The Garnets’ girls lacrosse team ended their regular season with two more decisive victories and a 13-3 win-loss record, securing second place among Class C schools in Section 1, the four-county area anchored by Westchester.
The home stretch began May 7 when Rye traveled to Mamaroneck High School to take on the Tigers. The Garnets dominated from the opening whistle and won 18-8. Senior captain Lilly Whaling led the charge with five goals. Junior Caroline Doyle scored three, while senior captain Mali White also had three and sophomore Beau Whaling contributed two goals and two assists.
Two days later, in a preview of the Garnets’ opening-round playoff game, Rye took on the Sailors of Hendrick Hudson High School. Rye won handily, 14-7. Nine of the fourteen goals were assisted, displaying the Garnets’ skilled teamwork and ball movement. Senior captain Della Goodman and Beau Whaling each had three goals and one assist. Lily Whaling had two goals and four assists, while Doyle had two goals and two assists.
Having earned an opening-round bye, Rye started its postseason with a quarterfinal home game at Nugent Stadium against the very same Henry Hudson team it had played a week earlier to end the regular season.
Seventh-seed Hen Hud had advanced to the May 17 quarterfinal against Rye by winning its first-round playoff game against 10th-seed Bryam Hills, 15-9. Rye dominated the Sailors from the opening whistle and led 8-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Garnets never looked back and won in convincing fashion, 19-5, advancing to the Section 1 Class C semifinals.
Lily Whaling had six goals; sophomore Mary Ebeling had three; and junior Mary Sack, Doyle, White, and sophomore Paige Tepedino added two goals apiece.
The top team to emerge from the Section 1 Class C tournament will move on to regional competition May 28 at Lakeland High School in Yorktown. The 2024 girls lacrosse state championships are June 7-8 at SUNY Cortland.