Two evenly matched, game-ready sides met on the pitch Thursday at Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx. After a 5-0 start to the season, it was the Garnets’ turn to make the short drive home on what was assuredly a quiet bus. Fordham ended Rye’s undefeated season, winning 30-28 after a slightly controversial ruling.
Rye’s two-point conversion attempt, after a Patrick McGuire try with no time left on the clock, would have ended the game as a tie. The kick was originally ruled good, then immediately overturned by the head official, who had a better view of the ball as it sailed just wide of the south goal post.
“We did not lose that game because of a difficult kick there at the end,” said Rye coach Jim O’Hara. “We lost because we got outplayed late in the second half by Fordham. They took care of the ball and played some excellent rugby down the stretch. Fordham deserved to win this game.”
Down a few key players due to injury, Rye’s forwards, senior Brady Howard, sophomore Benji Kaplan, and senior Carsten Steinman, played stout team rugby all afternoon. Meanwhile, Rye’s backs, junior Ben Stigliano, junior Sam Surak, and sophomore Ryan Hess, had their strongest games of the year. But unforced errors, a couple of late penalties, and some lovely Fordham Prep rugby at the most critical time of the game were the difference in this contest.
RYE 52, PLAY RUGBY 0 – One of the challenges of high school rugby in New York is there aren’t many teams to play against. Rye is the only public high school in the Hudson Valley with a team. Yet the participation numbers at Rye are extraordinary for a program only in its 10th year, and are a testament to Coach O’Hara and the formidable Rye Youth Rugby founders and caretakers.
One such regional club team in New York City is called Play Rugby, a member of the larger Play Rugby USA organization that aims “to use the unique power of rugby to empower and inspire youth, primarily from underserved communities, to go forward and utilize their true potential.”
On April 26, Play Rugby’s A side made the trip from the city to Rye to face off against the Garnets. Though Play Rugby played bravely against the more-experienced Garnets, Rye prevailed in a mostly one-sided contest.
Rye’s next game is at home on Friday, May 9, against Pelham.
