By Melanie Cane
<<Field Hockey>>
Captains Lotje Rogaar and Lainie Agosta
You cannot talk about the prospects of Rye High’s Field Hockey team without thinking about Lakeland. For the past eight years, Lakeland has beaten the Garnets in the Section final. Each season, Rye’s goal is to beat Lakeland. This year is no exception. Returning Coach Simon Hochstenbach and senior co-captains Lainie Agosta and Lotje Rogaar hope this will be “their year.”
Agosta and Rogaar will lead the ten other returning players and six new players. Having so many veteran players, a strong defense, and penalty corners are their strengths. Rogaar has been a defender on the team since eighth grade and keeper Maggie Devlin saved the team in many tight games last year.
The captains said, “We are so close to being an extremely good team skill-wise, as well as spirit-wise. But on the field we need to work on talking to each other and putting the loose ends together.”
Their first home game is September 12 against Somers.
——————-
<<Girls’ Soccer >>
Captains Hannah Friedrich, Isabel Castro, and Lilly Friedrich
The enthusiasm and energy permeating the Garnets team is palpable. Senior tri-captains Hannah and Lilly Friedrich and Isabel Castro can hardly contain their excitement. Before tryouts even began, eight of the retuning 14 players were offered positions with the prestigious NY Soccer Club Academy. If they played for the academy, they could not play for Rye High. Only one player accepted the offer. The seven girls who stayed with the team wanted to remain with Coach Rich Savage, assistant coach Kim Mooney, and their teammates. “Coach Savage is such a great coach and the soccer program is so great we didn’t want to leave. We are so proud of being Garnets.”
It is not surprising that Coach Savage said the team’s goal is, “To make the season last as long as possible.”
The team, along with the Boys’ Soccer team traveled to Massachusetts to play three scrimmages. Coach Savage said the trip was a great success. “The girls realized there are many talented players on the roster with so many being able to play in multiple positions. We have a very deep roster and we plan to outwork the teams we face this season.”
In addition to the veteran players, four players from last year’s undefeated JV team are on varsity. Last year’s team achieved a record of 13-3-1 and were League champions. They lost in Sectionals to Pearl River, a school four times their size, on penalty kicks. The Garnets have been working on their penalty kicks ever since.
—————-
Captains Nora Woodruff, Ainsley Schultz, and Claire Woodruff
<< Girls’ Tennis>>
After graduating 12 players from the team, Coach Tony Campbell did not cut anyone from the team. With 25 players, this is the largest team he has ever carried. Senior tri-captains Nora Woodruff, Claire Woodruff, and Ainsley Schulz are three of the six returning players. There are 17 new players, 11 of whom played on last year’s undefeated JV team.
Junior Niki Francis will play first singles. Freshman Catarina Ausfahl will play second singles, and junior Elena Nunez will play third. There is a lot of depth and experience in the doubles slots. Joci Stone and Steffi Rodilosso will play first doubles. Claire Woodruff and Schultz will play second doubles and Nora Woodruff will play third doubles with Claire Cassidy. Coach Campbell said the doubles teams from four through eight are interchangeable and the girls will have to compete hard for the fourth spot. “We have a lot of talented young players. We’ll be good for a while.”
He added, “We have a delightful group of polite, enthusiastic, gracious players. We enjoy the practices, the camaraderie, and coming together in an otherwise individual sport. Our goal is to be gracious competitors in victory and defeat.”
Their home opener is September 8 against Pelham.
—————————-
<<Volleyball>>
The team working hard at a recent scrimmage
With nine returning players, including six seniors, and five new players from last year’s undefeated JV team, the Garnets Volleyball squad is ready to hit the court. Coach Geri Jones has not yet chosen captains, but she has been sizing up the players individually and in different combinations in their multiple pre-season scrimmages.
Coach Jones has confidence in both the offensive and defensive skills of her players. She points to a number of their strengths: Jade Iadarola, who has a killer topspin serve and loves to win; Cayla Brown and Alex Kirk, who are both strong middle blockers and hitters; Lizzie Bronstein, setter, who has really stepped into a leadership role running the offense; defensive players Olivia Negri and Maddie Depaola; and Maddie and Taylor Woods, who round out the offense.
“They are a talented bunch of young women who really love playing volleyball and make the game exciting to watch and coach,” said Jones. She added that there’s a lot of talent on the JV team as well, which bodes well for the future of volleyball at Rye High School.
The team during scrimmage; Taylor Woods serving