Rye High School athletes will keep facing private-school rivals in Section 1 playoffs after a state appeal panel unanimously struck down the ban their own district helped pass six weeks ago.

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association ruled Tuesday, July 28, that Section 1's vote to exclude private schools from postseason play cannot stand. The decision means Harrison-based Keio Academy, the Ursuline School in New Rochelle, Albertus Magnus in Rockland County, and The Leffell School in Hartsdale all remain eligible for championship brackets and state tournaments.

Section 1 member schools had voted 69-4 on Tuesday, June 16, to bar those four private schools from playoffs beginning in the 2027-28 school year. Rye High School and Rye Neck were among the 69 in favor. The only "no" votes came from the four schools that would have been shut out.

Three of the four filed a joint appeal with NYSPHSAA. The appeal panel sided with them.

Why Rye voted yes

RHS Athletic Director Susan Reid told the Rye Record after the June 16 vote that private schools' ability to recruit student-athletes gives them an unfair competitive edge.

"We respect non-public school members," Reid said following the June vote, "but this decision reflects our membership's commitment to what it believes is in the best interest of interscholastic athletics and equitable opportunities for all."

Reid has not publicly commented on the July 28 reversal.

What the private schools said

Ursuline School President Colleen Melnyk said in a statement Tuesday, July 28, that the ruling affirms fairness, consistency, and due process in educational athletics. Melnyk thanked Albertus Magnus and Keio Academy for their partnership throughout the appeal process.

What it means for local athletes

The ruling preserves the status quo for Rye's Garnets and for Keio Academy's teams in Harrison. Both will continue to meet in Section 1 postseason play, and the four private schools also retain eligibility for state tournaments beyond the section level.

Fall 2026 championships are already on the calendar. Section 1's girls tennis individual tournament runs Oct. 10–14 and the team tournament Oct. 17–23, both at Harrison High School, where Keio athletes could compete.

No next meeting or deadline for Section 1 public schools to consider further action has been announced. It remains unclear whether the 69 schools that supported the ban will pursue any counter-measure at the state level.