Rye Edges Harrison 21-20 in All-Time Classic

This year’s installment of the Rye-Harrison game was one for the ages. The Garnets defeated the Huskies 21-20 October 16 at Nugent Stadium when senior quarterback Connor Eck rushed for a two-point conversion after hitting Brian Pickup for a three-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds remaining. Rye’s go-ahead score added an exclamation point to an 80-yard drive that included a pair of pass-and-catch conversions on 4th and long from Eck to Pickup. The exhilarating victory was the Garnets’ eight in a row against the Huskies, and perhaps the most gut-wrenching for their rivals to date.

More to come, including full story and picture gallery, later this week and in October 22 edition of The Rye Record

Garnets muzzle Huskies seventh straight time

Sleep didn’t come easy for Cole McCormack in the week leading up to the 79th installment of the Rye-Harrison game. The senior captain tossed and turned each night in anticipation of a contest he’d been waiting for his entire life.

If slumber is still a difficulty for McCormack and his Garnets teammates, they can try counting Rye’s consecutive victories over the Huskies, which now add up to seven after the Garnets soundly defeated their rivals 21-7 in front of roughly 5,000 spectators October 17 at Feeley Field.

Cole McCormack

“I can’t even put this into words,” said a joyous McCormack. “I moved here when I was little and went to all the games and pep rallies. I looked up to the guys and wanted to beat Harrison my senior year. Honestly, this is what you dream about.”

Morning Round-up: Garnets top Huskies again

Rye’s football team stormed Feeley Field Saturday, and defeated Harrison 21-7 in the 79th installment of The Game. The win was the Garnets’ seventh consecutive against the arch rival Huskies, and earned them a berth in the Class A Section playoffs. They’ll play Nyack at home Friday, October 23, at 7 p.m.

Senior Cole McCormack rushed for over 150 yards and scored all three touchdowns for Rye. Instead of taking credit, the humble captain showered his offensive lineman with high praise. Check back here — and in the October 23 edition of The Rye Record — later for the full story on Saturday’s big win.

2 p.m. can’t come soon enough

Do you feel it in the air?

The day — The Game — is finally here. I’ve been at The Rye Record since 2006, so this is my fourth of these affairs and second at Feeley Field in Harrison. While all of the previous games have been special, especially that classic 2006 clash at Nugent, I think this may top them all. Much has been made this week — and in years past — that winning The Game is more important than a State championship for either team, but you have to love the added wrinkle of this being what is essentially a playoff game.

The winner goes on to the Section playoffs, while the loser is locked out. It doesn’t get better than that.

Will Rye win their seventh consecutive game in the 79th installation of the rivalry game, or does Harrison have the intestinal fortitude to prevail? Post your predictions in the comments.

I’ll be getting to Feeley at around 1 p.m. with Rye TV News, so keep an eye out for us if you have something to say for the feature we’ll be working on.

Have fun out there!

REMINDER — Rye and Harrison grads play for cure October 11

With one exception since 1929, Rye and Harrison have gotten together annually on the gridiron for an epic clash resulting in a year’s worth of bragging rights for the winner. The Garnets and Huskies will renew that rivalry October 17 in Harrison.

Six days earlier, however, the rival towns will converge on Feeley Field for a football game that goes beyond winning or losing. Rye and Harrison High School graduates of 1986, ‘87, and ’88 will play flag football to raise money and awareness for Charley’s Fund. The charity is named for 1988 HHS graduate Benjy Seckler’s son, who suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Children with DMD cannot produce dystrophin, a protein necessary for muscle strength and function. As a result, every skeletal muscle in the body deteriorates. Although Duchenne is the most common fatal genetic disorder to affect children, there is no cure.

The game came about after two 1987 Harrison graduates, Jay Caruso and Roseann Botte Giglio, reconnected through Facebook. When Caruso, currently residing in San Diego, found out his old friend had married Sal Giglio, a former Rye High football player – or “the enemy” as he jokingly referred to him – he got the idea to have a reunion flag football game.

The Rye-Harrison “Game for a Cure”

The following was sent in by readers Sal Giglio and Jay Caruso:

Each year Rye and Harrison come together to celebrate an intense game that gives one town bragging rights for a year and memories that stay with that season’s seniors for a lifetime. Well, the two towns are coming together on October 11 for something much more important than bragging rights but will surely provide lasting memories.

The classes of 1986-1988 from Rye and Harrison will play a flag football game against each other in order to raise money and awareness for Charley’s Fund, a charity that is trying to find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.   Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the most common fatal genetic disorder to affect children around the world. Children with DMD cannot produce dystrophin, a protein necessary for muscle strength and function. As a result, every skeletal muscle in the body deteriorates. Although Duchenne is the most common fatal genetic disorder to affect children, there is no cure. DMD is 100% fatal.