Soccer continues to grow and thrive in this area — as evidenced by four teams advancing to at least the state semifinals last fall — and a driving force in that, of course, is the abundance of skilled athletes. Section 1 has become a hotbed for soccer talent with the emergence of elite programs, perennial contenders, and the development of players coveted by colleges.
North Salem repeated as state champion and Rye fell just short in the state final. Harrison and Albertus Magnus, after breaking long championship droughts, competed in the state final four. John Jay-East Fishkill and New Rochelle earned a share of the Section 1 Class AAA championship, with the Patriots advancing to the regional tournament on penalty strokes, highlighting the parity and competitiveness of local soccer.
Below is a list of some of the established standouts and up-and-comers expected to flourish this season. From this group of players from Westchester, Rockland and Putnam schools, the Journal News/lohud will later determine finalists for the Elite 11 and eventually publish a writeup of the stars projected to shine brightest this fall.
2026 Elite 11 boys soccer watch list
Serguey Acosta, Gorton, Sr., F
Jonah Aghen, Pleasantville, Sr., M
John Aguilar, Clarkstown North, Sr., GK
Nick Ahmataj, Lakeland, Jr., F
Adrian Almanzar, New Rochelle, Sr., GK
Christian Antolino, Harrison, Sr., M
Lucas Apter, Briarcliff, Sr., D
Jeronimo Arcila Montenegro, White Plains, Jr., D
Brandon Argudo, Roosevelt, Sr., M
Josemiguel Ayala, New Rochelle, Sr., M
Nico Barbosa, Sleepy Hollow, Jr., M
Duncan Barron, Sleepy Hollow, Jr., D
Felipe Betancourt, Dobbs Ferry, So., D
Nils Boman, Harrison, Sr., D
Owen Boodell, Edgemont, Sr., F/M
Jacob Bricker, Valhalla, Sr., GK
Schuyler Brown, Pleasantville, Sr., D
Maddox Burns, Dobbs Ferry, Fr., D
Jordan Charalambous, Mamaroneck, Sr., M
Niber Chicaiza, Albertus Magnus, Sr., Gk
Chase Colyer, Dobbs Ferry, Sr., F
Fredy Contreras, Fox Lane, Sr., F/M
Jayden Coyt, Port Chester, Sr., M
Liam Cunningham, Albertus Magnus, Jr., D
Alexander Davalos, Gorton, Sr., D
Joshua Deskin, Clarkstown North, Jr., GK
Matteo DiLaura, Lakeland, Sr., F
Alec Dodge Terra, Rye, Sr., M
Edgar Donan, Byram Hills, Sr., M
Gelio Duarte, Haldane, Jr., M
Campbell Eaton, Walter Panas, Sr., D
Tyler Edge, Croton, So., F
Ryan Erfani, Ardsley, Sr., M
Isaias Escobar, Peekskill, So., M
Daniel Espinoza, Ossining, Sr., F
Jason Espinoza, Sleepy Hollow, Sr., GK
Jonathan Farez, Peekskill, Sr., GK
Matteo Figliomeni, Rye Neck, Sr., F
Eoghan Fitzgerald, Pearl River, Sr., M
Finn Fothergill, John Jay-Cross River, Jr., F
Johncarlos Garcia, Woodlands, So., GK
Luke Gomes, Lakeland, Jr., M/D
Emmanuel Gonzalez, New Rochelle, Sr., D
Kelson Gradica, Yonkers Montessori, So., M
Nathan Grandwetter, New Rochelle, Sr., M
Ethan Grossberg, Scarsdale, Sr., D
George Haines, Mamaroneck, Jr., F
Tetsuro Hata, Keio, Sr., M
Kevin Harrington, Albertus Magnus, Jr., D
Owen Jacobs, Hastings, Sr., M
Wesley Jakej, Brewster, Jr., D
Derek Kaczmarczyk, Tappan Zee, Sr., F
Sam Kang, Westlake, Jr., F
Eshan Kapoor, Ardsley, Jr., F/M
Rohan Karnik, Briarcliff, Jr., M
Liam Keegan, North Salem, Sr., M
Andrew Leon, Peekskill, So., M
JP Lockwood, Briarcliff, Sr., F/M
David Lopez, Mamaroneck, Sr., D
David Lore, New Rochelle, Sr., D
Derick Luciano, Roosevelt, So., M
Erick Luna, Gorton, Jr., M
Eoin Lynch, Westlake, Sr., D
Casey Maggiolo, Carmel, Jr., M
Boyan Makar, Woodlands, So., D
Gabriel Martinez, Ardsley, Jr., M
Will McCallister, Scarsdale, Sr., F
Daniel McInerney, Pleasantville, Jr., M
Liam McNally, Yonkers Montessori, Jr., F/M
Christian Mejia Lopez, Fox Lane, Jr., D/M
Adrian Medina, New Rochelle, Sr., F
Ethan Menezes, Ardsley, Sr., D
Tomoki Minaguchi, Keio, Sr., D
Max Moore, Leffell, Sr., F
Rin Nagaoka, Mamaroneck, Jr., F
Henry Newman, Croton, So., M
Martin Ninahualpa, Putnam Valley, So., F
Darragh O’Callaghan, Yonkers Montessori, Sr., F
Jahncarlos Ortiz, Walter Panas, Jr., M
Nate Ortiz, Westlake, Sr., F
Ryan Pero, Byram Hills, Sr., M
Samuel Quezada Pesantez, Sleepy Hollow, Jr., F
Caleb Rekedal, Dobbs Ferry, Jr., D
Carter Rice, Byram Hills, Sr., GK
Dylan Robles, Sleepy Hollow, Sr., D
Daniel Rocano, Tappan Zee, Sr., F
Rafael Rosenthal, Scarsdale, Sr., M
Alex Safaei, Byram Hills, Sr., D
Alex Salvati, Briarcliff, Sr., F/M
Brayan Sanchez Morales, White Plains, Sr., M
Kasen Scarperi, Rye, Sr., M
Lewis Schoenberg, Ardsley, Sr., D/M
Ethan Shaw, New Rochelle, Sr., F/D
Harlin Sola, White Plains, So., F
Ashwin Sookram, Brewster, Sr., F
Bryan Soto, Brewster, Sr., M
Ezra Stahl, Scarsdale, Jr., M
Denis Suqui, Sleepy Hollow, Jr., M
Liam Sweeney, Yonkers Montessori, Jr., M
Jun Tanaka, Harrison, Sr., M
Joseph Tapia, Roosevelt, Sr., D
Nick Tassier, Pleasantville, Jr., M
Ethan Thampi, Tappan Zee, Sr., M
Charlie Tingo, Suffern, Sr., F
Evan Todd, Dobbs Ferry, Fr., M
Damian Torres, New Rochelle, Sr., M
Tighe Van Engen, Dobbs Ferry, Sr., M
Nico Waldhauser, Tappan Zee, Sr., GK
Jeremy Walerys, John Jay-Cross River, Sr., GK
Griffin Warner, Irvington, Jr., M
Jo Watanabe, Keio, Jr., F
Justin Wilmot, Hastings, Jr., GK
Peter Wilmot, Rye, Sr., M
Felix Wismer, Rye, Jr., F
Connor Woodley, Dobbs Ferry, Sr., M
Ryan Yazdanbakhsh, Ardsley, So., D
Michael Zambrano, Mamaroneck, Jr., F
Harrison Zimmer, Rye, Jr., D
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: More than 100 make 2026 lohud Elite 11 boys soccer watch list
Reporting by Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
