Rye High School’s boys lacrosse team has developed new standards of excellence during the eight-year tenure of Coach Steve Lennon. The varsity team’s record speaks for itself: four straight Section 1 titles and four straight appearances in the semifinals of the New York State championships.

But the keys to that success on the field are the weekly culture- and team-building meetings off the field, with players taking time each Monday getting to know each other at a deep, personal level. The team also challenges itself each year to leave the program a legacy – something on or off the field that no RHS lacrosse squad has done before. A few years ago, for instance, the players started making a point of ensuring that they leave every field on which they play cleaner after the game than it was before the team showed up.

This year’s team is led by a trio of captains – seniors Joe Chai and James Lewis, and junior Tyler McDermott – plus a talented group of five juniors who are already committed to NCAA Division I programs, including McDermott (Princeton), Matt Gianetti (Princeton), Tucker Hess (Villanova), Chris Iuliano (Notre Dame) and Ty Ramachandran (Georgetown). A talented freshman, Garret Sullivan, is also expected to be a valued contributor.

The Garnets typically play a challenging regular-season schedule, the better to prepare for the postseason. This year they will play New York Section 5 powerhouse Victor High School, from metro Rochester, as well as nation- ally ranked Staples High School from Westport, Connecticut. Other notable opponents will include Cold Spring Harbor High from Long Island and Shenendehowa High of Clifton Park, north of Albany.

The Garnets’ most difficult local opponent is likely to be John Jay Cross River High School, which finished atop Section 1’s Class C during the regular season last year. (Rye finished second.)

This season’s version of RHS boys lacrosse is young but extremely talented, Lennon said. The team is looking forward to opening day on April 4 at RHS’ Nugent Stadium — against Victor — and to leaving their yet-to-be- determined legacy to the Garnets’ lacrosse program.