By Ava Fleckten
Rye Neck High’s boys soccer team nearly made it to the Class B state final last month, after winning their first four-county Section 1 championship in seven years.
Rye Neck came up short on Nov. 16 in their statewide tournament semifinal game against Carle Place High School of Long Island. The Panthers fought hard on neutral ground in Middletown, but the match ended 3-2 in the Frogs’ favor.
Despite that disappointing end, Rye Neck had a successful regular season (seven wins, two losses and six ties) and an extra-deep postseason, battling through multiple overtime games for five consecutive wins before the loss to Carle Place.
The team’s postseason began back on Oct. 29 in a Section 1 Class B quarterfinal against Valhalla High, a match they entered as the tournament’s No. 3 seed. The Panthers bested the Vikings 2-1 in overtime.
Two days later, Rye Neck met Blind Brook High in one of the section semifinals. The Panthers maintained a strong defense throughout the match, winning 1-0.
Head Coach Bryan Iacovelli said the team was determined to make the section final, having fallen short in the semis last year.
“The guys were confident that we could win the section this year — and go beyond,” he said.
That confidence came in handy. The Nov. 3 final, against reigning Section 1 champ and No. 1 tournament seed Keio Academy of Purchase, went to double overtime, tied 2-2. But Rye Neck senior striker Rocco Ruscitto scored a goal in the final minutes of the second OT, sparing both teams from a nail-biting penalty-kick shootout.
The Rye Neck boys were then among the eight Class B schools that moved up to the state regionals, defeating Mount Academy of Esopus, 4-0, in their semifinal match, played Nov. 6 in Yorktown. Three days later, they were out in the Southern Tier, playing for the Regional Class B Championship and a ticket to the statewide semifinals. The Panthers fought valiantly against the Blue Devils of Binghamton’s Chenango Forks High School in yet another overtime game, winning 2-1.
Reflecting on the 2024 season before the state semifinal, Iacovelli cited senior forwards Nicholas Fernandez and Ruscitto as the team’s key players on the pitch. The pair were the Panthers’ top scorers for the season, with their consistency throughout and during the postseason contributing to the team’s many victories.
“It’s been fun, it’s been exciting, it’s been emotional, but it’s been great overall,” the coach said.