By Melanie Cane
In their final game of the regular season on February 7, the Garnets Ice Hockey team hosted New Rochelle. Rye held a 3-2 lead at the end of the second period, but the Huguenots stunned the Garnets in the third, scoring three consecutive goals, and taking their first lead of the game. In the final minutes of regulation play, Declan Lavelle found the back of the net, sending the game into OT. New Rochelle scored the game winning goal off the first faceoff, handing Rye their seventh one-goal loss.
“The team was obviously disappointed with how the season ended,” said Coach Peter Thomas, “but we played an extremely difficult schedule and were competitive throughout. We had a lot of inexperienced players this year who will be ready to help us compete next season.”
The team believes winning isn’t everything. And they walk the walk. Off the ice, the boys raised money for and volunteered at Soul Ryeders and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. They also collected food and stocked the shelves at the Carver Center. Their biggest accomplishment was winning the league’s Howard Kosel Team Sportsmanship award for the second year in a row. The winner is chosen by coaches and presented to the team with the fewest misconduct and major penalties in the league. The Garnets had none.
As for individual awards, senior captain Seamus Carroll and junior captain Alex Noga received All Section Honorable Mentions. Carroll, Noga, and sophomore Declan Lavelle earned All League honors. Cameron DiEdwards, Connor O’Brien, and Sasha Vasyuta earned All League Honorable Mention.
Cameron DiEdwards going to the puck.
Sasha Vasyuta racing to defense.
