Early Goal Enough for Boys Soccer in Quarterfinal Win vs Lakeland

The Rye Boys Soccer Team won their second consecutive Sectional Tournament playoff game by a 1-0 score on Tuesday evening, defeating the Lakeland Hornets to advance to the semi-finals in Class A. Alex Rojas scored under four minutes into the match, and it stood as the game-winner in another low-scoring affair.

“We showcased a lot of really good traits tonight,” Head Coach Jared Small said to MyRye.com in his postgame summary. “Our assistant coach Jon Tuttle did a great job thinking outside the box with the way we used personnel today and I think that – combined with an epic effort from our players – made all the difference in the world.”

Rye came out noticeably hungrier than the Hornets, putting the pressure on immediately with multiple chances within the first few minutes. After Liam Harrington hit the crossbar, Rojas used his head to knock home the rebound to reward the Garnets for their aggressive start. The team continued to control play throughout the first 40 minutes, but were unable to break through again.

On the brink of elimination, Lakeland responded with a strong effort in the second half. ” Lakeland put together several potentially dangerous opportunities,” Small admitted. However, the adversity brought out the best in several of Rye’s key players, as Small noted:

“Defenders Jack Gilroy, Zach Ramsey, Harrison Zimmer, and [Felix] Wismer were fantastic throughout the evening. Man of the match may have been Peter Wilmot, who controlled the midfield by breaking up the opponent’s attack and distributing the ball with poise. Kaden [Zion] was a game changer in his midfield role, and Kasen Scarperi played one of his best matches in his two years on the varsity squad.”

#4 Rye (13-4 cumulative record) is the lowest remaining seed in their bracket, meaning they have played their final game at Nugent Stadium in 2024. They will have to win two road games – something that has not been a problem for them this fall – if they wish to win their section. Next up is a rematch of last year’s Section Finals against #1 Byram Hills. The Bobcats have outscored their two playoff opponents 11-0 through two games. This would be a massive upset win for Small’s group – a group that has the ability to pull it off.

Watch the replay against Lakeland here. View the Section 1 Class A bracket here.