Rye’s boys and girls outdoor track and field teams swept league titles Tuesday, matching a feat both indoor teams accomplished in the winter.
Eight Garnet boys and three girls finished first in one or more outdoor events to earn all-league status, along with one boys and one girls relay team. Senior Erin Ball led the Garnets with first-place finishes in four events: 200 meters, high jump, long jump, and shot put. Junior Clayton Stark finished first in the 1,600 and 3,200.
“I’m honestly not certain when the last time was prior to this year that we had both boys and girls team titles,” said Rye coach Bryan Johnson, “but to have this happen twice in one school year is extremely special for our program.”
Other boys individual winners were senior Aidan Schmidt (200), senior Justin McCarthy (400), junior Ben Truman (800), senior Timothy O’Donnell (400 hurdles), junior Calvin Holler (discus), senior Henry O’Rorke (long jump), senior Rocklan Boisseau (pole vault), and the 4×400 relay team (Stark, junior Sebastian Lewis, McCarthy, and Truman).
Girls winners were freshman Katie Hillis (100), senior Sophia Bubeck (100 hurdles), and the 4×400 relay team (senior Margot Kelly, junior Sophia Ambrosini, junior Lila Hudson, and senior Claire Curran).
The boys scored 130.5 points as a team, more than double the 63 points scored by runner-up Edgemont. The girls also won by a comfortable margin, scoring 128.5 points, well ahead of Eastchester’s 84.5.
“One big key this season was having the ability to encourage athletes to try new events,” Johnson said. “In the weeks leading into the meet, coaches Blair Moynahan and Joel Jenson took a lot of time to work with athletes in pole vault and hurdles. We were able to identify several athletes who were able to pick up these events and earn points for the team, and without the contributions of those athletes, we would not have had the success that we did. They were open to trying something new, and wound up helping the team.”
Stark, Hillis, junior Hudson Covello, sophomore Amaryn Farr, and freshmen Ben Von Homeyer, Egan Powers, Sadie Fu, and Olivia Anderson all scored points in those events. Sophomore Eleanor Pandl and freshman Lucy Carey tried high jump for the first time this season and gained points for Rye as well, finishing third and fourth in the event.
“Besides the selfless nature of the team, we’ve also worked to instill the sense in the athletes that everyone can make a contribution,” Johnson said. “We sort of took a page out of (late Rye track coach James) Yedowitz’ playbook and reminded the kids that those points from second through fifth make a huge difference along the way.”
Several Garnets stepped up for strong finishes in multiple events, including Carey, who, in addition to high jump, placed fourth in the 100 and fifth in the 200. O’Donnell, the 400 hurdles winner, took second in the 110 hurdles and second in triple jump.
“Having a deep roster certainly helps,” Johnson said. “So, when you combine depth and the willingness to compete in multiple events and put the team first, you find success.”
RYE RELAYS – Shortly before claiming league titles, the Rye girls finished first at their home invitational Saturday, while the boys took third.
The third-annual meet honored the contributions of Yedowitz and John “Mitty” McGee, who served many years as the coaches of the Garnets.
Rye’s first-place finishers were Ball in the high jump; the boys sprint medley relay team of Boisseau, Schmidt, McCarthy, and Truman; and the girls distance medley relay team of Curran, Lily Oberbannscheidt, Ambrosini, and Fiona Marino.
There were 12 boys teams and 12 girls teams competing. The Garnet girls scored 86.5 points, well ahead of runner-up Irvington’s 53. Rye’s boys scored 58.5 points, finishing behind Irvington and New Rochelle.
