With back-to-back blowout victories in the early rounds of the Section 1 Class C tournament, the Rye boys lacrosse team left no doubt why they are the top-ranked team in all of Section 1, and the No. 6-ranked team in New York. The Garnets earned the right to play for their fifth consecutive Section 1 title against No. 2 seed Somers on Tuesday in Yorktown.
Rye ended No. 4 seed Tappan Zee’s season in the section semifinals Friday, with a dominant 18-6 win. Though on the surface this was another comfortable win for the Garnets (15-2), it was hardly a game they took lightly.
“It’s always the mentality of the end game for us,” said senior captain Tyler McDermott. “We all know what we want, what’s at stake for this team. We want to be a championship team. We want the No. 1 seed and we want to be the best version of ourselves. We have a job to do, so we do it.”
There was an extra-special moment in the second quarter. After tallying the third of his four goals, the game was stopped momentarily to recognize McDermott as Rye’s new all-time lacrosse points leader with 218 in his high school career.
“I can assure you the points are not what Tyler will be remembered for,” said Rye coach Steve Lennon. “Tyler has played so hard for us for the last four years on varsity. He grinds, he gets double- and triple-teamed in every game, and comes back at you harder and harder, like a Tasmanian devil. He’s one of the greatest captains, teammates and leaders in the history of Rye lacrosse.”
“I gotta say being a part of Rye lacrosse has been the absolute best, just the best,” McDermott added. “More important to me than any number of points is how I try to hustle and lead, and lift up my teammates any way I can every minute of every single game. That’s all that matters.”
Freshman Will Niejadlik joined McDermott in scoring four goals against Tappan Zee, while sophomore Charlie Brady each scored three times. Junior Carson Miller and freshman Colton Strazzini each scored twice, and senior Tucker Hess had a goal and four assists. Senior Ty Ramachandran made five saves in goal.
RYE 13, JOHN-JAY CROSS RIVER 0 – The second number in that score is the one of note. “Zero,” as in no goals. Center of the doughnut.
Defensemen senior Chris Iuliano, Matt Giannetti, Gage Sasse, junior Nigel Strazzini, and a swarm of Rye middies have put up a nearly impenetrable fortress around the goal in a section quarterfinal win Tuesday.
If a shot were to somehow leak through that battlement, Ramachandran – and his lightning-quick hands – were waiting. Throughout much of the first half, John Jay-Cross River had difficulty even getting off a single shot.
On the offensive side, Niejadlik, Brady, McDermott and Hess – plus the late-season surprise freshman Colton Strazzini –surgically dismantled one defensive scheme after another.
Perhaps the assist of the year came off the stick of Will Cadigan. With 22 seconds left in the third period, the senior received a pass from Sasse at midfield at top speed. Hustling 10, then 20 yards with a defender on his back, Cadigan perfectly threaded the tiniest needle between two Wolves with a spot-on pass to a streaking McDermott just outside the crease, who buried the shot in the back of the cage. Sometimes the assist is more beautiful than the goal, and for the Garnets, there have been no shortage of beautiful moments this season.
