It took a mere 44 years for the Garnet hockey team to make it back to a state championship hockey game, but make it back they did, with an exhilarating 3-2 overtime victory against Clarence in Saturday’s Division 2 state semifinals in Buffalo.
Rye senior Will Weinman tied the score with 2:22 left in regulation, and junior Jack McGill netted the game-winner less than five minutes into overtime.
The unforgettable win sets up an all-Section 1 state championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday, against familiar adversary Byram Hills at the LECOM Harborcenter. The Bobcats defeated Beekmantown 4-2 in Saturday afternoon’s first semifinal.
Rye sophomore Finn Draddy opened the scoring with a strong finish halfway through the first period. Ninety seconds into the second period, Clarence senior captain Jeremy Dorigo pushed the equalizer past Rye goalie Fernando Mosquera to make it 1-1.
Three minutes later, Ryan Yemma slipped behind Rye’s defenders and cashed in for a 2-1 Clarence lead.
From that point forward, the ice seemed to tilt in Rye’s favor. Even though Rye still trailed entering the third period, the Garnets were out-hustling, out-shooting, and outplaying Clarence. Three power plays for Rye netted no goals. Then, with 6:30 left, a fourth Garnet power play … and still nothing.
When the Red Devils gifted Rye its fifth power play of the game – this time with under four minutes to play – fans knew something had to give. That something was the left-handed stick of Weinman.
The senior captain recycled the remains of a Will Niejadlik and Colin Nigro exchange, and went top shelf over the glove of standout Clarence goalie Carson Oates to tie the game at 2-2. Rye just needed one to tie, and now they had it.
Four and a half minutes into the bonus period, McGill was falling down with an angry Red Devil on his back, but somehow got a stick on a redirected Will Molin slapper for the game-winner. Rye’s bench exploded onto the ice in absolute high school hockey euphoria.
Sunday’s state final will be the third meeting between Rye and Byram Hills this season. Rye took the first round 6-4 way back on Dec. 17. The Bobcats won round 2, upsetting top-ranked Rye 3-2 in overtime of the Section 1 championship on March 1.
Both those games are now ancient history.
This will be Byram Hills’ first-ever trip to a state hockey championship game, though the Bobcats reached the state semifinals in 2024. The Garnets’ only appearance in a state hockey final was the 1982 Division 1 championship game, in which they fell to Massena.
Now, one of the two familiar Westchester County foes will end the 2025-26 season with the program’s first state title.
