The pressure placed on the players who compete in “The Game” is to be both envied and feared. For those lucky enough to have been voted as captains, the responsibility increases tenfold. We asked several captains from the current roster, as well as past heroes, what it means to be captain during the Rye-Harrison game.
The pressure placed on the players who compete in “The Game” is to be both envied and feared. For those lucky enough to have been voted as captains, the responsibility increases tenfold. We asked several captains from the current roster, as well as past heroes, what it means to be captain during the Rye-Harrison game.
CURRENT PLAYERS
“Being able to play in ‘The Game’ is a huge honor. I love the fact that there is so much tradition between the two teams, and being captain makes me feel like I’m representing the whole community in a battle against Harrison. It’s also great to hear the stories of the former Garnets who played in the game years ago. They are always exciting and it’s wonderful to know that they remember it their entire lives. It’s two teams playing their hearts out for their communities, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
– Peter Wittwer
“What does ‘The Game’ mean to me? It means more than anything. It is the most important game I will play in my high school career. Playing for your friends, family, community, and thousands of screaming fans is such an adrenaline rush. To be a part of such a prestigious tradition is amazing in itself. I have waited 17 years for my chance to play in it and now it’s here. I want to continue the Garnet tradition and keep the winning streak alive.”
– Jake Meyerson
“The importance of ‘The Game’ has been instilled in me since I moved to Rye. I’ve been waiting since Pee Wee football to represent our school and town in Section 1’s most historic rivalry. We have to respect Harrison’s talent, but cannot accept defeat. We have to be confident in our ability and execute the game plan.”
– Matt Keough
“The Harrison game means a lot because we are not only playing for ourselves, but for the whole community. The rivalry has been around forever making it the most important game of the season. However, the game is not only about a rivalry — it’s also to keep our playoff hopes alive. In the end it comes down to one thing, as quoted by the great Charlie Sheen — ‘WINNING’.”
— Joe Simolacaj
“For anyone who has ever put on the Garnet uniform, the Rye-Harrison game is a tradition filled with many years of winning, a few years of losing, and a tremendous amount of excitement each and every year. I have watched the Garnets jump in the brook every single year they have played the Huskies since I was eight. ‘The Game’ always brings a huge crowd and an incredible atmosphere to our town, and I truly can’t wait to play the Huskies one more time.”
— Dylan Lynch
FORMER PLAYERS
“Rye had lost eight straight to the Huskies going into our game in 1983. And we were determined to end that streak. My fellow co-captain Chis Duffy and I reminded our team every day, every practice that we were going to begin a whole new streak for the Garnets. And we did!
I was the last of six Borchert boys to play football for Rye. My older brothers – Bill, Larry, John, Robert, and Walter – all laced them up for RHS, and not one of them was ever on a varsity team that beat the Huskies in football! I was also the first in the family to be elected captain of the team, so it held a very special meaning for me, especially after we crushed the Huskies 24-6. I not only captained the team that won one for the Garnets, I won one for the Borchert boys of Rye!”
– Daniel Borchert (Class of 1984)
“For as long as I can remember the Rye-Harrison game has been in my blood. It dates all the way back three generations to my grandfather, George Feeney, in the late 1930s to 1940. ‘The Game’ isn’t just about the kids that are playing in this year’s clash, but about the previous players, coaches, and fans that represent both towns. The actions of these current players represent much more than just acts on a football field; they embody entire communities, which have pride, passion, and prestige that can only be gained from years of excellence.
As a Rye captain, playing Harrison was the most exciting and thrilling time I have ever had on the football field. Nothing can compare to the memories my teammates and I created on Nugent Stadium and Feeley Field. Nothing in college football ever matched up to that rivalry for me, and I don’t think anything ever will.
I remember walking with my fellow captains – Franny Archibald, TJ Smith, and JB Welling – to the coin toss to start the game. At this moment you don’t know what to feel; excitement, anger, impatience, butterflies, and, to a degree, fear. Fear of letting your teammates, coaches, family, and community down. But once you got on the field that all changed and you let go of all the pregame hype and you did what you were supposed to do – play football.
The path has been paved for over 80 years, but every season there is a new big game and for every big game a new memory that gets added to the history books. 19-18, 19-18, 19-18 …”
— Erik Antico (Class of 2007)
“Being a three-sport captain for Rye was a major accomplishment for me, but out of all the pregame discussions with referees there was none that was as heightened as the Rye-Harrison game. The intensity of staring into the Harrison captains’ eyes was an experience that raises the hairs on the back of your neck to this day.
Growing up in Rye, everyone always looked forward to it. People come back from all over the country to just watch a high school football game. As a child, you are witness to the mass of people that make this annual pilgrimage back to Nugent Stadium and in the back of your mind, as a player, this adds to the pressure of every play.
Receiving the Chris Mello award was very meaningful to me and helped me fight every down like it was my last. Winning the game for the Mello family and all families who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks really means something.
As a captain the pressure is even greater. Everyone in both towns knows who you are, where you live, and you know that for the rest of your life your athletic career will be measured by one win or loss.”
– TJ Smith (Class of 2007)
“‘The Game’ means a lot to the community, to my family and to me – the success of a season would be determined by it. You could have a losing record, but if you beat Harrison you could walk away from the season feeling good. I was fortunate to be named captain, and I was lucky to have great co-captains to lead the way – Tim “I Catch Everything” Monaghan, Jack “The General” Donnelly, and Peter “Spike” Niehaus. I had my nickname too – it was “Bam Bam”. It was a big responsibility, but we didn’t put too much pressure on ourselves, we just played the game the only way we knew how to.
We pushed ourselves through summer workouts with the best trainer, Matt Tauber, and we set goals. One was to win States, the other was to Hang the Huskies! We felt pressure, but we embraced it. It’s weird, the rivalry, because the games were always close even if one team was doing much worse then the other during the season. When it came down to ‘The Game’, everyone performed at their best.
I still remember all the scores of my Rye-Harrison games, but cannot tell you the scores of other games, not even the State championship! In Syracuse I actually bragged about Rye and the Rye-Harrison game because we had a lot of kids on the team that played in New York. To my surprise they’d even heard of ‘The Game’.
Syracuse has been an amazing experience; I have been to Penn State, played against the University of Washington and West Virginia, but nothing compares with walking over the bridge at Nugent Stadium and seeing one side with Garnet colors and the other side with that ugly purple and white.”
— Robert “Bam Bam” Nieves (Class of 2006)
Photo by John Wood
