SPRING VALLEY —There were plenty of questions about how perennial Class A power Port Chester would respond in its first season as a Class AA team.
Those questions were answered emphatically on Friday, as the 11th-seeded Rams pulled off a convincing 4-1 first round win over No. 6 Spring Valley.
“AA has a lot more competition, I believe,” sophomore striker Steven Hernandez said. “There are a lot of quality teams, just like in Class A, but I believe it’s about who wants it more. That’s what it’s all about.”
Hernandez has been a marked man all season after scoring seven postseason goals during Port Chester’s run to the Class A state final last year, but Luis Morales proved early that the Rams (10-6-1) are not a one-man show.
“We need every single guy on this team,” Port Chester coach John Cafaldo said. “It can’t just be Steve. I’ve told them that a million times. Steve had a run last year that no one is going to forget for awhile, and they’re going to mark him. It’s that time of the year again already, and I told the other guys that they have to step up.”
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In the 22nd minute – shortly after Hernandez had been denied on a leaping save from Spring Valley’s Maycoll Marroquin – Morales’ header off of Alejandro Coyt’s corner kick squeaked by to put Port Chester on top 1-0.
“I didn’t think it was going in,” Morales said (pictured to the right). “But once I headed it, I saw it go through the goalie’s legs.”
Less than a minute later, Steven Carias found Morales wide open in front of the Spring Valley (13-4) goal to extend the lead to 2-0.
In the 33rd minute, Hernandez found Carias for a header to give the Rams a 3-0 lead at the half.
“We were trying to get three goals quick and finish them off,” Morales said. “We weren’t going to make this ride just to come up here and lose.”
Hernandez sealed the win with a goal in the 46th minute, and now Port Chester will get an unexpected home game on Monday in the quarterfinals after No. 14 Greeley upset third-seeded Yorktown.
“You have to prepare like it’s your last day, and that’s what I’ve told these guys,” Cafaldo said. “Today we rose to the occasion. I thought we played one of our best games of the year.”
CLASS AA
Arlington 8, Ramapo 0: In a Class AA first round game at No. 1 Arlington, seven different players scored for the Admirals, who held a 5-0 lead over No. 17 Ramapo at the half. They’ll host No. 9 Ketcham in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Mamaroneck 4, Ossining 3, 2 OT: In a Class AA first round game at No. 2 Mamaroneck, Nelson Barrios scored the golden goal to help the undefeated Tigers avoid an upset. Nick Tunic had a hat trick for Mamaroneck, which will host No. 10 Scarsdale in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Horace Greeley 2, Yorktown 1, 2 OT: In a Class AA first round game at No. 3 Yorktown, Zach Salzman scored the golden goal on a free kick for No. 14 Greeley. He also had an assist on Paul Gadaleta’s goal. Roy Reynolds scored for the Huskers. The Quakers will play at No. 11 Port Chester in the quarterfinals on Monday.
John Jay-EF 7, Carmel 5: In a Class AA first round game at No. 4 John Jay-EF, Vasiliy Shevelchinsky had a hat trick for No. 13 Carmel. The Patriots will host No. 5 Mahopac in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Mahopac 2, White Plains 0: In a Class AA first round game at No. 5 Mahopac, Mike Bernardi made 11 saves to shutout the 12th-seeded Tigers. Tom Wilson and Nick Scheira each scored. The Indians will play at No. 4 John Jay-EF in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Scarsdale 3, North Rockland 2: In a Class AA first round game at No. 7 North Rockland, Jonny Dorf scored the go-ahead goal for No. 10 Scarsdale with less than five minutes remaining. Zach Cromwell and Zach Marcus also scored for Scarsdale, while Chris Aherne and Mark Goodall each scored for North Rockland. The Raiders will play at No. 2 Mamaroneck in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Ketcham 2, Fox Lane 0
CLASS A
Byram Hills 3, Somers 0: In a Class A first round game at No. 1 Byram Hills, David Lachs had a hat trick. The Bobcats will host No. 9 Eastchester in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Lakeland 1, John Jay 0: In a Class A first round game at No. 2 Lakeland, David Acevedo scored the game-winning goal with eight minutes remaining on an assist from Devin Flanagan. It was Acevedo’s first goal of the season. The Hornets will host No. 7 Keio in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Pearl River 4, Hen Hud 2: In a Class A first round game at No. 3 Pearl River, Brian Chiarello had two goals and an assist. Vincenzo Galvano added two assists. The Pirates will host No. 6 Tappan Zee in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Pelham 7, Lourdes 3: In a Class A first round game at No. 4 Pelham, Charlie Livingstone had a hat trick. The Pelicans will host No. 5 Edgemont in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Edgemont 8, Riverside 4: In a Class A first round game at No. 5 Edgemont, Javier Casado had a hat trick and an assist for the Panthers. Edgemont will play at No. 4 Pelham in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Tappan Zee 2, Sleepy Hollow 1: In a Class A first round game at No. 6 Tappan Zee, Michael Desposati and Rodrigo Britez each scored for the Dutchmen. They’ll play at No. 3 Pearl River in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Keio 3, Brewster 0: In a Class A first round game at No. 7 Keio, Takahiro Asai, Shusuke Sato and Kenta Wakimoto each scored. The Unicorns will play at No. 2 Lakeland in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Eastchester 0, Nyack 0 (Eastchester advances 4-1 on PKs)
CLASS B
Bronxville 3, Pleasantville 0: In a Class B first round game at No. 1 Bronxville, Henry Lilly, Mike Crawford and Liam Aherne each scored in the second half. The Broncos will host No. 9 Woodlands in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Blind Brook 1, Putnam Valley 0, OT: In a Class B first round game at No. 3 Blind Brook, Joe DiBerardino scored the golden goal. The Trojans will host No. 6 Valhalla in the quarterfinals on Monday.
North Salem 5, Pawling 0: In a Class B first round game at No. 5 North Salem, Connor Murphy scored five goals. The Tigers will play at No. 4 Briarcliff in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Valhalla 2, Dobbs Ferry 1: In a Class B first round game at No. 6 Valhalla, Joel Viveros scored both goals for the Vikings. Austin Glickstern scored for No. 11 Dobbs Ferry. Valhalla will play at No. 3 Blind Brook in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Woodlands 1, Westlake 0: In a Class B first round game at No. 8 Westlake, Prince Kermue scored for No. 9 Woodlands. The Falcons will play at No. 1 Bronxville in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Rye Neck 1, Hastings 0: In a Class B first round game at No. 7 Hastings, Takuno Nishimura scored for No. 10 Rye Neck. The Panthers will visit No. 2 Irvington in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Irvington 4, Albertus Magnus 0: In a Class B first round game at No. 2 Irvington, Ben Ovetsky had two goals. Teammate Ryan Havdala had nine saves. Patrick McAvoy had seven saves for No. 15 Albertus Magnus. Irvington will host No. 10 Rye Neck in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Briarcliff 6, Yonkers Montessori 0: In a Class B first round game at No. 4 Briarcliff, Caleb Asamoah had a hat trick. Jon Cabeca added a goal and an assist. The Bears will host No. 5 North Salem in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Photos by Peter Carr/Video by Vincent Z. Mercogliano
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