Schmitt Leads Garden City Over Elmont

The first round match-up of Garden City versus Elmont in the Nassau County playoffs was a rematch of the last regular season game between the two teams. The Trojans won that meeting 34-0, dominating the Spartans as Jack Cascadden ran for 187 yards and four scores. The stout Garden City defense produced their fifth shutout of the season led by stellar linebacker Brendan Staub to lock up the win for the Trojans.

Garden City has been dominating both sides of the ball all season and the first playoff game continued that trend. The Trojans rolled to a perfect 8-0 regular season record with a balanced attack featuring the running of Cascadden and the arm of Luke Schmitt behind a talented offensive line led by center TJ Krieg. Pairing the attack with a Staub-led defense that dominates the line of scrimmage week after week, the Trojans are the top ranked team in Nassau County.

The playoff game against Elmont on Friday afternoon featured much of what Garden City has done all season, scoring early and often to get on top of their opponents. The first quarter scores came via the arm of Schmitt. After a quick three and out for Elmont that was highlighted by Robert Votruba’s batting down of a Justus Nathaniel pass, Garden City struck quickly. On first down, Schmitt dropped back and threw a long pass that Votruba made a fingertip grab along the sideline and went into the end zone for a 56 yard touchdown reception. Senior Michael Fargione added the extra point and the Trojan set the tone for the game.

With another quick defensive stop on the ensuing possession for Elmont, Garden City again struck quickly. The stop came courtesy of defensive linemen Sawyer Olson and Andrew Cresciullo stuffing the run with a huge tackle for a loss of running back Tyler Meyers, and Staub pressuring quarterback Nathaniel on two passing attempts.

The Trojans broke their huddle and caught Elmont out of position on first down and Schmitt made them pay for the mistake. With Cascadden split wide and no one defending against him, Schmitt fired a quick pass to the sideline and Cascadden took it to the house for a 43 yard touchdown catch and run. Fargione again added the PAT for a 14-0 lead with 7:30 remaining in the first quarter.

The remaining minutes of the first quarter didn’t produce additional scores but featured good plays by but defenses. After a muffed kickoff return for Elmont, GC’s Staub broke into the backfield for a sack of Nathaniel at the two yard line forcing another punt. Elmont’s defense held tough on the next GC possession forcing a Trojan punt after stopping Cascadden several times after short gains.

Elmont moved the ball across midfield on a nice completion from Nathaniel to Eric Burkett for a good gain. GC’s defense held strong as Will Paisley broke through the line for a tackle for a loss, the defensive backs forced an incomplete pass and Staub got in on Nathaniel for another sack.

Moving into the second quarter Garden City again moved the ball downfield courtesy of a Schmitt pass to Jackson Perisa. Then it was all Cascadden as he took a quick pitch from Schmitt on the right sideline and took it all the way back to the left sideline and went in for the 38 yard touchdown and a 21 – 0 lead early in the second quarter.

After another three and out for Elmont the Trojans struck again. First it was a completion to Will Peters across the middle and then it was Votruba, this time beating single coverage along the right sideline and hauling in a 65 yard touchdown pass from Schmitt. With Fargione’s PAT the Trojans had a 28-0 with 7:16 left in the first half.

A little more than four minutes later Garden City scored touchdown number five, an eighteen yard run by Cascadden who followed his line around the right end to take it to the end zone for the 35-0 lead.

The Spartans produced a highlight film drive for themselves on the next possession with Nathaniel using his strong arm to hit two big plays. The first completion went to wideout Rashuan Stephens Jr. who went up high over the GC defense to make the grab. On the next play Elmont broke up the GC shutout with a 41 yard touchdown pass to Burkett from Nathaniel as Burkett got behind the Trojan defense and caught the pass in stride. The half ended with Garden City leading 35-7.

Garden City came out in the second half and put up the final points of the game. Running the ball on the opening drive with Matt Mehling and Francesco Ingrassia taking the ball from back-up quarterback Ryan Maher, the Trojans drove downfield. Capping the long drive, Ingrassia took the ball in from the six yard line to make the score 42-7.

Proving the adage that games can be won or lost in the trenches, the Trojans defense ended the game limiting Elmont to just 15 yards on the ground, while on the offensive side of the ball they produced 191 rushing yards to go along 187 through the air, with no sacks.

Garden City moves on to the semi-finals next week at Hofstra.