Sometimes it just seems that Garden City baseball can't catch a break. Just when it looks as though it's turned the corner from being a good team enjoying a few years of sporadic success to a consistent winner, they are stricken with a case of bad luck. You won't hear the Trojans complain too loudly, even though perennial champion Division has moved into their conference. "We should still be one of the top two or three teams this year," says longtime coach Rich Smith. "We want to go into our series with Division having a chance to win conference again. Last year we had to beat Glen Cove two out of three in a late-season series and we did. We should be good."

Good, but unsettled. The Trojans return eight players from last year's 18-6 Conference B champions, but only three of them are starters --shortstop Matt Casey, center fielder Chris Acheson, and right fielder John Maloney. The rest, according to Smith, is still up in the air. Smith added, "We hope to have our lineup set by the time we get back from our trip [an annual jaunt to the Carolinas and Virginia]." Undecided positions include first base, with sophomore Chris Maloney battling senior Matt Hesterberg; third base, junior Kevin Maguire versus sophomore Sal Genova; and catcher, senior Chris Waters, last year's starter, versus junior George Burke.

Don't be fooled by all the competition for positions. Once the season gets heated up, expect Garden City to go with a set line up and a thin bench. Of the ten newcomers, only one is a senior (pitcher/centerfielder Gordon Peddle). All ten were members of last year's undefeated junior varsity, but are for the most part "not ready for primetime" players. Sophomore Dan Doherty is recovering from a shoulder injury of a year ago and has a lock on the leftfield spot, and, with great speed, a home at the top of the batting order. His classmates, like second baseman Mike Carney and the aforementioned Maloney and Genova, are not assured of anything. "We're very young," says Smith, and he adds, "I don't know if some of the young kids can play full-time at this level." Ready or not, here they come.

Then there is the pitching. The Trojans have gone from two aces, graduated seniors Brian Harrington and Greg Genova, to none. Senior Chris Stone was thought to be the sure-fire number one guy to whom Smith could give the ball in a pressure situation and count on to deliver, but even that situation has muddled. Stone, because of what Smith calls "concentration lapses," is suddenly ensconsed in a dog-fight with Casey for the ace's mantle. Other contenders for the crown are Genova, Peddle, and junior Garrett Gleeson, coming off a strong performance in a scrimmage with Cardoza (Queens).

The third base coaching box is one position where there won't be any changes, at least through the next year. Smith has been rumored for retirement, but recently received a contract extension that will keep him as Garden City's head man a little longer. "I'll go this year and next and then think about heading south," he said.

The performance of this year's team may just give Smith pause as to whether to stay a few more years. A light early schedule will allow them to break in and find a set lineup for the late-season push, which will culminate with a key series with Division at the end of the year. If all goes well, they could be in position to repeat as conference champions, and, with a strong foundation for next year, to be a championship contender for years to come.