It’s a rebuilding year for the Rye High basketball team, which is returning just three players from last year.

   

 

By Melanie Cane

 

It’s a rebuilding year for the Rye High basketball team, which is returning just three players from last year.

 

Last winter, RHS ended the season with a record of 11-9, and second place in the League. The team lost six seniors to graduation, and Coach Mary Henwood to retirement.

 

This year, it’s literally out with the old, and in with the new. The team welcomes seven new players and a new coach, Dennis Hurlie. Hurlie led the Rye girls’ lacrosse team to a Class C, Section 1 Championship in May, and State playoffs in June, before losing the State semifinal lacrosse game.

 

Returning to the basketball squad are senior Catharine Livingston, and juniors Rachel Egan and Hannah Billingsley.

 

New players include: juniors Alanna Morque, Holly Tice, and Kelsey Chapderlane; and sophomores Payton Emery, Laura Ann Pacos, and Holly Hunter. Freshman Maddie Eck, who moved up from junior varsity to compete on the varsity team during last winter’s playoffs, also is back.

 

Assistant Coach Christina Gaspar said Egan and Eck are “players to watch.”

 

Hurlie, who racked up experience coaching the Yorktown girls’ team last season and boys’ basketball at Hastings and Rye Country Day School in prior years, said the Rye girls’ team is playing in a very competitive league. Right now, the Garnets are viewed as underdogs, he said, but Hurlie is confident they will hold their own this season.