Briarcliff Gets No.2 Nod in NYS; Somers Making Typical Waves

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays

As of right now, undefeated BRIARCLIFF (7-0), ranked No.2 in NYS Class B, better pack a bag of service tools if they are going to prepare accordingly for No.1 Mechanicsville (Section 2) in what soothsayers are predicting as a potential NYSPHSAA regional championship showdown come November. Sure, nobody puts the #CartBeforeTheHorse like we do here at the Examiner, but that’s the early shake on things and we want Bears fans to know what to expect should they survive the rigors of Section 1, including No.13 Rye Neck and No.17 Keio, plus a whole lot of local rivals like PLEASANTVILLE (3-3), CROTON (3-3) and VALHALLA (3-4) as well as Blind Brook and Irvington.

Class B is stacked and Braircliff, which handled Valhalla, 5-2, can take nothing for granted.

The Bears took flight early against Valhalla when Emilio Abud Chalita (1 G, 1 A), Connor Dornau (1 G), Sebastian Lai (1 G), Miles Prosperino (1 G) and Odhran Murray (1 G) provided Briarcliff five different scorers. Theo Molinoff and Sebastian Rohde both dished an assist and Toby Young had six saves but could not contain Viking hotshot Ian Matheus Silvero (2 G).

Valhalla jumped out of the gates early with a goal from Silvero, but Briarcliff responded almost immediately and went on to score the next four goals to close out the half.. In the second half, Silvero scored again for the Vikings while Murray responded for the Bears.

Briarcliff also broke open a 2-1 halftime game against Pleasantville to post a 4-1 win. Abud Chalita (2 G) and Lai (3 A) had multi-point games. Pleasantville opened the scoring late in the first half when Oliver Giebelhaus converted a PK. The Bears responded with Abud Chalita scoring two goals in five minutes before the end of the half. In the second half, Briarcliff scored twice more thanks to Molinoff and Murray. The Bears are deep and can score in waves.

And don’t look now but Class AA state-ranked (No.20) SOMERS is beginning to take on the look of a serious sectional title contender after Saturday’s 3-0 whitewashing of Class AAA power New Rochelle behind senior striker Brady Leitner’s second hat trick of the season. Leitner has long been a lethal scorer but he’s finding the back of the net with great efficiency this year.

For real, New Ro didn’t belong on the field with the surging Tuskers, who saw studly senior F Lucas Arbelaez (2A) and Matthew D’Ippolito (1A) set up Leitner.

Somers had its hands full in a 1-0 win over vastly improved PANAS earlier in the week. The game’s lone goal came off the foot of talented Hyugo Todo 1G, assisted by Leitner. Todo added a pair of snipes in a 3-0 win over BREWSTER (1-4). Nate Cohen added a goal for the super athletic Tuskers (5-1), who get Roosevelt, Yorktown and Byram Hills this week. Between boys’ and girls’ soccer, plus football, they’re having a pretty nice fall at Tusker Nation.

CARMEL’s 1-1 tie with Class AAA John Jay EF proved the Rams can play with much of Class AA this fall, especially with senior sniper Neel Walia (1G) finding his groove. Christian Matera set Walia up. The Rams then improved to 3-4-1 after a 4-1 win over MAHOPAC, who had no answers for Kevin Hernandez and Walia, who scored two apiece in the rivalry win. Jefferson Portillo (2A) and Zach Foltz set up the goals while Patrick Schoelig needed just four saves to earn the win.

FOX LANE secured its biggest win of the season, taking out rival HORACE GREELEY, 3-0, behind single goals from Gavin Morales (1A), Fredy Contreras and Tucker Wein. A spirited Drew Bagley (7 saves) chalked up the shutout for the Foxes (3-3), who also shut out Clarkstown North, 2-0, behind Bagley’s clean sheet. The Quakers fell to 2-5-1.

On the CLASS A circuit, LAKELAND, BYRAM HILLS and PANAS have all had their moments, leading many to believe they will each be a tough postseason out, though the road still runs through state-ranked (No.2) Tappan Zee.

“There is TZ and then a super large chasm,” Byram Coach Matt Allen admitted.

Behind TZ is a bunch of slightly-flawed teams, to be honest. Rye and Lakeland are probably on the next tier, along with Byram, Pearl River and Panas.

“We have looked okay at times but have given up some bad goals,” Allen said. “Big tests this week as we have four in a row.”

Byram Hills, ranked No.19 in NYS, tied Ardsley, 1-1, and Lakeland did the same with Sleepy Hollow when All-Section M Connor Daly scored from Vinny Karaqi. Oban Rader made seven saves for the Hornets (6-2-1). Lakeland also posted a big 2-1 win over defending sectional champion YORKTOWN. The Class AA Huskers fell to 3-4. Hornet Silvio Ahmataj (1G, 1A) had a hand in both goals while  Dylan Copolla netted another. Daly (1A) and Rader (7 saves) held down the back end until Husker Michael Munson broke up the shutout. Ahmataj scored both goals in Lakeland’s 2-1 win over Pleasantville.

Class AA PEEKSKILL posted a 1-0 win over Panas when Brandon Rodriguez scored from six yards out at the second minute of the second half. G Angel Cabrera (8 saves) notched the shutout for the Red Devils (3-4) while Panther G Frank Medico (6 saves) allowed just one close one to sneak past him as the Panthers fell to 3-4.

Class B CROTON improved to 3-3 after a 3-nill shutout of Pawling. Louis North (1G), Marcos Goni (2A), Gavin Cunningham (1G) and Stefano Giorcelli (1G) all found the score sheet.

WESTLAKE buried Montfort Academy, 7-1, with Thomas Lyden (3G, 1A) leading the way. Cian Kelly (2G), Jack Jaime (1G, 1A), Daniel Spetrillo (1G) and Collin Lyden (3A) were big factors on offense for the Class B Wildcats (3-5), who have won three of their last four after a dreadful 0-4 start.

CLASS AAA/AA

WHITE PLAINS (3-3-2) chalked up a much-needed 6-0 win over Scarsdale B. Tigers Eric Garcia (2G), Lucas Antenucci (1G), Fran Giglio (1G), Michael Ordonez (1G) and James Salas (1G) all tickled twine.

OSSINING improved to 5-3 overall after a 3-1 win over GREELEY. The Pride’s Alex Lenaghan (1G, 1A), Jeff Yunga (1G, 1A) and Gabe Robinson (1G) each found the back of the net while G David Zhuno made seven saves.

Ossining’s most impressive win this week was a 3-2 triumph of Port Chester. Randy Vallejo (1G), Jason Chunchi (1G) and Kenny Mocha 1G all scored, giving the Pride six different goal scorers the last two games. Lenaghan added an assist. Mocha hit the game-winning goal in the 75th minute on a PK.

Greeley turned around and defeated White Plains, 1-0, when Quaker Ryder Goodman was credited with the Tigers’ own goal. Quaker G Diego Velasco (5 saves) had the cleanest of sheets.

CLASS C

HALDANE, ranked No.17 in NYS, got on a roll last week as the reigning NYS champs turned in a two-win week, besting Putnam Valley (3-0) and Class AA Peekskill (2-1) to improve to 4-3. This Blue Devil club should be battle-tested come playoffs.

Examiner-area coaches are encouraged to send results, stats and comments to raygallaghersports@gmail.com or tag @Directrays on the X for inclusion in our weekly Boys’ Soccer Notebook.