Garden City football sets state record with its 63rd straight win
Anthony Asaro of Garden City carries the ball in the first quarter of a Nassau Conference II quarterfinal playoff matchup against Baldwin on Friday in Garden City. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
The Garden City football team stands alone.
The Trojans set the state record Friday afternoon with their 63rd consecutive victory, beating Baldwin, 31-0, in a Nassau Conference II quarterfinal playoff game in Garden City.
The win moved Garden City past Maine-Endwell of Binghamton, which had 62 consecutive wins between 2011-15.
“It’s quite an accomplishment to own the longest winning streak in New York State history,” Garden City coach David Ettinger said. “There have been a lot of great programs over all the years, and for us to stand alone is something really special. It says a lot about the full commitment to the program from our coaches, players and administrators and the support we get from our community.”
He added, “The streak is not easy. It’s a long process to continue to be successful.”
Top-seeded Garden City (9-0) did it in impressive fashion. The Trojans scored on all five first-half possessions before a large and supportive home crowd.
Senior halfback Merit Ruckh opened the scoring with a 25-yard touchdown run, junior halfback Anthony Asaro added two short TD runs and quarterback Brayden Robertiello ran 38 yards for a score.
To punctuate the dominant win, Chris Desiderio blasted a 43-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining in the first half for the final margin.
In a show of sportsmanship, the officials were asked to start a running clock midway through the second quarter. Baldwin finished 3-6.
Garden City is in search of an unprecedented fifth straight Long Island championship. The Trojans will play No. 4 East Meadow (6-3) in the Nassau Conference II semifinals at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 15 at Hofstra.
The current streak has included four Long Island titles, three in Class II and one in Class III. Dating to 2016, the Trojans have won nine straight county titles, eight in Nassau Conference II before winning the Conference III title last season.
The Trojans have not lost since they dropped a 14-13 decision to Lindenhurst in the 2019 Long Island Class II championship game.
“None of our seniors have ever lost a game in this program,” said senior lineman Zach Olson, who is headed to Harvard University. “This streak started with my brother Sawyer’s grade, and no one wants to be the team that sees the streak end. We have a winning mindset around here and we put in the work. It’s been fun.”
In a fitting tribute, Garden City public address announcer David Blicksilver, a 2018 graduate, recognized all 18 seniors during the second quarter of the final home game of their careers.
“The pride runs deep here in Garden City,” said assistant coach Bobby Defliese, a 1969 alum. “The success comes in the combo of great families, players and a group of coaches that put in the time and effort. This started with coaches like Tom Flatley and John Meyer and the legacy they left for the staff.”
Said Ettinger, “This program is always about everyone. Top to bottom, the full commitment and dedication to the program shows in our winning tradition. The program deserves the recognition.”
The winning culture is created at the youth level with the Garden City Thunder program, one that the high school coaches totally support.
“We go down to the Thunder practices and help out, and the kids love it,” Asaro said. “We mentor younger players, and it serves the program.”
Robertiello is a junior, but his birthdate forced him to play a year up in the Thunder program with the current seniors on the varsity.
“It was great that I played with them when I was young,” Robertiello said. “There is a great deal of respect in our program from grade to grade.”
Ettinger continues to steer a ship that hasn’t faltered.
He has guided the team to seven Long Island titles in his 11 years. His career record is a stunning 117-3.
“We don’t minimize the importance of the record,” he said. “It’s very important to the program. Everyone takes a lot of pride in the streak.”
New York State’s longest unbeaten streaks
Streak, School, Ended
63: Garden City, Active
62: Maine-Endwell, 2015
54-0-1: Massena, 1957
51: Hornell, 2012
49-0-2: Riverdale-NYC, 1966
49: Caledonia-Mumford, 1981
45-0-2: Massena, 1970
44: Ravena (6-man), 1958
37-0-7: Rockville Centre South Side, 1950
43: Onondaga, 2004
43: Tioga, 2024
42-0-1: Canisius, 1977
42: Dobbs Ferry, 1986
42: Floyd, 2008
42: Garden City, 2019
Compiled by the NYSSWA
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
