Garden City boys soccer finally delivered first state title, and it was just perfect

Garden City owned a marquee name in boys soccer, but it had yet to own a state championship plaque.

Then came Nov. 17, 2024.

The Trojans had begun the season with another talented group. It was also a driven group. Garden City had fallen in the 2023 Nassau AA final and the 2022 Nassau A final, ending undefeated runs both times.

The team owned another perfect record in AA when it arrived on Halloween night for the program’s eighth straight county final. The Trojans defeated Glen Cove, 2-0, for their first title since 2021. Then they beat Comsewogue, 1-0, for their first Long Island championship since 2017. Then they edged Tappan Zee, 1-0, in the Southeast Regional final.

On to the final four in Middletown. Garden City blanked Goshen, 2-0, in the state semis. And then it edged Clarence 2-1.

The wait was over — finally.

Make it 23 wins in 23 games. Undefeated state champs.

Hard to beat that.

“For boys soccer, we’d never won the state championship despite having a lot of good teams try in the past,” coach Paul Cutter said. “So I think [the boys] kind of understood that it’s pretty significant, not just for them but the community at large.

“We have a huge travel program, the Centennials. You go like any Saturday morning down at St. Paul’s [Recreation Complex], you see hundreds and hundreds of kids all playing soccer. So, yeah, it was a pretty special feeling.”

Ian Pupke isn’t expecting much to match it.

“Maybe having your first kid or something,” the senior goalkeeper said. “But other than that, there’s nothing like it.”

So why this team?

“I think what was just special was the connection between teammates,” Pupke said. “We spent so much time together on and off the field, pasta parties, hanging out after school, doing whatever. It built such great chemistry on the field.”

After winning the Long Island championship, senior striker Myles Watson pointed at another primary factor.

“I think it has a lot to do with the amount of work that we put in the last I don’t know how many months, as many as I can remember,“ Watson said. “Pretty much since last season ended, everyone has been showing up, putting in the work.”

Watson delivered a team-leading 27 goals and set up nine more. Senior midfielders Justin Woodbine and Luca Profeta and junior forwards Jack Klein and Jack Costa also excelled. The four combined for 36 goals and 36 assists.

Senior defensive midfielder Connor Griffin was a two-way standout. The back line featured junior center backs Thomas Fargione and Charlie Koester, senior left back Jacob Antilety and junior right back Dylan Fisher.

The Trojans yielded just seven goals. Pupke allowed only one on 23 shots across the seven playoff games and posted 17 shutouts overall.

“Our defense was spectacular on the back line,” Pupke said. “. . . I pride myself on being a good communicator, not seeing many shots. It was just our organization that helped us concede as little goals as we did.”

Only five starters are due to return. But . . . 

“There’s definitely a lot of talent coming through,” Cutter said. “I think we’ll definitely be right in the mix again. They seem pretty hungry to try and run it back. I’m hoping we’re kind of just starting something special here.”