Woodstick Classic: Garden City girls lacrosse's Averie Smith scores four goals in win over Manhasset
Garden City reacts to its victory over Manhasset during the girls lacrosse Woodstick Classic on Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Manhasset. Credit: Dawn McCormick
It’s the game each of these girls lacrosse teams circle on their calendars at the beginning of every season.
Garden City versus Manhasset — when two of Long Island’s most talented teams face off in the Woodstick Classic. The Trojans claimed the crown this year, taking down host Manhasset, 16-8, in Nassau Conference I.
The Trojans’ offense fired on all cylinders. Averie Smith led the charge with four goals and an assist.
“This is the game everyone looks forward to every year,” Smith said. “It means a lot for us to represent our school’s history in the sport and continue the tradition. It’s a really exciting thing to be a part of.”
After holding a 6-5 lead at halftime, Garden City (12-2) scored 10 second-half goals. Three of those came from Kim Colucci, who said she and her team’s mentality allowed them to flip the switch.
“We kept just being ourselves,” Colucci said. “We knew that if we dug deep and everyone was on board with the same goal to come out strong and stay focused, we would be able to get the job done.”
Grace Brantuk notched the plays of the day, both of her goals displays of impressive athleticism. Regan Backer fed Brantuk from the left side of the arc near the end of the third quarter. Brantuk, catching the ball in stride, planted a behind the back finish into the net.
Smith found Brantuk from behind the cage 30 seconds into the fourth quarter. Tripping on a defender, Brantuk finished her shot in a diving effort to put Garden City ahead 12-7.
Coach Dave Ettinger said it’s games like Saturday that best prepare his team for the approaching postseason. There is a high likelihood they’ll see each other again in the Class B playoffs. Ettinger said the rivalry will always be special, no matter the score.
“We’ll be able to look at what we did well and what we didn’t do well and try to improve on those things,” Ettinger said. “Any time Garden City and Manhasset play, you can throw out the records, throw out the previous score. This matchup is always going to be a fight.”
Elim Yang and Danielle Perfetto each scored three goals for Manhasset (11-2). Manhasset coach Tom Campolettano said that, despite the loss, participating in such an impactful part of Long Island lacrosse culture is an honor.
“Games like this, rivalries, traditions like this, are so important for lacrosse,” Campolettano said. “It keeps the game alive, it keeps tradition alive. These two schools mean a lot to the lacrosse community, to Long Island in general, and I’m just glad to be a part of it. It’s a tremendous thing for these girls to experience.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
