With the girls soccer players getting started this weekend, it's time for our annual bracket breakdown. We'll offer an overview of the Section 1 tournament, analysis of each of the classifications, and some humble opinions on how it'll all shake out.
These teams are all vying for titles, of course, and the section finals will be held Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Arlington High School. The champions then advance to their respective state tournaments. Albertus Magnus and Rye captured state championships last season, and Tuckahoe advanced to the state final.
Here's a breakdown of the brackets along with some opinions and predictions:
Class AAA
Best first-round matchup: No. 10 Port Chester vs. No. 7 North Rockland
Unsung team nobody wants to play: North Rockland
Best
draw: No. 1 Albertus Magnus
Worst draw: No. 4 White Plains
Team capable of breaking the bracket: No. 5 John Jay-East Fishkill
Players to watch: Pilar Abdel-Aziz, GK, White Plains; Maddie Cashman, M, Mamaroneck; Aubrey Cerone, F, John Jay-East Fishkill; Bella Di Muccio, F/M, Albertus Magnus; Caelyn Deserre, F, Arlington; Claire Essick, D, North Rockland; Violeta Figueroa Montoya, F, White Plains; Kylie Harm, M, North Rockland; Chase Harris, M, Arlington; Paige Neustadt, M, Scarsdale; Greta Norman, F, Mamaroneck; Katie Murphy, F, Albertus Magnus; Brooke Ramponi, D, Kaylee Sokol, M, Arlington; Albertus Magnus; Valeria Torres, M/F, Port Chester; Danica Tsapatsaris, D, Albertus Magnus; Layla Weiss, M/D, White Plains
Last four standing: No. 1 Albertus Magnus, No. 2 Arlington, No. 3 Mamaroneck, No. 5 John Jay-East Fishkill
And the winner is: Albertus Magnus has dealt with injuries and adversity, but they're still good enough to pursue a fourth state title in five years. Arlington has owned the large-school grouping for the better part of a decade, and they played to a scoreless tie with Albertus Magnus in September. But the Falcons have an exceptional defense and more firepower, giving them an edge here.
Class AA
Best first-round matchup: No. 9 Horace Greeley vs. No. 8 Eastchester
Unsung team nobody wants to play: Eastchester
Best draw: No. 2 John Jay-Cross River
Worst draw: No. 5 Clarkstown North
Team capable of breaking the bracket: No. 6 Nyack
Players to watch: Alessandra Arciniegas, D, Clarkstown South; Amanda Bialek, D/M, Clarkstown North; Ella Biolchini, D, Mahopac; Amelia Calisi, GK, Lakeland; Layla Dobelle, M, Clarkstown North; Kayleigh Dolan, F, Mahopac; Brynn Ensign, D, Harrison; Renata Fernandez, F, Clarkstown South; Siena Giaquinto, M, Eastchester; Valentina Ivezaj, M, Mahopac; Jaya Jackson, D, Nyack; Laia Jeannotte, M, Eastchester; Lyla Kelly, M/D, Clarkstown South; Abby Mattiello, F, John Jay-Cross River; Sophie Olsey, M, Harrison; Gianna Pace, F, Lakeland; Lily Pade, M/D, Nyack; Maye Viders, M, John Jay-Cross River
Last four standing: No. 1 Clarkstown South, No. 2 John Jay-Cross River, No. 3 Mahopac, No. 4 Harrison
And the winner is: This might be the most competitive cluster of teams in any of the classifications, where a legitimate argument can be made for each of them. It's splitting hairs, but we'll go with Clarkstown South. They've allowed only three goals thus far, and their experience competing in 'AAA' last season (plus regular-season wins over White Plains and North Rockland) could prove beneficial.
Class A
Best first-round matchup: No. 10 Somers vs. No. 7 Pearl River
Unsung team nobody wants to play: No. 12 Hastings
Best draw: No. 3 Pelham
Worst draw: No. 4 Byram Hills
Team capable of breaking the bracket: Pearl River
Players to watch: Amelia Amenedo, F, Byram Hills; Harkin Brown, F, Rye; Skylar Coyne, F, Irvington; Katie Cronin, M, Pelham; Katie Duffy, M, Pearl River; Charlotte Keenan, M/F, Rye; Teagan Kenny, F, Ardsley; Hannah Jachman, M, Rye; Orla Jeffries, M, Pelham; Olivia Mark, F, Panas; Sami Marvin, F/M, Sleepy Hollow; Hazel McGourty, F, Ardsley; Meghan McMahon, F, Sleepy Hollow; Caroline Melchionni, F/M, Bronxville; Bella Mula, M, Panas; Shira Rand, M, Rye; Alyssa Schlacter, F, Hastings; Sage Wrzesinski, F, Hastings
Last four standing: No. 1 Rye, No. 2 Ardsley, No. 3 Pelham, No. 5 Bronxville
And the winner is: Rye is undefeated, ranked sixth in the country, and is focused in its pursuit of a state championship repeat. Their dominant, ball-control midfield is a great complement to Keenan and Brown, high-level finishers who shined last year in the playoffs.
Class B
Best first-round matchup: No. 5 Croton-Harmon vs. No. 4 Dobbs Ferry
Unsung team nobody wants to play: Croton-Harmon
Best draw: No. 3 Blind Brook
Worst draw: Dobbs Ferry
Team capable of breaking the bracket: Croton-Harmon
Players to watch: Gabriella Auguste, F, Briarcliff; Ashley Brookman, D, Blind Brook; Alex Bowins, D, Pleasantville; Faith Brown, F, Pleasantville; Eliza Becker, F, Croton; Jordan Becker, M, Croton; Gabby Cavallo, M, Blind Brook; Lola Gonzalez, F, Blind Brook; Julie Labick, D, Briarcliff; Elle McManus, D, Croton; Lily Rowe, M, Briarcliff; Samantha Schultz, F, Pleasantville; Bree Tunno, F, Rye Neck; Phoebe Walker, M/F, Dobbs Ferry; Mary Kate Winn, M, Pleasantville
Last four standing: No. 1 Pleasantville, No. 2 Briarcliff, No. 3 Blind Brook, No. 4 Dobbs Ferry
And the winner is: Pleasantville reached the Class A final last year and, were it not for Rye, maybe could've made a run to the state tournament. Now, the high-scoring Panthers have the benefit of being back in Class B, retained most of a core that seemed to improve, and is more battletested than in recent years.
Class C
There are only three teams in this bracket.
Players to watch: Chloe Angello, GK, Tuckahoe; Isabella Carinci, M, Tuckahoe; Alana Cerasoli, M, North Salem; Hailey FioRito, F, Leffell; McKenna Gerald, D, Tuckahoe; Emma Greenberg, M, North Salem; Brooke Matarazzo, F, Tuckahoe; Sienna Paldin, F, North Salem; Ava Rogliano, M, Tuckahoe
And the winner is: Tuckahoe reached the state final for the first time last fall and came within a bad-luck goal of possibly winning it. The Tigers returned a core of talented and experienced stars. They had a plus-53 goal differential in the regular season, despite mostly facing teams in larger classifications, and they had blowout wins over North Salem and Leffell earlier this month.
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Breaking down the Section 1 2026 girls soccer tournament
