This article was updated on Monday, Nov. 11 at 9:57 a.m.
It was all Garnets Friday night en route to a decisive 35-14 win over Yorktown, setting the stage for an upcoming matchup against fellow undefeated rival Somers with the Section Championship on the line.
It was a near-perfect performance for Rye, who led 21-0 at halftime and kept Yorktown off the scoreboard for most of the Section 1 Class A semifinal game — a far cry from the Oct. 18 contest where the teams were deadlocked after three quarters.
“Defense was one of our top priorities in practice this week,” said senior captain Andrew Wilmarth following the win. “We were able to play as a unit throughout that entire game, and that’s what separated us.”
The Garnets allowed 21 points to the Huskers in that October clash — the most they allowed against a Class A opponent all season — so keeping quarterback Kaden Gonzalez and the Yorktown offense in check was a top priority this time around.
“That was a heck of a win against a very good team,” said coach Dino Garr following the victory, as the Garnets extended their 20-game ubeaten streak.
Getting on the board early has been a staple for the Garnets all season, and this game was no exception as Chris Iuliano once again opened the game with a rushing score, marking the 14th straight game the senior captain has reached the endzone.
Photo Steven Cao
Rye would score again on a pass from quarterback Carson Miller to senior Tucker Hess, pushing the lead to 14-0 before the end of the first quarter.
Iuliano scored again in the second quarter to give the Garnets a 21-0 cushion, and the half ended on a spectacular interception by sophomore Luke Denvir to keep the Huskers out of the endzone.
In the second half, Yorktown finally got on the scoreboard when Gonzalez popped a 15-year touchdown pass. But Rye answered on the ensuing drive that ended with a 25-yard Miller touchdown pass to fullback Andrew Wilmarth — his first career touchdown — to extend the lead to 28-7.
Desperate, Yorktown was forced to take shots downfield in the fourth quarter but were picked twice by junior Henry Shoemaker, including a 85-yard pick-six to cap the scoring for the Garnets.
The win marks No. 361 for coach Dino Garr, breaking the record for most wins by a Section 1 coach in league history.
It also sends the team back to a section championship game for the sixth straight full season, and sets a date with 10-0 Somers. The last time the powerhouse programs met was in 2022, when the Tuskers routed Rye 45-13 — the team’s worst loss since 2004.
Photo Steven Cao
“Me, Jake [Kessner], and Chris [Iuliano] remember what it felt like to lose back then,” said Wilmarth when asked about facing Somers. “Now we have a chance to get them back … it really is personal this time.”
Rye will look to end the Tuskers three-game win streak over the Garnets at a neutral-site in Mahopac Friday, and Garr didn’t mince his words when describing how meaningful this game is to his team.
“The job is not finished … this is what everyone wanted, throughout the section, the two top teams playing each other, and now we have to show them who’s the best,” he said.