Undefeated so far this season, with five of their six wins in league games, the Garnets are looking like Class B contenders once again this season.
By Melanie Cane
Undefeated so far this season, with five of their six wins in league games, the Garnets are looking like Class B contenders once again this season.
The Garnets opened the season April 4 at home with a 7-5 win over Greeley. Two days later, they beat Lakeland 8-4 at home and then, in an away game that mirrored last year’s game against Fox Lane, they won 6-5 in overtime on April 9. Two days later they topped Pleasantville at home, 6-3. On Saturday, the Garnets easily defeated Byram Hills, 11-5.
At Fox Lane, Rye scored twice in the final two minutes to knot the game at 5-5. Chris Santangelo scored with 16 seconds remaining. In overtime, Santangelo won the face off and fed senior tri-captain Jack Hasselmann on a fast break for the deciding goal, and creating a hat trick for Hasselmann. Fox Lane dominated possession, but was thwarted much of the day by Rye goalie senior tri-captain Peter White, who had 14 saves.
At home against Pleasantville, the teams played evenly from the start, going into halftime tied at three. Rye ramped it up in the second half, dominating possession off Santangelo’s strong face offs.
It was a one-goal game until late in the 4th quarter, when Santangelo scored off a time- out to open up a two-goal margin. Rye’s solid defensive effort kept Pleasantville scoreless in the second half. White had ten saves. Hasselmann and Cal Hynson had two goals apiece and Santangelo scored and had an assist.
Coach Brian Dooley said his team was caught off guard by Pleasantville — “who’ve improved greatly since last year.” He added, “Once we were into the game, we knew it would take 48 minutes of solid effort to win.”
The coaches are pleased with the team’s early success, but emphasized that each game requires a full team effort. “We depend on multiple players from defense to offense to contribute.”
In six games, White has tallied 64 saves.
Against Byram Hills, Rye jumped out to a fast start with Danny Sullivan scoring the first four goals. Rye led 6-0 at the half.
Billy Haynes tallied three, and the following Garnets each chipped in one goal apiece: Hynson, Santangelo, Nicholas Franchella, and Noah Spaeth.
On Tuesday, Rye trounced Harrison, 9-3. Hasselmann and Sullivan each scored hat tricks. Hynson chipped in two more goals, and Franchella tallied one.
