Garden City Rolls Past Syosset in Nassau Power Conference Matchup

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p>Two of Nassau County's top lacrosse programs clashed on Tuesday as Syosset hosted nationally-ranked Garden City in a key Power Conference matchup. The game featured two teams heading in opposite directions, with Garden City riding high off after a big win over Ward Melville and Syosset looking to rebound after a close loss to Sachem North. Syosset jumped out to a fast start, but Garden City quickly settled in and took control, using a dominant second half to pull away for a convincing 11-4 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Syosset came out firing, jumping to an early lead in the first quarter behind goals from [player_tooltip player_id='21894' first='Brody' last='Waxer'] (Michigan), Josef Saueracket, and Gio Accardo. The early burst put the Braves up 3-0, and their home crowd was rocking.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p>But Garden City, despite missing Lehigh commit [player_tooltip player_id='82287' first='Charlie' last='Koester'], found its rhythm behind a wave of rising stars. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='123459' first='Anthony' last='Asaro'] sparked the comeback with a sweeping dodge and hard right-handed shot to get the Trojans on the board. That was followed by a massive momentum shift as [player_tooltip player_id='127342' first='Luke' last='Cascadden'] won a key faceoff and took it straight to the net, cutting the lead to 3-2 and igniting the Garden City sideline.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p>From that point on, Garden City's depth and discipline began to show. The Trojans' defense, anchored by Cornell commit [player_tooltip player_id='126197' first='Blake' last='Cascadden'] and Binghamton-bound [player_tooltip player_id='37481' first='Luke' last='LeSueur'], clamped down. Meanwhile, GC's shortstick defensive midfield unit of [player_tooltip player_id='126885' first='Michael' last='Berkery'] (Villanova), Owen Wuchte (Bucknell), and junior Merit Ruckh controlled the middle of the field and sparked transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='123459' first='Anthony' last='Asaro'] took over the game, finishing with four goals and two assists despite being face-guarded and locked off for much of the second half. He found help on the lefty wing from freshman attackman [player_tooltip player_id='126883' first='Ben' last='Smith'], who contributed two goals and two assists, while Berkery added a pair of goals of his own.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p>In goal, Jake Schlipf stood tall for Garden City, backstopping the defense and making key saves when Syosset tried to claw back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p>For Syosset, the defensive unit — led by Lehigh commit Will Cawley and LIU commit goalie [player_tooltip player_id='126887' first='Josh' last='Weisenfeld'] <br>— was stout, but the offense couldn't maintain its early pace. The Braves will need their attack to develop consistency to make another run in the Nassau County Class 'A' playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["123459"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67ef433e3588d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The game's most dominant presence, Asaro showcased his athleticism, skill, and field awareness, finishing with four goals and two assists. Even while drawing the top pole and being locked off, he found ways to impact the game, dodging with purpose and finishing with power. His ability to sweep and shoot on the run was nearly unstoppable and set the tone for Garden City's comeback.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["126883"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67ef433e35949"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The lefty attackman played beyond his years, contributing two goals and two assists. Smith showed excellent chemistry with Asaro as well as a knack for getting to dangerous spots on the field. His poise and vision were impressive, especially against a tough Syosset defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["126885"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67ef433e359d8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Berkery was a two-way force, contributing two goals while anchoring the SSDM unit. His athleticism allowed him to lock down dodgers, run the field in transition, and finish plays in unsettled situations. Garden City's depth in the midfield starts with players like him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["126195"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67ef433e35a1e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cawley played with intensity and physicality, leading the Syosset defense. He matched up with top offensive threats and held his own against Garden City's dynamic attack. His presence helped keep Syosset in the game, particularly during the second-half surge by Garden City.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["126887"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67ef433e35aa2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Despite the final scoreline, Weisenfeld turned in a strong performance in net. He made several key stops and directed the defense effectively. His leadership and reflexes will be key for Syosset moving forward in what's shaping up to be a tight Nassau A race.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->