By Jessica Mehrara and Clare Nemsick
Rye High School’s field hockey team approached this fall’s postseason with a mixed bag of performances in mid-October, enduring close losses to strong teams like John Jay Cross River and Lakeland High while also celebrating big wins against Somers and Hendrick Hudson.
Rye’s first game against John Jay earlier this season ended in a 3-0 defeat. The second time around, on Oct. 9, the Garnets worked harder to avoid the same outcome against the Wolves. Both teams had equal opportunities to score throughout the game, but it was John Jay that was able to get around Rye’s defense finally and knock in a goal near the end of the third quarter, leaving with a 1-0 victory.
Rye quickly pivoted after the loss and six days later shut out Somers High for a second time this season — this time by an impressive 7-0 score. Freshman Caitlyn Coyne scored three goals, junior Maggie Swanson scored one, senior co-captain Caroline Doyle scored two and senior co-captain Kate Morreale scored one.
Coming off the fiery win against Somers, Rye turned its attention to some serious competition: Lakeland High School, which has won the region’s Section 1 Class B team title for 15 years in a row.
Prior to the Oct. 18 game’s kickoff, at home in Nugent Stadium, the Garnets celebrated their three seniors — Doyle, Morreale and Rachel Kelly-Walsh — and wore pink jerseys and ribbons in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “It was awesome to celebrate our seniors,” junior captain Beau Whaling said, “as they not only deserved the recognition, but also to help motivate and inspire the team before playing such an intense game.”
When the Garnets came up against the Hornets earlier this season, they fell to the powerhouse 4-0. This time, Rye High came out fierce and determined. Juniors Sienna Myers and Caroline Bartlett locked down the defensive end of the field, letting nothing past. Junior goalkeeper Chloe Holden blocked five shots on goal. By the end of regulation, neither team had scored, sending the game into overtime.
Both teams, though tired, continued to play ferociously. Then, with three minutes left in the 10-minute overtime period, Lakeland knocked in a goal off of a corner. Despite the loss, the Garnets walked away with their heads held high, proud of the progress they had made since their first clash with the Hornets and the level of intensity they had maintained throughout the high-level second game.
Rye concluded its regular season with the big win against Hendrick Hudson. The Garnets maintained high energy and a positive attitude on and off the field as they shut out Hen Hud 8-0.
“I feel like the team is peaking at the right time,” said junior Kendall Bahl ahead of the postseason. “I think, because of all of our training and the challenges we have faced earlier in the season, we have learned that we can overcome anything together and fight through anything in the playoffs.”