Garden City Ends Wantagh Football Season in County Title Game

The Garden City Trojans came to life in the second half of Friday night's Nassau County Conference II championship game at Hofstra University's Shuart Stadium against the Wantagh Warriors.

The Trojans scored 21 second half points to blow the game open and defeat the Warriors 35-7 to advance to next week's Long Island Class II championship against Newfield.

Wantagh sees its magical 2011 season end at 9-2 with both losses coming at the hands of the Trojans. Wantagh was seeking its first county title since 2004.

Up only 14-7 entering the third quarter the Trojans put a nice offensive drive together on their first possession, which ended with a four-yard touchdown run by senior running back Patric Berkery.

That was followed up by a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Comiskey to junior receiver Eddie Blatz making the score 28-7.

In the fourth quarter the Trojans' offensive line set up tailback Mark Ellis for a three-yard touchdown run giving the All-Long Island running back his third touchdown of the game. He also scored on a 37-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 75-yard interception off of Wantagh quarterback Nick Mullen in the second.

Ellis has now scored 20 touchdowns this season, breaking Garden City's all-time record.

The Warriors got their only score of the game late in the second quarter off a three-yard touchdown run by senior Matt Balzano.

"It was a game of momentum tonight and in the second half we were able to take it," said Garden City head coach Tom Flatley. "I also thought alternating our tailbacks (Ellis and Berkery) throughout the game really worked in our favor."

Wantagh head coach Tom Casey was disappointed in his team's lack of composure, saying it really hurt them in the game. "We were playing well going into halftime but things turned quickly on us in the third quarter," he said. "We had some dumb unsportsmanlike penalties that really cost us. We just lost our composure in the second half."

Casey credited his tailback Balzano with having one of his best games of the season. "He was one of the bright spots for us tonight," Casey said. "He had the game of his life tonight."