The cheerleaders put on a terrific show at halftime.
Rye High Football
Garnets Shut Out Clarkstown South, 27-0. Huskies Next.
By Mitch Silver
Two weeks ago, Rye High’s Football eleven let a big second-half lead slip away against a good Somers team. A week later, Head Coach Dino Garr’s boys took out their frustrations on a so-so Pelham squad, 55-12, in one of their most impressive displays of offensive firepower in anyone’s memory. Last Friday night’s question was: Which Garnet & Black team would take the field against undefeated Clarkstown South?
Answer: The one that knocks you down, steps on your neck, and never lets you up.
Facing a Rockland County offense that scored an average of nearly 45 points in its opening four wins and came into the game with the No. 2 Sectional ranking from The Journal News, Rye’s defense swarmed all over the Nugent Stadium field, limiting the Vikings to a total of 130 yards for the game.
Their quarterback, Dennis Riordan, was able to complete only two of 12 passes for 28 yards. Even more impressive, last year’s Sectional semifinalists were able to run just 12 plays from scrimmage in the entire second half.
Meanwhile, Rye’s Athlete of the Month for September, senior quarterback Declan Lavelle, was clicking on all cylinders, connecting on four TDs through the air for all the scoring. Two of his throws went to senior tight end James Mackle, while classmates Quinn Kelly and Matt Tepedino grabbed one apiece. An early second-quarter highlight was the successful hook-and-ladder play the two wideouts pulled off on second down and 20 to go for the Garnets.
After scoring with three and a half minutes left in the first quarter, Freddie Clarke’s point-after try was blocked. To make up for it, the locals went for two points after their next score early in the second period. That pass attempt was incomplete.
The Garnets were still up 12-0 when the Vikings mounted their only real threat of the game. Riordan drove them to the Rye 20, but on 4th and five he was snowed under by the stalwart defense.
Then, with 90 seconds left in the half, a holding penalty nullified a Lavelle strike for a score. Undaunted, Rye’s main man rolled left, looked to run, but then found Kelly near the sideline. The senior receiver made a nifty cut inside the pressure and took it all the way to the house. When the two-point PAT was good, Rye would head for the locker room up by 20.
Nobody scored in the third, though Rye had the ball 70 percent of the time, with sophomore Caden Whaling lugging it most of the time. Then Kelly grabbed a pass in traffic at the Clarkstown 20-yard-line to open the final quarter. A quick Lavelle throw over the middle capped the scoring with nine minutes left in the game. Clarke’s kick was good to make the final score 27-0.
His 270 yards of offense kept Lavelle up among the leaders in Section 1. When asked why he remained under center?? for all but the final series, he referenced the Somers loss. “It’s definitely a constant reminder for us. So, we went full speed all four quarters.”
Did he just say, “Full speed all four quarters”? The Garnets will need that kind of effort when they take the field for The Game at Harrison High School this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Rye dominates the recent rivalry, winning 15 of the last 16 matchups against the Huskies.
This year, Harrison will have a former QB, Jay Ciraco, coaching the squad, which just beat Sleepy Hollow by a 45-30 score.
As Dino Garr says, “It’ll be “a hell of a game.”
