No. 3 Ranked Garden City Trojans Team Preview

The standard on Long Island on the public school front has long run through Garden City High School, and the Trojans once again enter the 2026 season with the expectation of competing among the elite in boys lacrosse. Last year saw them reach the pinnacle, winning their 10th state championship in their illustrious history and third state title in the last four years. Head coach Stephen Finnell who has five of those championships under his belt, now entering his 18th season leading the program, will rely on a talented returning core and strong senior leadership as Garden City looks to build off last spring and continue its tradition of success. While the Trojans graduated several key contributors from the 2025 squad, a mix of proven playmakers and emerging underclassmen will give Garden City an excellent chance to go back-to-back.

Offensively, the Trojans return one of the most high-powered scoring threats in the area in senior midfielder Charlie Koester (Lehigh). Koester led the team in 2025 with 66 goals and 33 assists for a ridiculous 99 points, showcasing his ability to both finish and create offense. He will once again be a focal point of the offense and a player opposing defenses must account for at all times. Sophomore midfielder Ben Smith emerged as another major offensive weapon last season delivering one of the best seasons in the history of the program as a freshman, posting an impressive 46 goals and 27 assists for 73 points. His ability to produce at such a high level early in his career gives the Trojans a dangerous one-two offensive punch.

Junior midfielder Anthony Asaro (UNC) one of the island’s elite all-around athletes is another major piece returning to the offense after scoring 37 goals and adding 21 assists in 2025. Meanwhile, senior attackman James DeBusschere provides a steady presence up front after tallying 25 goals and 16 assists last season. Junior midfielder Brayden Robertiello (Penn State) also proved to be a strong facilitator, finishing with 19 assists to go along with seven goals.

Leadership will be a defining factor for the Trojans in 2026, with captains Koester, Merit Ruckh (UTampa), DeBusschere, and Chase Kraus (Stevens) setting the tone. Ruckh, a senior midfielder, brings experience, while Kraus anchors a defensive unit that will look to maintain Garden City’s traditionally strong play on that end of the field. Defensively, the Trojans will lean on returning contributors such as junior defender Andrew Dengler (Cornell) and junior defender August Galli (Lehigh) as they continue to elevate their roles.

One area the Trojans will need to retool is at the face-off position following the graduation of specialist Luke Cascadden, who was other worldly at X with 321 wins and winning percentage of 78%. Fortunately, between Robertiello’s ability to take face-offs and also the return of senior Angelo Cupani (Merrimack), they look to still be in great shape at the middle of the field. That level of possession dominance will certainly be an important factor in how the offense operates this season.

For Finnell and the Trojans , one of the biggest storylines heading into the spring will be who emerges as their goaltender this season after the graduation of Jake Schlipf and Scotty Nelson. Returning this year is sophomore Zach Psilakis who could potentially be next in line.

With a talent pool that runs deep with a mix of experienced seniors and rising younger players, the Trojans have the pieces to be dangerous once again. If the senior leadership group can guide the roster, they can control the possession game, and get settled in the cage, Garden City will find themselves in a very familiar spot with the opportunity for this dynastic run to continue. The quest for a repeat begins on March 21st when they host Ward Melville in a non-league matchup, followed by their first game in league play against Wantagh on March 26th.