YORKTOWN – In front of a standing-room-only crowd, Somers denied Rye boys lacrosse a fifth-straight section tournament title. With a 12-7 victory on Tuesday, the Tuskers ended the Garnets’ season in heart-breaking fashion and claimed the Section 1 Class C championship.
Rye had won 10 straight games and was unbeaten against Section 1 opponents to earn the tournament’s top seed, but from the opening face-off, Somers seemed to surprise Rye a bit with a combination of speed, size, and physicality. The second-seeded Tuskers (16-3) scored first just four minutes into the game and never gave up the lead.
At the end of the first quarter, the two teams traded possessions almost one-for-one, but Rye had nothing to show for their efforts, trailing 2-0. Shot after shot by the Garnets sailed wide, high, off the pipes, or into the net of Somers’ goalie. The two-goal advantage grew to three at the half, and to five by game’s end.
In the second half, Rye’s offensive frustration grew as did their difficulties at the face-off circle. But when Rye freshman attackman Will Niejadlik scored with 7:46 to go in the game, and Somers’ lead only 8-6, the Rye faithful rose to their feet.
Five minutes later, the score was 12-6 Somers, and Rye’s season was about to come to an abrupt end.
Rye finishes the 2025 season with an overall record of 15-3, coming up shy of their goal to return to, and surpass, the New York state semifinal round they reached a year ago.
