Tuesday, May 13 was Senior Night at Nugent Stadium for the Rye boys lacrosse team. The game itself, a comfortable 19-7 win over Yorktown, was not the story. This night would be the last regular-season home game for a group of seniors who have been the heart and soul of Rye boys lacrosse for the last two seasons.
“I love these boys,” coach Steve Lennon said in his pre-game tribute. “I have watched this group grow and mature as lacrosse players and as young men for the last four years. I know their parents, their siblings, even a few grandparents of these kids. I’ve been so lucky as a coach to be around this group for so many years. Their commitment to excellence in every facet of their lives has made me a better coach.”
For the past month or so, that commitment has resulted in wins. Seniors Tyler McDermott, Tucker Hess, Matt Giannetti, Chris Iuliano, Ty Ramachandran, Gage Sasse, Will Cadigan, Dean Kim, and Drew Dolan have all contributed either as starters or off the bench as the Garnets have gone 8-1 over their past nine games to earn the top seed in the Section 1 Class C playoffs.
The Garnets’ postseason run will begin Tuesday at home against the winner of No. 8 seed Hendrick Hudson (8-8) and No. 9 seed John Jay-Cross River (6-10). With a win, Rye would host the section tournament semifinals on May 30.
After a four-game stretch when the Garnets outscored opponents 68-11, the team wrapped up the regular season with an 11-8 win May 17 at Mamaroneck. Much of that high-octane offensive firepower has come from the sticks of freshman Will Niejadlik and sophomore Charlie Brady. Face-off specialist sophomore Wilson Redd has also been doing a ton of dirty work for his team, scratching and gnawing his way to loose balls. Unshakeable, like a Labrador on the end of a favorite tug toy.
On May 6, Rye beat John Jay Cross River 12-1. On May 8, Rye rolled over Eastchester, then Yorktown, then Harrison. Win games, play smart, move forward.
Rye’s only blemish in the last month was a 9-4 loss at La Salle College High in Wyndmoor, Penn. Against La Salle, the No. 5 ranked high school team in Pennsylvania, Rye was playing for the first time in a month without a shot clock. Pennsylvania has no shot clock in boys high school lacrosse, and the game had a slightly different feel. If you ask Lennon, a loss can often have a greater impact than a victory.
“These kids are tough, they’re creative, and they are definitely intense,” he said. “Because of who they are as people, they compete for something greater than themselves. I never have to remind them what we’re playing for. We lose a game? We work harder and get stronger for the next one.”
This 2025 Rye team, with many players who have been playing lacrosse together since third grade, has a chance to do something special this postseason. For the seniors, this is it. It will not be easy, but without question, these Garnets will give it everything they’ve got.
