Six champions were crowned last weekend in the Section 1 finals, including John Jay-East Fishkill and New Rochelle earning a share of the Class AAA title following an epic 110-minute draw. The Patriots then rallied to win a round of penalty kicks, 4-3, advancing to the state tournament for the first time since 2014.
They were among the area teams — along with Harrison, Rye, Albertus Magnus and North Salem ― competing this week for berths to the state final four. Four of the subregionals matched Section 1 up against neighboring Section 9 teams with Goshen High School and Hyde Park’s Franklin D. Roosevelt High School hosting, and North Salem took on Section 11’s Port Jefferson at Hen Hud.
Follow along here as we’ll have stories, results and updated schedules throughout the week as these locals teams make their push to reach the state final four.
Saturday, Nov. 8
Class A regional final at Yorktown: Rye 5, John Glenn 0
Class B regional final at Yorktown: Albertus Magnus 3, Babylon 1
Class AA regional final at Waterford: Harrison 3, Columbia 0
Class C regional final at Yorktown: North Salem 5, Northern Adirondack 0
North Salem cruises back to Class C final four
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS – North Salem has been to the state final four several times before, but the defending Class C state champions are headed back to defend their title.
The Tigers routed Northern Adirondack 5-0 on Nov. 8 to head back to the site of their 2024 triumph in Middletown next weekend. Sean Randall opened the scoring 6:34 into the game and closed it, heading home a high shot from Steven Gamez with 19:46 left in the second half.
In between, Liam Keegan had a goal and assisted on Juben Lazri’s goal late in the first half.
“I thought the boys did fantastic,” Randall said. “I think all three levels, every area of the pitch did their job. When the bench came in, they put in shifts. I don’t think there was a weak point today, and I think that really showed in the score line and in the performance and the discrepancy.”
North Salem coach Ron Hendrie, who also won state titles in 2016 and 1993, was happy with the final result.
“They’re excited to, you know, maybe make a mark on school history,” Hendrie said.
Next up
North Salem faces Maple Hill at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 in a Class C state semifinal at Middletown High School’s Faller Field.
Takeaways
North Salem, in a rout like Saturday’s game, was able to get a number of reserve players some key time and get them battle tested. You never know when it might be next man up.
“Everybody feeling ownership and part of the team means everybody’s working hard at practice,” Hendrie said. “It means the starting line – the first team’s – got to work harder.”
Player of the game
Randall and Keegan stood out on a North Salem team full of standouts.
They said it
“I think the seniors and the guys who were here for it did a really good job of instilling in the younger guys and showing them what it means and what it takes,” Randall said. “I think that all the new guys have been excellent in taking on that role and that burden and they’ve been more than enough to keep the train going.”
Albertus Magnus makes it to the Class B final four for first time since 2006
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS – Albertus Magnus made it back to the final four thanks to a 3-1 win over Babylon in a Class B regional final on Nov. 8.
Mile Zivkovic scored with 8:35 left in the first half that broke a 1-1 tie and helped the Falcons back to the state final four for the first time since 2006, the year Albertus Magnus last won the state title.
Zivkovic said the Falcons’ work ethic was the reason they won.
“We worked our socks off the whole game,” Zivkovic said. “Like, you could see it. They were getting tired, but we just kept going to whole 80 (minutes). We always have our go-to guys and they always step up in the right moments and that’s really it.”
One of those moments happened in the second half when Babylon was called for a foul in the box on Zivkovic. Albertus Magnus chose to go with Colin Fitzpatrick, who put the Falcons up 3-1with 16:04 left in the game.
“He took the PK the last couple of ones,” Zivkovic said. “He buried them, so I’ve got to back my teammate.”
Jahziel Sandoval got Albertus Magnus on the board 7:50 into the game, finding his way through a scramble in front of the goal. Babylon tied the game with 15:12 left in the first half as Antonio Bartolotta curled a corner kick through traffic and into the goal.
Next up
Albertus Magnus advances to a state Class B semifinal at 5:15 p.m. at Middletown’s Faller Field on Friday, Nov. 14.
Takeaways
For a team that won less than a handful of games last season – four, to be precise – you wouldn’t know it watching the Falcons, disciplined on defense, calculated in the midfield and explosive up front.
“We’ve got 18 wins this year, including this one,” Zivkovic said. “In three years, we had 18. To match that just shows the hard work of the boys and I’m so proud of them.”
Player of the game
Zivkovic was in the middle of just about everything and had good chemistry with Fitzpatrick and DJ Louis.
They said it
“I think as the season went on, they started to get confidence that they could play with anybody,” Albertus Magnus coach Brian Fitzpatrick said. “I think that it’s gone a long way. We’ve got guys all over the field who stepped up and played better.”
Rye advances to NYS final four for first time since 2019
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS – Rye played a complete game on Nov. 8 and because of that, advanced to the state final four for the first time since 2019.
Kasen Scarperi had two goals and an assist, and Lex Cox added a goal and an assist as Rye beat Section 11’s John Glenn, 5-0, on Saturday at Yorktown High School. Scarperi scored with 32:44 left in the first half and then tallied again with 9:13 left.
It was however the junior’s assist to Felix Wismer with two seconds left that was truly the backbreaker.
“We get hot and then, I mean, I feel like no one can stop us when that happens,” said Scarperi, who also had two goals in the Section 1 final and a pair of assists in the regional semifinal. “
Next up
Rye (18-1-3) advances to a Class A state semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Middletown High School’s Faller Field against either Glens Falls or Franklin Academy. The trip to the final four is the Garnets’ first since 2019.
Takeaways
Rye set the tone early and never let up. In the second half, the Garnets scored two goals in 34 seconds as Cox set up Scarperi to complete his hat trick with 27:22 left and then Alec Dodge Terra set up Cox with 26:48 left in the game to give Rye a 5-0 lead.
The game was physical and got more physical in the second half, but the Garnets stayed healthy and preserved Will Alexander’s clean sheet (nine saves.
Player of the game
Kasen Scarperi is on a hot streak in the postseason and it couldn’t come at a better time for Rye. Honorable mention to Lex Cox, whose decision making Rye coach Jared Small specifically praised.
They said it
“Fantastic,” Small said. “We were comprehensive in all phases of our play, which was exactly as it needs to be.”
Small praised the midfield group of Peter Wilmot, Shun Nagata and Scarperi and had the highest praise for Cox, a senior co-captain.
“Lex Cox played as fantastic a match as I’ve seen him play this year,” Small said. “I think his decision making, his leadership, his understanding of his tool box and when to use those various tools, was really well thought out on his part.”
Small, a 1998 Rye graduate, is hopeful for the Garnets’ first state title. Before 2019, the last time Rye was in the final four was 1979, when they lost in the state final.
“The stakes are going to be higher, but the opponents are all going to be different or all there for a reason,” Small said.
Phil Strum is local sports editor for The Journal News/lohud.
Class AA regional final at Waterford
Harrison 3, Columbia 0
The Huskies advance to face Section 8’s Garden City at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 in a state semifinal at Middletown High School.
Wednesday, Nov. 5
Class AAA regional semifinal at FDR High School, Hyde Park
Newburgh 4, John Jay-East Fishkill 2
Sean Viebrock and Austin Seipp each scored for John Jay in the loss. Newburgh advances to face Section 3’s Baldwinsville in a regional final on Saturday.
Class AA regional semifinal
Harrison 3, Warwick 0
The Huskies move on to face Section 2’s Columbia in a regional final on Saturday at Waterford High School.
Class A regional semifinal at Goshen High School
Rye 5, New Paltz 0
Alec Dodge Terra had two goals and an assist for Rye. Connor Dehmer added two goals, Kasen Scarperi had two assists, and Felix Wismer had a goal and an assist. The Garnets will face Section 11’s John Glenn in a regional final Saturday, 11 a.m. at Yorktown High School.
Class B regional semifinal
Albertus Magnus 5, Mount Academy 1
Mile Zivkovic scored three goals and Colin Fitzpatrick had a goal and three assists to lead the Falcons. Aedan Finn scored his first varsity goal and had an assist, DJ Louis added an assist, and Niber Chicaiza made five saves. Mount Academy’s Michael Meier scored and Davis King had seven saves. Albertus Magnus advances to face Section 11’s Babylon in a regional final on Saturday, 1:15 p.m. at Yorktown High School.
Class C regional semifinal at Hendrick Hudson High School
North Salem 3, Port Jefferson 0
Max Cotrone, Sean Randall and Jhon Rodriguez each scored, and goalie Anthony Federice recorded a shutout for North Salem. The Tigers face Section 7’s Northern Adirondack in a regional final on Saturday, 3:30 p.m. at Yorktown High School.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rye, Albertus, North Salem, Harrison make final 4, Section 1 boys soccer regional results
Reporting by Stephen Haynes and Phil Strum, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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