PLAYOFFS: Garden City Ends Lady Cyclones Season

Just one second changed the feelings, and outcome, of an entire season for both the Garden City and South Side girl's varsity soccer teams.

With one second left in the first half of yesterday's Nassau County Class A Championship game at Denton Avenue Field in New Hyde Park , Garden City junior Jillian Yoo capitalized on a Lady Cyclones defensive blunder to head the ball past goalie Kelsey Berki, giving the sixth-ranked Trojans a 1-0 upset and the county championship. The win snapped a 13-year string of county titles for South Side.

With 23 seconds left in the first half, Garden City was awarded a throw-in outside of the Lady Cyclones 18-yard box. Michelle Rotondo threw the ball toward the middle of the goal, where it ricocheted off a scrum of South Side players trying to clear it, right to a streaking Yoo who headed it past the far post for the game's decisive goal.

Trojan coach Mike Heedles said he has a few players who can throw the ball that far, and those plays have been key to Garden City's successful season.

"Those plays have been pivotal for us all year, when you have girls that can throw the ball that far, it's lethal," he said. "We planned on it, the kids anticipate it, and it's gotten us through more than one game."

For the No. 1 seeded Lady Cyclones, their season ends much earlier than they expected, despite a valiant effort from its defense. Senior co-captains Dana Ahern and Beth Gidicsin, as well as junior sweeper Sam Ford, stopped an aggressive Trojan attack, and kept them at bay — minus the one mistake.

Despite allowing their first and only goal of the playoffs, South Side coach Shannon McEntee said she was proud of the effort put forth by her defense, particularly Sam Ford, who was often the only defender back in the second half.

"The defense was amazing as usual, the other team was just able to capitalize on the one mistake that was made all game," she said. "[Sam] is a superstar – she plays way above her class."

The five-time defending state champion Lady Cyclones will not have a chance to make it six, despite an incredible season where they outscored opponents 69-2, including the playoffs. Despite graduating 11 seniors, they will return many key starters, and other role players ready to fill in, including freshman Christina Klaum and juniors Ford and Julie Beyar.

"We played hard, and we went out hard," McEntee said. "Our opponent was able to finish in this one and we couldn't. It was a great first season, the girls are all so great and we really grew a lot as a team."

For Garden City, this game serves a bit of revenge, after South Side beat them in the championship three years ago.  The Trojans hope their aggressive defense —which saw them win countless loose balls and stop the Lady Cyclones aerial attack  — and opportunistic offense will help them advance past the Long Island championship this Saturday.

Senior Garden City striker Barbara Sullivan said she hopes that this is just the beginning of her team's postseason run, and was happy to shake the demons of her last Nassau county championship game.

"I lost as a freshman to them, so beating them as a senior is a great feeling," she said. "They are a great team, but we knew we could do it. Our goal is ultimately to win states, so hopefully we can win Long Island and maybe get a shot at the state title."

Garden City (17-2-2) will face Sayville in the Long Island Championship final at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Dowlings Sports Complex.