Sienna Castellano's goal helps Garden City girls soccer beat South Side to claim Nassau 'AA' title
Garden City wins the Nassau Class AA girls soccer championship against South Side on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, at Farmingdale State. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Round IV.
For the fourth straight year, South Side and Garden City met in the Nassau Class AA girls soccer championship game. South Side had won two of the previous three meetings, all decided by one goal.
It was another one-goal game, but this time Garden City’s Sienna Castellano refused to have her soccer career end.
The senior scored with 21 seconds left in the first half to lead second-seeded Garden City over top-seeded South Side, 1-0, for the Nassau Class AA title at Farmingdale State College on Friday.
The Cyclones had allowed only one goal all season entering the final. But Garden City (11-2-4) broke through against this vaunted defense.
Sophomore Emily Bennett delivered a long pass to Anna Olcott. The senior passed the ball with her left foot between two Cyclones defenders to senior captain Castellano, who fired a shot into the bottom-right corner past diving goalkeeper Valentina Marquardt.
Castellano raised her arms and was swarmed by her teammates.
“I saw the ball coming from Anna, and I knew I had to one-time it because someone was coming at me,” Castellano said.
“Last year, it was a heartbreak, so I knew us captains, we had to come out strong our senior year,” she added. “I played soccer for my whole life. Most of us did. I’m not playing soccer in college, so I don’t want to lose this sport yet.”
Garden City’s Madeleine Patrickakos anchored the Trojans’ defense. Amelia Scianablo and Alison Bennett helped keep the Cyclones from generating clear scoring opportunities.
“In the second half, we played really defensive,” Patrickakos said. “We mostly just wanted to stay calm. Our main focus was to just keep the ball, play our game and just keep it out of our half.”
With three minutes left, South Side (13-2) threatened, but goalkeeper Shannon Walsh sprinted out and cleared the ball.
“We had the wind in the second half, so we had some opportunities. We just didn’t finish,” South Side coach Judi Croutier said.
As time ticked down, Garden City extended more than its postseason. Scott McAuley, who has coached on the Trojans’ varsity staff for 25 years and is in his third season as head coach, will retire from teaching and coaching after the season. He now gets at least one more game.
Garden City will play the winner of Northport and West Islip for the Long Island Class AA championship in a state subregional contest at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Farmingdale State College.
“I’m extremely grateful,” McAuley said. “I inherited fantastic kids. They’re great and they’re so dedicated.”
