Garden City football powerhouse moving to Conference III from II
Garden City enters the field for the Long Island Class II championship football game last November. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Garden City is moving to Nassau Conference III from Conference II due to lower enrollment.
The Nassau County High School Football Coaches Association announced its proposed alignments for the 2024 season on Wednesday. And although schedules will not be final until the seeding meeting on Feb. 6, Garden City, winners of eight straight Conference II titles, will play in Conference III this fall.
“Garden City moving into a different conference is really big news,” said Pat Pizzarelli, the executive director for Section VIII, which governs Nassau school sports. “I’m sure there were quite a few schools happy to see them leave Conference II. And I’m sure there are a bunch in Conference III that are not thrilled with the change. Garden City has set the bar as a model program for what schools should aspire to be.”
The same can be said for the change that sends perennial playoff powers Plainedge and Wantagh into Conference IV from III.
WHAT TO KNOW
The Nassau County High School Football Coaches Association announced its proposed alignments for the 2024 season.
Garden City is moving to Nassau Conference III from Conference II due to lower enrollment.
Perennial playoff powers Plainedge and Wantagh are moving into Conference IV from Conference III.
“We’ve approved our conference alignments, but we haven’t approved the schedules yet,” said Matt McLees, the Nassau County football coordinator. “Our seeding meeting is Feb. 6 and that’s when we’ll have the schedules done. These conferences are set up each year through the enrollment numbers. We align strictly by the numbers.”
Garden City has captured seven of the past nine Long Island Class II championships, including three in a row. The Trojans will move into a conference that has had only three teams win an LIC.
The Trojans have won 42 consecutive games dating to March 13, 2021, tying the longest winning streaks in Long Island football history. Who was the last team to win 42 straight games? Garden City from 2016-19. Floyd first accomplished the feat from 2005-08.
A win in the season opener will allow Garden City to stand alone with the longest winning streak in Long Island football history, which dates to 1888.
Under coach Dave Ettinger the Trojans have a 97-3 record over nine years. They also return Nassau’s top player - Thorp Award winner Michael Berkery - and a roster loaded with talented underclassmen.
“I know some coaches will complain about where Garden City plays, but that’s out of our control,” McLees said. “It’s not Garden City’s fault that no one has been able to compete with them. Programs need to get better.”
There are other notable changes in the movement of teams. Elmont and Manhasset will move into Conference III from II. Baldwin will move into Conference II from I. Roosevelt and Glen Cove will move into Conference II from III.
Wheatley, who previously were merged with Carle Place in IV, will merge with Herricks and play in I. Carle Place could possibly have the Great Neck District merge with them to play in IV. Great Neck hasn’t had football in five years.
Suffolk football had little movement in the proposed alignments. Smithtown West and East Islip were moved into Division II from Division III. And Islip moved into III from IV.
“We have our placement committee meeting on Feb. 7 to approve the football proposal,” said Tom Combs, the executive director of Section XI, which governs Suffolk school sports.
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
