Pleasantville Makes it Mark on Class A; AA Yorktown Soaring

Somers Shuts Out Lakeland, JJCR; Quakers, Foxes Hot

By Tony Pinciaro

PLEASANTVILLE came into the 2024 preseason choosing to focus on the future and not dwell on the past. Even though the Panthers were stunned in 2023 Section 1 Class B girls’ soccer semifinal by Croton, senior and captain Skylar Aghen pointed out it was a valuable learning experience

“It was definitely upsetting, at first, but Croton was a really great team and they played a better game,” said the four-year varsity starter. “We are focused on this season, not on the past. What happened, happened. We have to grow from it and know that we have to go at a team 100 percent, even if you have beaten them in the past.”

Pleasantville is locked in on the present, especially this year with the Panthers moving up to Class A. They are currently 7-0-1 on the season, following a 2-2 draw with perennial Class A power Pearl River, to close out a 2-0-1 week.

The Panthers blanked Hastings (7-0) and Blind Brook (3-0) for wins number six and seven.

Despite having an outstanding 2023 and returning 14 players , Pleasantville approached the offseason with renewed determination.

“During the summer, we were out there almost every day, having captains’ practices,” Aghen said. “We had a lot of participation. It was a group effort with everyone contributing.

“We know now that we’re in Class A in order to compete with these teams from bigger schools we have to be super fit and super strong. We also participated in a speed camp, twice a week, to help us with our fitness and agility.”

The off-season workouts carried over into the first week of a shortened preseason. The Panthers also came into 2024 with one major theme – team/family.

“We have a team culture,” Aghen said. “The captains pick three words and we have them on the back of our shirts. They’re part of our set of values. This year we chose determination, passion and commitment.

“We have a team culture that will be passed down. We also have 12 value words, such as integrity, patience, accountability, and we follow those. We are one big family and one team.”

Aghen, and fellow captains, Sadie Kim (senior) and Natalie Viviano (junior), along with the seniors, began a mentorship program for their eighth-grade and freshmen teammates. Aghen noted that the upperclassmen are always checking in with the younger players to make sure they’re adjusting well and also doing well.”

After opening the season with a win over 2023 Section 1 Class B champion and arch-rival Briarcliff, the Panthers have continued playing a tough schedule to prepare for sectionals. The Panthers rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn the tie at Pearl River.
“I think it was a great team effort against a high-quality opponent,” Aghen said. “We fell behind early, 2-0, then made some changes for the second half. We were able to work hard to get a draw. I’m very proud of our team.”

Sam Schultz scored both goals, set up by Faith Brown. Montana Peppard made seven saves.

Pleasantville and Briarcliff will play at Pace University, 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 4, in the second annual Break The Hold game.

As Pleasantville embarks on the second half of its season, Aghen cited the team’s preparation and focus.

“Everything that we do and that we are working towards is because of our commitment to every game,” Aghen said. “In order to get to the spot we’d like, we are focusing on being committed, following our team culture and playing the best as a team.”

In the victory over Hastings, Schultz had a six-point effort (four goals, two assists). Brown added two scores and Aghen collected two assists.

Viviano, Schultz and Brown had the goals against Blind Brook.

HORACE GREELEY went 3-0 last week, outscoring Port Chester, Ossining and White Plains, 13-2.

Rachel Glick had a pair of goals and Gillian Raniolo collected two assists in the 4-0 victory over Port Chester. Grace Richards snapped an even score with a goal in the second half of the Quakers’ 3-1 win over Ossining. Esme Weiss scored twice and Avery Fitzgerald had two as assists.

Hailey Stern netted two goals and Esme Weiss finished with a goal and two assists against White Plains.

FOX LANE had a busy week, winning two of three games. The Foxes opened with a 6-1 victory over Arlington B as Amanda Mazzucca and Jillian Kurchack each had two goals in the first half. Elizabeth and Mazzucca registered two assists apiece. Eighth-grader Lauren Spolansky had one goal and one assist.

Mazzuca, assisted by Fortune, had Fox Lane’s goal in a 6-1 loss to Ossining.

Mazzucca rang up two goals and two assists in a 5-0 win over Port Chester and Nora Dooley also scored twice and also had an assist.

PEEKSKILL covered every category in its three games — a 7-1 triumph over Yonkers, a 1-1 draw with Edgmont and a 3-0 loss to Ardsley.

The Red Devils bounced back from the loss to play to a tie.  Valeria Otavalo gave Peekskill a 1-0 lead 18 minutes into the game, converting a direct kick 18 minutes into the game. Edgemont evened the score 11 minutes later.

Ashlee Ordonez scored her first two goals of the season. Kimberly Alfaro also scored twice and added an assist. Jozelyn Zhinin, Jackelin Alfaro and Dayani Sari also had goals. Natalia Foster and Valeria Otavalo each had two assists.

YORKTOWN and goalie Autumn Richards posted two shutouts – 2-0 over Mahopac and 5-0 over Brewster. Eva Monaco and Siobhan Mulvihill scored against Mahopac and Richards handled five shots. Gabby Luis rang up two goals and Amanda Linahan, Lea Bryant and Monaco also scored. Silvana Milizie and Richards combined for the shutout.

HEN HUD outscored Edgemont and Irvington, 9-1, in two victories. Liv Johnsen scored twice and Oakley Gougelmann added one goal and one assist against Edgemont.

Johnsen added two more goals, along with an assist, against Irvington. Yorgia Schattman contributed a goal and an assist. Bridget Couch and Haley Morris also found the net.

OSSINING sandwiched two wins – 6-1 over Fox Lane and 8-0 over Panas — around a 3-1 loss to 2023 Section 1 Class A finalist Horace Greeley. Ella Nee scored twice in a six-minute span, giving Ossining a 2-0 lead over Fox Lane.

Sofia Soares finished with a goal and three helpers and Kaelyn Vallejo added one goal and one assist.

Freshman Taylor Agid scored for the Pride against the Quakers with Soares.

Agid had her first career hat trick in the win over Panas and Sophia Torrieri and Michelle Zuniga netted two goals apiece.

Sophomore Anna Scamarone scored her first varsity goal and Madison Bisnauth collected her initial varsity assist.

SOMERS did not allow a goal in a pair of wins over John Jay CR (3-0) and LAKELAND (5-0).

Against Jay, Tiana Righetti had two goals to lead the Tuskers while Julia Arbelaez had a goal and an assist. Kate Hanford and Lindsay Ulaj each had an assist.

Against Lakeland, Arbelaez (3G), Righetti (1G, 1A), Kayla Coviello (1A),

Natalia Antonecchia (1A), Ulaj (1A) and Aurora Riley (1G, 1A) filled the nets aplenty.

MAHOPAC had a tale of two 5-0 games last week. The Wolf Pac received two goals from Kayleigh Dolan in the triumph of Brewster. Makaila Pikoulas, Fiona Kelleher and Sydney Hughes also scored. Yorktown also dealt Mahopac a 5-0 defeat.

WHITE PLAINS doubled up Port Chester, 4-2, but lost to Horace Greeley, 6-1.

Lily Obligado had the Tigers’ goal against Horace Greeley and Paige Kearon assisted.

LAKELAND, PANAS, CROTON, HALDANE, BYRAM HILLS, VALHALLA and WESTLAKE did not respond back to emails with stats and/or information.

ANDY JACOBS/DAVID TABER PHOTOS