did not have a player score more than six goals last year.

“It’s just a different look on the game,” Bingham said. “I’m still trying to create, but my teammates are able to find my feet and I’ve been capitalizing on the opportunities.”

Fellow tri-captain Cosmo Veneziale and senior Christopher Skorr are also paying immediate dividends up front. Veneziale recorded his second and third goals of the season on Wednesday and Skorr added a goal and an assist, a pretty give-and-go that set up Bingham’s tally.

“Chris is a great player,” Mazarese said. “He’s a hard worker. He doesn’t complain and he complements those two other guys really well.”

Manning the backline is Ted Spanos, another senior and tri-captain. Spanos has been bitten by the injury bug the past two seasons, but finally appears healthy and ready to lead a mostly green defensive corps.

“Teddy has been with the team for years, but he hasn’t played in many games (because) he was injured the last two years,” Mazarese said. “He’s the veteran, but we basically have a lot of new people back there. Other than Teddy being a starter as a freshman, no other player there has much experience.”

Experience is not a problem in goal with seniors James Pyatsky, who made a season-high four saves on Wednesday, and Joey Capetola. But deciding which one to play may be a good problem for Mazarese to have.

“James last year almost didn’t make the team,” Mazarese said. “He was unfit and didn’t have a good tryout at all. But he worked hard and I worked with him a little bit with his fitness and he’s come back and he’s done a great job for us. For now he’s our starter, but Joey (Capetola) is a good player too. Either one of them can do the job.”

The Trojans return home to face Wantagh on Friday before their highly-anticipated rematch at Jericho next Tuesday.