Garden City continues dominant season by capturing seventh straight Nassau title
Stevie Finnell #21 of Garden City reacts after making an interception and returning it 21 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of the Nassau Conference II final against Mepham at Shuart Stadium on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. Credit: James Escher
Garden City has a relentless knack of making its opponents pay for every mistake. And it was no different in Friday night’s Nassau Conference II championship game.
Garden City scored touchdowns on all five of its first- half possessions — three as a result of Mepham turnovers — and built a 35-point first-half lead in its 38-7 victory at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium.
Before halftime, Stevie Finnell rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries and had a 21-yard interception return for another score. Jack Archer added TD runs of 31 and 35 yards.
The Trojans (11-0) have outscored their opponents 432-73 this season.
“We jumped on them right away by capitalizing when they turned it over,” Finnell said.
Garden City has won seven straight county championships and 27 overall. It will be vying for its 10th Long Island championship on Friday when it meets Bellport in the Class II title game at 4:30 p.m. at Hofstra.
“Whenever we play a team from out there, it’s going to be a physical battle,” coach Dave Ettinger said. “Our kids are focused and I know we’ll put in the work and give it our best shot.”
Mepham’s opening drive ended when Garden City’s Tristan Mullahey recovered a fumble at the Pirates’ 38. Four snaps later, Archer was running the Wildcat through a big hole in the middle for a 31-yard score.
RJ Votruba ended Mepham’s second possession with an interception. Archer then capped a 58-yard drive with a 35-yard touchdown run from the Wildcat on fourth-and-goal (yes, you read that correctly).
“We just know how to take advantage of every mistake,” Archer said. “It something our program takes pride in.”
Said Ettinger, “We feel like we cause other teams to make mistakes, and that opens the door for us to make momentum- changing plays . . . [or] to keep our momentum rolling.”
Garden City forced Mepham (9-2) to go three-and-out on its next two possessions, and the resulting drives ended in TD runs of 37 and 7 yards by Finnell. He capped the first half with a pick-6 as Garden City outgained Mepham 236-11 in the first two quarters.
The Pirates got on the board on Ryan Thier’s 1-yard touchdown run early in the second half. Garden City kicker Hayden Minuto had five extra points and made a 34-yard field goal.
“Our fundamentals and the small basics hurt us tonight,” Mepham coach Matt Moody said. “And Garden City has . . . a foundation that’s hard to find cracks in, and that shows up in games like tonight’s.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
