Old Garnet’s 2013 Season Recap of Rye Garnet Football

The Old Garnet is going to get us "tuned-up" for the season with a 2013 football re-cap. You will also see Garnet football history and game previews here on MyRye.com, courtesy of the OG.

2013 RYE GARNETS SEASON RECAP
By The Old Garnet

REGULAR LEAGUE SEASON

It’s amazing that often the Garnet foe from the prior season’s sectionals or a power-scheduled final season game becomes the curtain-raiser the following season. 2013 was no exception as Rye hosted its final ’12 opponent, the speedy and elusive SPRING VALLEY TIGERS in the season opener. These Rockland County tabbies were tamed by the Garnets and sent to their litter box 38-6 as Rye moved to 3-0-0 (1.000) in the brief recent series.

The Section One schedule gurus always enjoy pitting legendary coaches against each other whenever possible. ’13 was no exception as Rye travelled north once again to meet the plodding pachyderms, the SOMER TUSKERS, in a match of two of Section One’s coaching ringmasters, Somers’ dean – Tony DeMateo and Rye’s famous Dino Garr. In a teeter-totter battle, the Garnets twice came from behind, cracking the whip and squeeking by 20-13. The curtain rang down with the Tuskers one TD short enabling Rye to remain balanced on the trapeze high wire at 6-5-0 (.546).

The Garnets travelled to the Yonkers venue of the LINCOLN LANCERS – the sight lines are the best of any Westchester field, but you need to not fear heights. The Lancers’ swords were turned into plowshares 35-0 as Rye’s new spread offense continued to click and the Garnets took the first joust 1-0-0 (1.000).

The OSSINING INDIANS (circa ‘20s – ‘90s), have been succeeded with monikers of RIVER HAWKS, O and PRIDE in the last decade. Speaking of decades, other than in ’09 and ‘11, these river town warriors last engaged the Garnets when Ike was in the White House. In ’13 the teepee totally collapsed 58-14, was swept downstream and found down Blind Brook near the colonial windmill house at the mouth of Rye harbor. The Garnets have dominated the reservation 6-1-1 (.857), and county-wide smoke signals permeated Westchester’s skies with news that Rye’s new offense indeed was for real!

In only the third encounter with the HENDRICK HUDSON SAILORS these boatmen were below decks all night as the Garnets imitated a tidal wave on the Hudson 40-0 and caught the rising tide at 2-1-0 (.667). Returning to the Half Moon, these bosunsmates were true believers – the Rye Wing-T is a thing of the past.

All bulled up from their ’12 triumph, the SLEEPY HOLLOW HEADLESS HORSEMEN confidently trotted onto the Nugent turf, but Rye quickly made the ’12 loss as short as a Washington Irving story as the Garnets barned the Horsemen 43-18. Every chapter of this old series is scary as the slumbering Zeemen threaten to wake up annually. But Rye usually applies the sleeper hold sending Sleepy back into sonomulescence and a long nap at 25-12-1 (.676). The sinister “Hollow Hit” chant quickly disapated into the Rye evening air as the Garnets remain undefeated and cross the 35-point mark for the fifth time this season.

The high-octane Garnets ventured across Beaver Brook Swamp and a second appearance at the HHS-based Harrison’s McGuillicuddy Field for the 83rd rivalry renewal. The Huskies dug in, and like a dog with the proverbial bone, resolutely caused the Garnet offensive engine to sputter for 3½ quarters. As well Harrison nursed a chiuaua-sized
2-0 lead not unprecedented in Rye/Harrison lore – the HARRISON HUSKIES triumphed by the exact same score in the ’71 contest. Would history repeat itself? NO! In their sole drive of the game the Garnets lurched toward the Husky dog zone with periodic third and fourth down conversions while Garnet fans pleaded for the narrowest of victories at 3-2. But Rye’s kicking game is never strong. The Rye linemen finally opened the narrowest of creases allowing a scoring scamper followed by a two-point PAT as the Garnets steal the bone at 8-2 in a contest with its final score closer to that of a baseball game than a football outcome. The Garnets’ relentless march toward series parity continues as Rye has now won ten of eleven (.909) since ’03 to further close the gap to 38-42-3 (.475). And Rye finishes the regular season undefeated at 7-0-0 for the first time since the ’08, 13-0 State Champions.

SECTION ONE CLASS A PLAYOFFS

First up were the traditionally physical YORKTOWN HUSKERS, another squad the Garnets have never tangled with previously. Other than Harrison and Somers the Huskers were the most difficult opponent of the season, but Rye perservered by 36-20, harvesting the first series victory 1-0-0 (1.000) and advancing to the sectional semi-final.

The TAPPAN ZEE DUTCHMEN have risen like a sunrise over the polders from near program death to a healthy playoff appearance. Well not all the way back as the Garnets continue their undefeated march to the sectional final 28-7 and extend their domination of the Dutch to 12-1-0 (.923).

Rematches often occur as teams advance in the playoffs, particularly with the pre-season ranking system employed by Class A for regular season scheduling. Such was the case as the Garnets and the SOMERS TUSKERS were in the center ring for the Section One Class A Championship. In a game that could have swung either way, the elephant’s trunks came through when needed and the Garnets suffered their first, and a fatal, loss of the season 20-7. Somers also evened the Rye series at 6-6-0 (.500), but failed to advance in state tourney play. At 9-1 the ’13 Garnets shown brightly, especially offensively, as many all-time records were set or broken. Congratulations to the coaches and players who planned, led and executed a secular offensive reprogramming producing a 9-1 season.