Unbeaten Powers Mahopac, Somers Soaring, Worlds to Collide

White Plains, Greeley Streaking; Pleasantville Upends Briarcliff

By Tony Pinciaro

Juliana Mangione had every reason to be optimistic coming into preseason for the MAHOPAC girls’ soccer team. Mahopac, annually, is among the elite of Section 1 girls’ soccer so with 14 returning players from a team that reached the 2022 Section 1 Class A quarterfinals, Mangione was psyched to get preseason started.

“I felt the team was already interconnected,” said Mangione, a senior co-captain and middie. “We have 14 returners and with the new players most of us had either played with before or knew. We were all able to bond very quickly. I knew the team had the potential to become a dominant team as long as we capitalized on our strengths. It was clear that we already had a strong team dynamic before the season started. Everyone knows that they have a role on the team and do the best they can to complete it.”

Mangione was on point as Mahopac is unbeaten through six games – 4-0-2 – following wins over archrival Carmel (3-0) and Suffern (3-1).

Mahopac has won four consecutive games after opening with draws against Yorktown and undefeated Horace Greeley (5-0-1). In both games first-year starting goalie Arianna Pennella was outstanding.

The ties enabled Mahopac to gauge itself coming out of preseason.

“Both teams are very strong competitors and being able to compete with them from the start helped us figure out our style of play,” said Mangione, a four-year starter and center midfielder. “The team knows we have to come into every game like it’s our last and I think our drive really helps us succeed. Everyone always gives 100% of their effort on the field.”

The first two games also showed Mahopac that Pennella, who replaced graduated starter Jess Sterbens, was ready for the challenge.

“I think Arianna’s ability to have confidence and trust in her teammates as well as her ability to keep her composure have really helped her succeed,” Mangione said. “Arianna is also the starting goalie on our club team, Mahopac Elite, where a good amount of the girls on the team play. This has allowed her to be more experienced with each of the girls on the team.”

Sterbens was one of eight seniors, including five starters, who graduated in June.

Mangione and her teammates knew they were playing well, but the victory over Suffern reinforced it.

“I think this win shows people what kind of team we really are,” Mangione said. “Suffern was previously ranked 2nd in Class AA and being able to beat them as well as dominate throughout the game shows teams that we come to play and are a strong team.”

Gianna Fava, Melania Hracs and Mangione had goals against Suffern with Hracs registering her first varsity score. Fiona Kelleher assisted on all three goals.

Mangione, Fava and Kelleher scored against Carmel and fellow senior co-captain Adrianna Pranzo had an assist.

Mahopac has a busy week playing at undefeated Somers (Tuesday) and Arlington (Thursday), and will host R.C. Ketcham (Saturday). This will be the first meeting between Mahopac and Somers since last year’s sectional quarterfinal.

The fast start has not altered Mahopac’s singular approach.

“The team is confident that we have the ability to go far if we work hard and together,” Mangione said. “We go into every game with our heads high, knowing that if we give it our all on the field we can leave with our heads still high knowing we did all we can. We have each other’s backs and confidence not just in ourselves, but in each other.”

SOMERS is a perfect seven, as in 7-0, after four victories last week. The offense was on full display as the Tuskers outscored their four opponents, 18-1.

The Tuskers began the week with a 2-1 victory over sectional nemesis Pearl River as Tiana Righetti and Julia Arbelaez each had a goal and an assist. Somers’ Coach Kelci Hegg said the game was called, because of rain, with 4:39 remaining in the second half.

Julia Schmidberger was excellent with 12 saves.

“Anne and Julia had outstanding games,” said Jordan McMorrow, of the Pearl River game. “Along with that, what impressed me was our ability to stay composed, in a game like that. We stuck to our game even though Pearl River was coming at us fast and aggressively on every play. We were also affected by a lightning delay. This was a tough thing to deal with, especially in such a close game. However, we did not disappoint. We came out after almost 45 minutes of not playing  and sealed our win. It was overall just an incredible team effort that took a lot of physical and mental strength.”

Pearl River returned to action the following day and defeated Brewster.

Kayla Coviello and Maguire each scored twice and Bridget Kossow and Arbelaez added a goal and an assist apiece. Isabella Wissa collected two helpers.

Somers played its third game in three days and earned a 5-0 win over Byram Hills.

Arbelaez scored for the third consecutive game, finding the back of the net twice. Righetti finished with a goal and two assists and Lindsay McCullough and Maguire also scored.

Somers posted its third straight shutout – a 3-0 triumph of Yorktown – to conclude the week.

The tandem of Righetti and Arbelaez (who have a combined 18 goals in 7 games) was at it again with Righetti scoring twice and Arbelaez adding a goal and assisting on Righetti’s goals. Lily Mazzella set up Arbelaez.

Schmidberger made six saves for her third consecutive shutout.

WHITE PLAINS was able to dodge the inclement weather for the majority of the week and go 3-0-1. Melanie Rodriguez scored for the Tigers as they played Mamaroneck to a 1-1 draw before heavy rain forced the referees to call the game with 90 seconds in regulation.

Avca Galligani was brilliant in goal with 10 saves.

White Plains easily handled Lincoln behind a hat trick from Paloma Cano and two goals from Sheyla Castano. Evelyn Fajardo, Ella Kincheloe, Lia Ferrara, Diana Saca, Yaritza Orozco and Galligani also scored.

It was the first varsity goals for Castano, Fajardo, Kincheloe, Galligani, Ferrara and Saca. Sophie Weisberg finished with two assists.

White Plains kept the offense going in a 6-1 victory over Port Chester as Rodriguez led the way with two goals. Violeta Figueroa scored her first varsity goal and Jordan Ford, Lily Obligado and Cano added goals. The Tigers closed out the week with a 3-0 win over Fox Lane, improving to 4-2-1 overall and 3-0 in league play.

“I think having a 3-0 start in league play definitely boosts the team’s confidence,” Galligani said. “It gives us a sense of accomplishment that we are functioning well as a team and working together as one unit. It also demonstrates the team’s hard work and potential as we continue on with our season.”

Paige Kearon, Letizia and Ford scored and Galligani made two saves.

PANAS split two games behind a potent offense. The Panthers dropped a 6-4 decision to Bronxville, but rebounded to beat Peekskill, 5-0. Emily Jankowski had two goals and an assist against Bronxville and Kaylie Mellars and Giuliana Rodriguez each added a goal and an assist.

Cassidy Pisani was front and center against Peekskill with two goals. Rodriguez scored once and assisted on two and Jankowski collected three assists. Emily Riggio and Mellars added goals.

OSSINING was dominant in its lone game of the week, a shut out of Lincoln as Paige Pena recorded a hat trick, including an assist from sister, Emerson, on her first goal one minute into the game. Michelle Zuniga contributed two goals and Ella Nee added one goal and two assists. Sofia Soares had a goal and Reece Caparelli and Sam Fajardo had assists.

Lindsay Saich did not face a shot and Lola Castrillon made one save for the Pride.

HALDANE rallied from a one-goal deficit at halftime to post a 2-1 victory over Peekskill. Miley Pena-Rider evened the score at 1-1 26 minutes into the second half and Kayla Ruggiero provided the decisive goal eight minutes later. Ruby Poses made five saves for Haldane. Mayra Perez had the PEEKSKILL goal, assisted by Valeria Otavalo. Victoria Calderon made eight saves.

HORACE GREELEY received a goal from Parker Ginsburg and the defense and goalie Laura Singer made it stand up in a 1-0 win over New Rochelle.

“New Rochelle came out strong and had many chances in the first half, but thanks to our back line, including very strong performances from Emily Hametz and Alex Trombley, many potential threats were able to be thwarted,” Quaker Coach Angela Russo said. “Lauren (Singer) also made some outstanding saves to keep the Huguenots scoreless. Our goal came off of a nice long ball into the middle of the box from Stella Potenza, which was received by Parker Ginsburg. She eluded her defender and kicked the ball right over the keeper.”

LAKELAND was riding an uncharacteristic four-game losing streak, after setbacks to Pelham and Sleepy Hollow, before halting it with a 2-1 win over Pleasantville.

“I have never been prouder of my team than I was today,” Lakeland Coach Shawn Sulliovan said. “We battled against a very good Pleasantville team, going down 1-0 at half and scoring two in the second half. The bench provided great energy and we started to play together as a team for the first team in two weeks. Hopefully, this will be a turning point in the season.”

Kayleigh Mula netted both goals against Pleasantville.

BRIARCLIFF opened its week with an impressive 2-0 win over North Salem, but Blind Brook and archrival Pleasantville both beat the Bears, 2-1. Nico Vargish and Sora Marable had the goals as the teams played through the torrential rain. Mar Rivera Font assisted on Marable’s goal and Karina Bar made seven saves.

Ava Makaron scored her first goal of the season, against Blind Brook, and Bar had eight saves.

In the Pleasantville Road-rivalry, Rivera Font scored for the Bears, her first of the season. Freshman Lily Rowe registered her first varsity assist and Bar was excellent in goal with seven saves.

PLEASANTVILLE covered all three categories last week with a win, loss and tie.

The Panthers played Irvington to a 0-0 draw, then defeated archrival Briarcliff, 2-1, before closing with a 2-1 loss to Lakeland. Faith Brown had Pleasantville’s goals against Briarcliff with Natalie Viviano and Rowan Capko assisting.

“Any time you are able to get a win against a high-quality opponent that is exceptionally-coached, it is a good day,” first-year Pleasantville coach Anthony Portera said.

WESTLAKE went to overtime twice and came away with a tie (1-1 with Rye Neck) and loss (1-0 to Blind Brook). Goalie Sophia Remo was outstanding in both games, combining for 33 saves. Adriana Georgette gave Westlake a 1-0 lead with six minutes remaining in the first half, assisted by Isabella Celentano. Rye Neck evened the score with six minutes remaining in regulation. Remo handled 15 shots against Blind Brook, which scored the winner with 90 seconds remaining in overtime.

FOX LANE started on a positive note with a 3-0 victory over Port Chester, but dropped games to Horace Greeley (4-1) and White Plains (3-0) on consecutive days.

Amanda Mazzucca, Elizabeth Riley and Jocelyn Wierzchowski scored. Adrianna Nikprelaj collected two assists and Wierzchowski also had an assist. Mary Berit Rose stopped five shots.

Wierzchowski scored against Horace Greeley with Mazzuca assisting. Rose finished with 12 saves and she added 10 saves against White Plains.

BREWSTER went 0-2 for the week, falling to Somers and Byram Hills. Sienna Santiago scored against Byram Hills and Ava Fagin assisted.

BYRAM HILLS, CROTON and VALHALLA did not respond to numerous attempts for information.