Garden City Football Nassau Champs!

Redemption is sweet but even sweeter when it comes with a prize like the Nassau County Conference II Championship. Garden City came in to finals with a bit of a chip on their shoulder and one thing in mind - to avenge the regular season loss to MacArthur. And it wasn't about making up for just any loss. It was a loss that had deeper meaning. MacArthur stopped the Trojan's 42 game winning streak in a dominating fashion while shredding the GC defense in the process.

The boys came out of the locker room as the underdog, and the visiting team for the first time in the last four appearances in the championship game. But with a raucous crowd behind them at Shuart Stadium at Hofstra, the boys opened the game with a charged up three and out and immediately put MacArthur and their season long dominating offense on notice. The GC defense was out to redeem itself.

The Trojan offense got untracked late in the first quarter as they marched into the red zone on the legs and arm of Luke Schmitt, driving the ball down to the one yard line as the quarter ended. On the first play of the second quarter Ford Carney bounced outside for the one yard score and a 7-0 lead as Chase Gardi added the extra point.

The Trojan defense came up big on the next Generals possession and forced a punt that turned the field in their advantage. Although Carney made sure that the field position didn't really matter as he burst through the middle of the line and romped 62 yards for his second touchdown of the game. The ensuing XP by Gardi resulted in a rare miss, but GC still led 13-0. And it looked like the game was going to get them the redemption they were looking for.

However the MacArthur big play offense had something else in mind. QB Joe Manfredo faked a run into the line and found a wide open Dan Calderon in the left flat that he turned into a 70 yard touchdown. Trojans had a 13-7 lead but the crowd on both sidelines could sense this was a game.

With GC's offense stopped on their next possession, the Generals took over on their own 35 yard line and turned to their dominating running back Hugh Kelleher. He took the ball on the Jet sweep around the right end and never looked back until he was swarmed by his teammates in the end zone. Kelleher and MacArthur had a 65 yard touchdown and a tie game. Brian Carroll kicked the extra point and MacArthur had a one point lead that they would take into halftime.

The second half was a battle in the trenches and one that was marked by several key stops on both sides. The GC defense was led by Christian Sullivan and Billy Kephart, but was also the epitome of a swarming team defense. While on the other side of the ball it seemed that whenever GC needed to make a play, Kelleher came up with the big tackle. It was truly a battle of the number 1 and 2 seeds.

On the sidelines you could sense that the GC defense had gained the redemption that they had seeked but for those two long plays by MacArthur in the second quarter. With under 5 minutes left in the game and down one point the GC defense needed to stand tall and get the ball back. And they did just that as Sullivan came up big.

Sometimes when it gets down to a final drive it's about composure and knowing you've been there before - even if you do have a sophomore QB leading the way. Well, GC and quarterback Schmitt showed that as they calmly converted a tough fourth down, as well as two long third downs in the 14 play drive that set up the opportunity for Gardi to get a bit of redemption for himself.

The Trojans moved the ball to the 11 yard line, setting up for the potential game winning 28 yard field goal. With a perfect snap and hold, Gardi drilled the ball through the uprights for the two point Garden City lead with 34 seconds remaining. Chase Gardi had his redemption.

All that remained was for Garden City to stop MacArthur for 34 seconds and they would have their fourth consecutive Nassau County Championship. And as the clock ticked down on the final Generals play, the Garden City sideline erupted. The defense had their redemption, but even sweeter the whole team had their redemption with a Championship.