The 2026 Rye boys soccer team will not surprise or sneak up on a single opponent this season. When your team reaches the Section 1 championship game for eight consecutive years, you don’t need much of an introduction.
And with nine returning starters back from their exceptional 2025 Class A state runner-up finish, this Garnet team is strong, skilled, and layered with experience.
“I don’t think it’s too common in high school soccer to have so many returning starters,” said three-year starter and senior co-captain Peter Wilmot. “But the fact that we have so many guys back who have played a ton of high-pressure postseason games should serve us well this year.”
2025 New York State Large School Coach of the Year Jared Small also returns for his 19th year leading the Garnets. For Small, the 2025 season — which ended in a 2-0 defeat to East Aurora — is well in the rear view mirror.
“Last year’s team had a tremendous season, but none of that has any bearing whatsoever on this year’s team,” Small said. “Our coaching staff is as excited to get back to work this fall as we’ve ever been. Our players have been working hard in the offseason, lifting weights all winter, spring league, summer league, Coach Jon Tuttle’s renowned early-morning summer workouts. Nothing will be handed to us this year, that is for certain.”
Along with senior co-captain Kasen Scarperi — a recent Franklin & Marshall College soccer commit — the Garnets welcome back standout junior defender Harrison Zimmer. Junior Felix Wismer returns as the ever-dangerous striker up top. And back row stalwarts Christian Hoffman and Cole Furber return to anchor Rye’s defense. Junior keeper Will Alexander is back in goal after a breakout sophomore season.
“Our schedule this year may be the most challenging we’ve ever had,” Small said. “That was by design. The goal is to be more process-oriented and less focused on results, at least in the early going. Typically, every team we face gives us their absolute best effort. We’ll do our best to reciprocate.”
In addition to Tuttle, Rye’s incomparable iron-man assistant coach, new volunteer assistant Conor McGlynn also joins the team. McGlynn is the co-captain and starting midfielder for the USL League One’s Westchester SC. As of early August, McGlynn leads the league in goals scored.
In non-league competition this year, Rye will face off against Harrison, a 2025 Class AA state semifinalist, and Arlington, a perennial Class AAA state contender. The Garnets will also play 2025 Class AA state runner-up Mahopac.
“We specifically want to cultivate our roster depth and give some younger players more minutes against top-notch teams early in the season,” Small said. “That exposure for those players — and we haven’t even had tryouts yet — should give us more options as our season progresses.”
The season-opener is Wednesday against Sleepy Hollow. After a nearly 10-month wait since their last game, Wismer is ready for the Garnets to take the field once again.
“The most exciting part for me about this season is finding out which of our new and upcoming players will make the biggest impacts,” he said. “When all of us seniors graduate next spring, these younger guys will become the future of Rye soccer.”
