No.1 Somers Sets Eyes on Prize; Lakeland Kicks Byram

By Tony Pinciaro

The past few years, SOMERS has been among the elite of Section 1 girls’ soccer. However, the Tuskers have suffered some difficult sectional losses, which resulted in them being highly-motivated for the current season. Somers opened 2023 strong and it carried over through an undefeated regular season, earning the Tuskers the top seed in the Section 1 Class AA Girls’ Soccer Championships.

The state-ranked (No.1) Tuskers (17-0 this season) began their quest for a sectional title with a 4-0 victory over No. 16 Brewster in a first-round game. Somers will host No. 9 Clarkstown North in a quarterfinal game, Tuesday, 10/24. A Somers’ win propels it into a semifinal, Thursday, 10/26, against the No. 5 Mahopac-No. 4 Harrison winner.

The semifinal winners will play for the Class AA title, 6:30 p.m., Saturday, 10/28, at Nyack High School.

Being the No.1 seed brings added pressure which can be difficult for teams to handle. Jordan McMorrow and her teammates view it as a motivating factor.

“With being the top seed there is definitely pressure on us, but I think, in a way, it makes us better,” McMorrow said. “We have been working for the title all year, but we know that we have to prove it.”

Once sectionals begin, teams become more cognizant of being prepared and playing at a high level for that game. One bad play or mistake could result in a season concluding prematurely, especially for a team with championship aspirations.

“I think we definitely have become extremely focused coming into sectionals because it’s win or go home,” McMorrow said. “There isn’t much room for error.”

Not only did Somers welcome the top seed, the Tuskers were pleased to have a first-round game, as opposed to a bye.

“Having a bye, in my opinion, isn’t beneficial,” McMorrow said. “I think the Brewster game was good because it got us back on the field in a competitive manner.”

Julia Arbelaez continued her scoring wizardry with two goals and an assist. Adrianna Cooke netted a goal and set up two and Bridget Kossow also scored.

Even though Somers is undefeated and playing at a high level, the Tuskers still approach each practice with a goal.

“There is always room for progress and I think that every day is a day for us to improve, somehow,” McMorrow said.

 

MAHOPAC began play in the Section 1 Class AA Girls’ Soccer Championships with a 2-0 win over No. 12 Ursuline. The No. 5 seed (10-4-3 record) travels to No. 4 Harrison, 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, 10/24, for a quarterfinal.

Fiona Kelleher and Cam Wilson each scored a goal and  assisted on the other’s score. Arianna Penella had a light day, making just two saves.

“We came into the game giving all of our effort,” said Mahopac senior and captain Juliana Mangione. “After a couple of tough losses, we started to get back on our feet and have been playing really well, ever since. Every player on the team gave it their all and I think if we keep playing how we have been, we have a chance of making it far.”

HORACE GREELEY is seeded third in the Section 1 ClassAA Girls’ Soccer Championship and opened with a 7-0 victory over 14th-seeded Peekskill. The Quakers will host No. 6 Suffern, a 3-0 winner over Fox Lane, in a quarterfinal, Tuesday, 10/24. Gillian Raniolo led Greeley with two goals while Parker Ginsburg, Rachel Glick, Gianna Limongello, Avery Fitzgerald and Hailey Stern each netted a goal.

YORKTOWN, the second seed, did not break a sweat as it received a forfeit from No. 15 Saunders in a Section 1 Class AA first-round game. The Cornhuskers (12-4-1), will host No. 10 Clarkstown South, Tuesday, 10/24, in a quarterfinal game.

PEEKSKILL had an excellent regular season, however, for the second consecutive year it drew Horace Greeley in a sectional first-round game. And for the second straight year, the Quakers ended Peekskill’s season. The Red Devils finished with a 7-9 record, increasing their win total by two.

“We saw a lot of growth this season, improving our record and continuing to see positive development from our younger players,” Peekskill coach Anthony DiCuio said. “The girls played with heart every game and made Peekskill proud each time they stepped on the field.”

DiCuio will return all but two players next year – seniors Mayra Perez and Stephanie Cabrera – so the future is bright.

LAKELAND was all even with Byram Hills in the first half before Sam DelPonte scored the tie-breaking goal, sending the Hornets to a 5-2 victory over No. 9 Byram Hills in a Section 1 Class A Girls’ Soccer Championship first-round game.

The eighth-seeded Hornets (11-6 this season) travel to No. 1 Albertus Magnus, Tuesday, 10/24, for a quarterfinal match. The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, 10/26, at the higher seed. The championship game will be played at Nyack, 12:30 p.m., Sunday, 10/29.

Kayleigh Mulla and Victoria Caiazzo scored two goals apiece and Gianna Pace set up two scores. Caroline Daly and Grace Nugent also had assists and  Amelia Calisi handled five shots.

“I am extremely proud of my team,” Lakeland Coach Shawn Sullivan said. “The girls played outstanding. We showed a great will to win and unbelievable toughness to pull out the win.”

WALTER PANAS, the No. 15 seed, lost to Rye, 4-0 in a Section 1 Class A first-round game.

BRIARCLIFF, at 10-4-1, was awarded the No.1 seed in the Section 1 Class B Girls’ Soccer Championships. The Bears will host No. 8 WESTLAKE in a quarterfinal, Tuesday, 10/24.

Westlake advanced with a first-round victory over No. 9 Dobbs Ferry. The Class B semis will be held, Thursday, at the higher seed. The championship game is slated for 4 p.m., Saturday, 10/28, at Nyack High School.

PLEASANTVILLE is seeded second in Class B. The Panthers will play No.10 Valhalla in a quarterfinal, Tuesday, 10/24. The winner of this game will play the winner of No.3 Croton-No.6 Rye Neck, Thursday, 10/26,in a semifinal.

Senior Jess Beck and her teammates are ready to continue with their fine play. And if the seeds hold, Pleasantville will play its arch rival – Briarcliff – for the title.

The teams met during the season with Briarcliff winning, 1-0, at Pace University.

“Our team is very close and we work hard and stay focused,” Beck said. “We all have a drive to compete and win. We all try to be the best that we can be by putting everything we can out there on the field.”

Last year, Pleasantville lost to eventual state champion Irvington in sectionals, which has provided added incentive this year.

“We don’t dwell on the past,” Beck said. “Instead, it made us work harder this past offseason and has just made us more motivated this year.”

CROTON’s excellent regular season – 8-4-2 – resulted in the Tigers earning the No.3 seed in the Section 1 Class B Girls’ Soccer Championships. The Tigers will host No.6 Rye Neck in a quarterfinal, Tuesday, 10/24. The winner moves on to the semifinal, Thursday, 10/26, against the victor of No.2 Pleasantville-No.10 Valhalla.

Senior and captain Ana Chiocchi and her teammates are hoping to regain the momentum they had the majority of the regular season.

“We feel that we did not produce our best performances for a few of our ending regular-season games, like North Salem and Pleasantville,” Chiocchi said. “Our last regular-season game, against Pawling, we played very well against so that was a nice way to finish the regular season.”

The memory of the 2022 sectional first-round loss still angers the Croton veterans. They don’t want a replay against Rye Neck.

“We learned a lot from that sectional loss,” Chiocchi said. “We played very well in the first half, but let up in the second half. None of us were happy with how we played in the second half of that game and I think that transferred over to this year.

“This year we made sure to stay strong throughout the entire game and not let up in the second half.”

VALHALLA received a hat trick and an assist from Violet Mattoni in a 7-0 victory over No.7 Yonkers Montessori in a Section 1 Class B first-round game. The Vikings, seeded 10th, travel to No. 2 Pleasantville, Tuesday, 10/24, for a quarterfinal game.

Isabella Mattoni added two goals and an assist and Isabella Colon and Shivani Giulati each scored a goal.

“Valhalla played great as a team with a dominating win and strong possession of the ball,” Valhalla Coach Chris Doerr said.

HALDANE plays at The Leffell School, Thursday, 10/26 in a Section 1 Class C Girls’ Soccer Championship semifinal. The other semifinal is No. 2 North Salem hosting No. 3 Tuckahoe.

The Class C title game will be played, 10 a.m., Sunday, 10/29, at Nyack High School.