On a Harrison team returning a host of highly-touted playmakers, Michael Olsey may not be yet a household name. But on Saturday afternoon, Olsey shined brightest in the biggest moment of the game on Saturday, hauling in a fourth-quarter touchdown heave from quarterback Marco Citro to put the Huskies on top for good with a 21-14 win over the Garnets.
Citro found Olsey on a vert switch route for the go-ahead score with just 1:51 remaining, helping the Huskies come away with their second straight win over Rye in “The Game”—96th iteration of the most storied rivalry in Section 1 sports.
Prior to their two straight wins, Harrison’s last victory over their rivals came in 2012.
“The ball was up in the sun and I just squinted and saw the black silhouette and did my best to come down with it,” said Olsey. “It’s amazing to get this win, we’re back and we have an amazing team.”
Feeding on some Rye miscues—and an 85-yard interception return from Chris McLaughlin—Harrison jumped out to a 14-0 first-half lead, but Rye was able to right the ship offensively in the second half, finding the end zone on a touchdown pass from AJ Miller and a quarterback sneak from Miller a few series later.
Harrison battled through cramps and injuries, including an rolled ankle sustained by Citro that kept the Huskies’ star quarterback out for the better part of the second and third quarters. But in the fourth, Citro returned to lead the Huskies to the win, something he said was never in question.
“It was hurting for sure, but the trainers, the doctors on our sideline, they did a great job,” said Citro. “I was going to do everything I could to make sure I got back out there today.”
“He’s a tough kid, he fought through it all,” said Olsey. “He fought to help us get through it.”
Harrison head coach Jay Ciraco was pleased with the way his team stepped up in the face of injuries on Saturday, noting that, with just 26 players on the roster, the Huskies need each player to be able to fill in when his number is called.
“We’ve talked about it all fall, it’s really a next-man up mentality and you saw that today,” he said. “I’m proud of the way these guys battled, especially against a great opponent in Rye.”
With the rivalry game behind them, both the Huskies and Garnets will turn their sights to the rest of their seasons. Rye (Class B) and Harrison (Class A) both figured to be contenders for Section 1 championships this year, and the Week Zero tilt should do much to prepare the squads for the rest of their fall campaigns.
“It’s a great win, but obviously there is stuff we have to work on, stuff we have to get better with,” said Ciraco. “We’re going to have a lot to fix, but it’s nice to come out of this 1-0.”
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