Breaking down the 2026 Section 1 boys soccer tournament

The boys soccer playoffs get underway this week, and we'll again take a crack at forecasting the Section 1 tournament.

It's being done with a total understanding that there likely will be upsets, perhaps some team shocking an opponent that has seemed to have its number, and maybe even a Cinderella run that few could've seen coming. And, really, that's one of the most fun aspects of the postseason.

Here's a breakdown of the brackets along with some opinions and predictions:

Class AAA

Best first-round matchup: No. 11 White Plains vs. No. 6 Port Chester

Unsung team nobody wants to play: No. 5 Arlington

Best draw: No. 2 Scarsdale

Worst draw: No. 4 North Rockland

Team capable of breaking the bracket: No. 8 John Jay-East Fishkill

Players to watch: Josemiguel Ayala,

M, New Rochelle; Patrick Bovan, F, John Jay-East Fishkill; Jordan Charalambous, M, Mamaroneck; Jayden Coyt, M/F, Port Chester; Ethan Grossberg, D, Scarsdale; George Haines, M, Mamaroneck; Shaggely Jacquet, F/M, North Rockland; Dave Lore, D, New Rochelle; Will McAllister, F, Scarsdale; Rafael Rosenthal, M, Scarsdale; Brayan Sanchez Morales, D/M, White Plains; Michael Zambrano, F, Mamaroneck

Last four standing: No. 1 Mamaroneck, No. 2 Scarsdale, No. 3 New Rochelle, No. 5 Arlington

And the winner is: Mamaroneck has an athletic defense and balanced offense, not heavily reliant on any individual. Plus, the Tigers went 9-1-2 against the teams in this bracket they faced in the regular season, including sweeping second-seeded Scarsdale.

Class AA

Best first-round matchup: No. 10 Horace Greeley vs. No. 7 Eastchester

Unsung team nobody wants to play: Horace Greeley

Best draw: No. 3 Peekskill

Worst draw: No. 5 Harrison

Team capable of breaking the bracket: Eastchester

Players to watch: Serguey Acosta, F, Gorton; Nick Ahmataj, F, Lakeland; Nils Boman, D, Harrison; Fredy Contreras, F, Fox Lane; Josh Deskin, F/M, Clarkstown North; Jostin Hernandez, M, Peekskill; Ayden Heskestad, GK, Clarkstown South; Lir Jakupaj, F, Greeley; Danny Juncaj, M, Eastchester; Lucas Ormazabal, F, Fox Lane; Michael Oteng, D, Mahopac; Aiden Plouffe, G, Lakeland; Nick Portanova, M, Mahopac; Jake Rothmann, M, Mahopac

Last four standing: No. 1 Mahopac, No. 2 Lakeland, No. 3 Peekskill, No. 4 Fox Lane

And the winner is: Mahopac had a breakout season last year that culminated in them reaching the section final, and the Wolf Pac has been even better this fall. This group, already full of swagger, enters the playoffs on a high after a series of blowout wins and that tie with Rye.

Class A

Best first-round matchup: No. 10 Sleepy Hollow vs. No. 7 Westlake

Unsung team nobody wants to play: No. 13 Edgemont

Best draw: No. 3 Hastings

Worst draw: No. 4 Albertus Magnus

Team capable of breaking the bracket: No. 5 Tappan Zee

Players to watch: Liam Cunningham, M/D, Albertus Magnus; Connor Dehmer, F, Rye; Campbell Eaton, D, Walter Panas; Eoghan Fitzgerald, M Pearl River; Kai Ghalib, F, Hastings; Derek Kaczmarczyk, F/M, Tappan Zee; Jahncarlos Ortiz, M, Walter Panas; Nate Ortiz, F, Westlake; Samuel Quezada Pesantez, F, Sleepy Hollow; Josh Recinos, M/F, Albertus Magnus; Carter Rice, GK, Byram Hills; Kasen Scarperi, M, Rye; Louis von Rege, F, Hastings; Nico Waldhauser, GK, Tappan Zee; Peter Wilmot, M, Rye

Last four standing: No. 1 Rye, No. 2 Walter Panas, No. 3 Hastings, No. 4 Albertus Magnus

And the winner is: It's not just that Rye (15-0-1) is the defending champion with an almost spotless record and a plus-51 goal differential. But this team has few, if any, exploitable weaknesses and they've shown the ability to turn it up a notch in the playoffs.

Class B

Best first-round matchup: No. 9 Dobbs Ferry vs. No. 8 Rye Neck

Unsung team nobody wants to play: No. 7 Bronxville

Best draw: No. 3 Pleasantville

Worst draw: No. 2 Irvington

Team capable of breaking the bracket: No. 5 Blind Brook

Players to watch: Lucas Apter, M/D, Briarcliff; Luke Boruch, M, Blind Brook; Schuyler Brown, D, Pleasantville; Chase Colyer, F, Dobbs Ferry; Matteo Figliomeni, F, Rye Neck; Rohan Karnik, M, Briarcliff; Jason Lavanda, M/D, Hamilton; Parker Lewis, GK, Bronxville; Danny McInerney, M, Pleasantville; Teodor Mihov, F/M, Bronxville; Nick Tassier, M, Pleasantville; Navin Vasudev, D, Irvington; Griffin Warner, M, Irvington

Last four standing: No. 1 Briarcliff, No. 2 Irvington, No. 3 Pleasantville, No. 4 Valhalla

And the winner is: Pleasantville and Briarcliff played about as evenly as possible in two meetings this season, including a dramatic tie. But the Bears have the slight edge here, having been through the gauntlet last year, reaching the final as an eighth-seeded underdog. They've improved considerably this season, and they've got talent and momentum, riding an 11-game win streak.

Class C

There are only three teams in this bracket.

Players to watch: Boris Boyko, GK, Tuckahoe; Ari Chinitz, M/F, Leffell; Zef Curanovic, F, Tuckahoe; Jason Gjushi, M, North Salem; Liam Keegan, M, North Salem; Juben Lazri, F, North Salem; Max Moore, F, Leffell; Isaac Rouse, M, North Salem

And the winner is: North Salem graduated several standouts after winning two consecutive state championships, but this still is a talented squad and the returning players have the benefit of having experienced postseason pressure at the highest level and thrived.

Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Breaking down the 2026 Section 1 boys soccer tournament