Garden City tops Carey for title

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For the third time in four years and for a fourth time since 2010, Garden City and Carey met to decide the Nassau Conference II football championship on Saturday afternoon at Hofstra.

Carey won the previous two on the way to perfect seasons in 2013 and ’14, but the Trojans used a relentless ground attack to even the score and capture their first title since 2012. Top-seeded Garden City piled up 392 yards and five touchdowns rushing on the way to a 42-14 victory over the second-seeded Seahawks before a crowd of more than 2,500.

The Trojans (11-0), who will face Half Hollow Hills West for the Long Island Class II crown this Sunday at Stony Brook University, took the lead for good — 13-6 — less than two minutes into the second quarter on a 6-yard touchdown reception by senior Harry Blair. 

“We started slow for the second week in a row, but once we settled in we were difficult to stop,” Garden City head coach Dave Ettinger said. “Carey’s a team that never quits. I really didn’t relax until very late in the fourth quarter.”

The Seahawks (8-3) ran the ball well with senior tailback Shaheim Taylor-White (121 yards, one touchdown) and senior quarterback Dan Conte (89, 1), but struggled in the passing game. Conte was 2-for-13 for 22 yards and two interceptions and sacked three times.

“We rattled off seven straight wins to make it back to the championship game,” Carey head coach Mike Stanley said. “This season will be thought of as a great success. It took a lot of heart and guts to get to this point and there’s so much to be proud of.”

Carey struck first, cashing in after a takeaway deep in enemy territory. Senior Dylan Nagy forced and recovered a fumble at the Garden City 13, and the offense needed just three plays to get into the end zone. Seniors Tyler DeMeo and Joe Petrancosta rushed for five and seven yards, respectively, to set up Conte’s 1-yard touchdown. DeMeo’s extra point made it 7-0.

The Trojans ran off the next 28 points, including a momentum-building 86-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Jack Bill with 5:02 remaining in the first half. 

Carey’s deficit was 21-7 at halftime after it failed to come away with any points on two trips inside the red zone. One drive stalled when Taylor-White was stopped a yard short of a first down on a third-and-3 attempt from the Garden City 17. Then, time ran out on the Seahawks after a short run by Conte moved the ball to the 15.

The Trojans sprinted off the field after the horn sounded and opened the second half with a 61-yard touchdown drive, capped by Mixon’s 9-yard run, to lead 28-7.

Taylor-White opened the fourth quarter with a nifty 32-yard touchdown, however, Garden City answered on the ensuing possession when junior Andrew DeSantis rumbled 51 yards to set up Bill’s 1-yard score.