Island Trees Boys Soccer Defeats Garden City in Class A Quarters

Island Trees has gone nearly the entire fall season unscathed with just a single loss to its name. On Tuesday night, the No. 2 Bulldogs came on top once again with a 2-0 win over No. 10 Garden City in the teams’ Class A quarterfinals meeting at Island Trees High School.

“I knew going into this game that it was going to be a tough challenge. I thought it was an even matched game, but our execution around the goal was the difference,” said Island Trees head coach Graham Radcliffe. “Our guys up front were outworking their defenders, being quicker and faster. However, when the tension gets high, I want to make sure we stay composed and a little more disciplined.”

Sophomore Adonis Martinez put in a go-ahead goal for Island Trees in the twenty-seventh minute of the opening half off of a pass from senior Anthony Leonick. Island Trees took that 1-0 lead into halftime. From then on, the game would be all about who could outrun who and which team was able to play the complete game that has allowed each to reach this point in the season.

Midway through the second half, Garden City found one of its best chances of the game after senior Teddy Spanos nearly put in a goal at point blank range off of a perfectly placed cross. The shot curved just right of the post past junior Andrew Barbine, who finished with five saves in the shutout.

Just seven minutes later, the Trojans reached desperation mode as minutes fell off of the clock and they still trailed. After a missed shot by Island Trees senior forward J.T. Famularo, seniors John Chtchekine and Michael Gutierrez created solid chances in the box for Garden City in an effort to tie.

Undoubtedly the best save of the match, Trojan senior keeper Joseph Capetola made a lunging stop to his right with just eight minutes remaining. However, it would all unfold when senior Mike Gronenthal took a short pass from Famularo to put in a goal, pushing the lead to 2-0 in the seventy-third minute and sealing the quarterfinal win.

“It was an adrenaline rush, very intense,” said Gronenthal. “I thought we were in better shape than them; we are in better shape than most teams. We were quicker and it helps us at the end of the games.”

Garden City previously defeated No. 7 Plainedge on the road in the opening round on Oct. 28 by a 2-0 final. Sean Bingham and Chtchekine found the back of the net in the win for the Trojans, who conclude their season at 10-4-2 overall.

“We had some great chances, but we just didn’t finish them like they finished theirs," said Garden City head coach Carlo Mazarese. "They are a good team, but I thought our guys played hard and well.“Unless you play in the last game, you are going to lose one of these games. Overall, I am very proud of our guys and thought they did a great job.”

Island Trees will move on to play No. 6 Great Neck North on Friday at 5 p.m. in the Class A semifinals at Mitchel Field. Great Neck previously defeated No. 11 South Side and No. 14 Valley Stream North to reach the match up with the now 13-1-3 Island Trees Bulldogs.