The Garden City / Herricks / Mineola Varsity Wings capped off a memorable 2025–26 campaign with a 9–5–1-1 record, good enough or a fourth-place finish in Nassau County Conference II.
Now in their 53rd season, the Wings were led by captains Carter Pickens and Dom Mack, along with assistant captains Thomas Bacich, Jack Vessio, and Will Raia. This year marked a significant milestone for the program, as it was the first time in many years that the team featured a full roster.
Offensive Firepower
The Wings’ attack was powered by a deep and balanced roster. Defenseman Will Raia led the team in scoring with 32 points (19G, 13A). Fellow blueliner Dom Mack was right behind him with 24 points (18G, 6A) in just 9 games.
Up front, Jack Vessio piled up 22 points (11G, 11A), while Thomas Bacich and James Shields also posted solid contributions with 15 points.
Between the Pipes
Senior netminder Carter Pickens was the workhorse in goal, starting 12 of the team’s 16 games and facing 351 shots. Junior Will Amante appeared in 7 games, stopping 148 shots. The future remains bright in net for the Wings, with Amante returning next season alongside Vegas Aharony.
Season Highlights
The Wings opened the season on fire, winning four of their first five games, including a dominant 9–4 victory over Farmingdale and a 7–2 triumph over Wantagh/Seaford/Plainedge. Back half of the season saw impressive wins: an 8–6 decision over Oceanside on Senior Night, a 9–1 rout of Cold Spring Harbor, and a 7–5 victory over Friends/North Shore in their regular-season finale on February 2.
Saluting the Seniors
The Wings bid farewell to four seniors who left a lasting mark on the program: captain Carter Pickens, captain Dom Mack, assistant captain Will Raia, and forward Michael Karcher. Their leadership, both on the ice and in the locker room, helped set the standard for a team that has plenty of reasons to be excited about the future.
Looking Ahead
The organization is well-positioned to build on this year’s success with a strong core of returning players, including assistant captains Bacich and Vessio, as well as Colton Mack, Max Toro, Andres Dominguez, Mitch Daab, and Trey Carabba. Furthermore, a talented group of players on the JV squad is eager to move up and contribute to the varsity ranks along with several other returning team members.
The Wings wish to especially thank the parents, coaches Ian Mack and Tim Moon, and General Manager Steve Pickens, as the organization relies on its status as a self-funded, volunteer-run program.
Interested in joining for the fall? Reach out to gardencitywings@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram @gcwings.
Comments are closed.