Rye football brings fireworks in season-opening win over Cornwall

RYE – Bright colors lit up the sky, the various patterns and resplendent clusters creating a picturesque backdrop in the distance.

That was, of course, the fireworks show that Rye Playland puts on each Friday. It started around 9 p.m., but on this night, it essentially was an encore.

Because the real fireworks display had gone on about a mile away at the high school football field, which Rye turned into its own play land.

With a panoply of explosive plays and its stars shining, the Garnets lit it up in a 39-21 win over Section 9’s Cornwall in their season opener.

This was a hyped rematch of a state semifinal last fall, when Rye ran through Class A for an undefeated season. But, with the graduation of several standouts including some record-setting greats, it was reasonable to wonder how this version of the team would fair.

Charlie Brady, in his debut as the starting quarterback, rushed for five touchdowns to lead the Garnets. Three of those runs were worthy of the highlight reel, the senior dancing through the defense and then looking like a sprinter in the open field.

Despite center Evans Anderson and Benji Kaplan being joined by three first-time starters, the offensive line dominated and cleared paths for Brady and running back Jagger Fenton to create chunk plays.

Cornwall led briefly, taking a 7-6 lead on Sage Caesar’s screen pass to Michael Cooper that went for a 28-yard touchdown to open the second quarter. But the Garnets immediately responded, Brady sending the home crowd into a tizzy with a 56-yard touchdown run that put Rye ahead for good.

Brady, on a keeper, shot through the middle of his line, then shook a defender and cut outside before outrunning angles along the sideline and dashing to the end zone.

He later had similar scoring runs of 55 and 38 yards. Max An plowed in for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 39-14 before Rye pulled some of its starters.

Tyler Walsh had two pass breakups on deep passes, including one in the end zone, helping a Garnets defense that excelled sans a few big plays. Anderson had a sack, Graham Durkin had two tackles for loss, and Nick Holahan forced a fumble that Eric Ellman recovered in the third quarter that set up a touchdown.

Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rye football brings fireworks in season-opening win over Cornwall