As the weather gets colder, the competition grows hotter for the teams from Rye’s local schools.

By Mitch Silver

As the weather gets colder, the competition grows hotter for the teams from Rye’s local schools. But first, here’s a happy bit of news from the fall: three Rye Neck football players have been awarded all-State status in Class C. Dom Brescia, he of the 1,678 yards gained and 16 touchdowns, was named the first-team running back. Jake Sevean, currently captaining the Panthers’ basketball squad, was named to the second team. And fellow DB Chris Richart earned an all-State third team slot.

The Rye Garnets and Rye Country Day Wildcats have their all-Staters as well. Wideout Tim DeGraw of Rye was named to the Class A first team, while fellow record-setter Andrew Livingston is the third team’s quarterback. Ryan Wolitzer was an Honorable Mention selection in Class B.

In more news from Hornidge Road, the Rye Neck Girls’ basketball team overwhelmed their foes from Hastings this January 13, 46-20. The boys, though, fell to Hastings, 51-38.

The Rye Country Day boys had more success, toppling Hackley 61-37 as they upped their record to 6-3, 4-1 in the Fairchester Athletic Association. Coach Christopher Wirth noted, “With senior co-captains Salim Green and Vincent Conn averaging almost 50 points per game, we can be very hard to stop.  With our two big men, Christopher Picard and Emmanuel Chukwu, staying out of foul trouble and playing great defense, we’re beginning to play up to our potential.”

In a tough season for the Wildcats’ hockey team, their 6-3 win a month ago over St. Luke’s stands as their only win. Losses in the new year to Greenwich High, Kingswood-Oxford, and Worcester Academy have the boys eager to beat cross-town rivals Rye at Playland Ice Casino January 14, post-press time.

Their wrestling mates have two wins on the mat in the new year, beating Collegiate easily by a margin of 58-17 and Byram Hills, 42-24. They too are pointing toward a big contest with the Garnets, traveling to Rye High January 23. (Rye had its own rivalry match post-press time, hosting the Harrison Huskies January 15.)

The combined Wildcat fencing squads take on Hackley and Riverdale Saturday morning, January 17, at home before a big meet at Greenwich Academy the following Friday.

The Garnets took to the water when they faced Scarsdale January 15 at Westchester Community College post-press time. They’ll return home to the Hommocks School pool in a splash-off with Mamaroneck January 20, led by their Providence College-bound captain, Patrick MacAuley.

Back at Rye Neck, Coach Lori Penesis leads her charges to the Fort Washington Armory for a major indoor track meet January 18. And, lastly, the Panther keglers roll against Briarcliff’s bowlers January 22.
On the hardwood and the ice, the track and the strip, the mat and the lanes, winter’s never been hotter than it is right now.