It took one golfer shooting par and another surviving an officials’ ruling, but the Rye High golf team squeaked past arch-rival Harrison 205-206 April 24, at the Rye Golf Club.

By Mitch Silver

It took one golfer shooting par and another surviving an officials’ ruling, but the Rye High golf team squeaked past arch-rival Harrison 205-206 April 24, at the Rye Golf Club.

Junior Jack Maresca shot an even-par 35, four strokes better than his sophomore teammate, Will Gladstone. With the low two scores on the afternoon, one might think the Garnets would be easy winners. But a more consistent Harrison squad, led by Jake Carnavella, who shot a 40, and scores of 41, 41, 42, and 45 for nine holes, made it excruciatingly close.

In fact, the entire match came down to an official’s ruling when Garnets sophomore Matt Shainberg accidentally hit his marker while putting on the 6th green. Rye Golf’s head professional, Mike Rapisarda, was called upon for the pivotal ruling. He assessed Shainberg a one-stroke penalty.

Had it been two strokes, as some golf penalties are, the entire afternoon’s matches would have ended in a tie. And in New York State, when the combined scores of the five low golfers result in a tie, the match is decided by comparing the sixth (usually non-scoring) man for each side. In this case, Harrison would have taken it.

“It was a typical Rye-Harrison contest,” Garnets Coach Pat Romano said, smiling. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

The Garnets, 5-2 with the Harrison win under their belts, took on Horace Greeley at home May 1, post-press time.