The #1 Rye Boys Soccer team found a way through to the sectional championship game on Wednesday, October 28, as they defeated #5 Tappan Zee 1-0 in the semifinals. The Garnets controlled the game from start to finish and a goal in the 14th minute stood tall all the way through the final whistle.
“We were confident in possession and we generated a lot of scoring opportunities,” head coach Jared Small told MyRye.com. “Finishing against a well-organized low block and top class goalkeeper was never going to be easy, and going up 1-0 in the first quarter-hour relieved some of the pressure that would have built had the match remained scoreless.”
Coming off a wild 3-2 overtime upset victory in the quarterfinals just three days ago, the Zees were very intent on playing a different style of game. The visitors hardly tried to score or even possess the ball, instead bundling up in a defensive shell around their star goalkeeper Nico Waldhauser. Other than a corner kick from Peter Wilmot to Kasen Scarperi, it worked. Fortunately for Rye, the early strike from their top scorer was enough to earn the victory.
“One of the great things about this sport is that each match can be so different from the previous one,” Small said. “Our previous opponent [Byram Hills] looked to defend with high pressure, fouled continuously, and tried to break the rhythm of the match. This opponent played chess and was extremely patient waiting for their moments, and I like the fact that we didn’t allow them a single moment until the wild final 40 seconds.”
The best chance for the Zees occurred in the final minute, where they had a free kick and an ensuing corner kick to try to tie the score. Waldhauser came forward from his crease and delivered the corner, which a teammate volleyed off the framework of the cage with plenty of room to score had he hit the net.
#1 Rye (18-0-1, 3-0 postseason) is back in the sectional championship game for the fifth time in the past seven seasons (since 2019), and will look to get back to the regional tournament with a victory on Saturday, October 31. The Garnets and #2 Walter Panas Panthers face off at the neutral site of Mahopac High School at 1:30pm on Halloween. The two teams played once in the regular season, a crazy 6-4 home win for the Garnets.
