Field hockey: A look at Section 1 playoffs, potential winners and game-changing players

Playoffs generally mean anything goes and there's little doubt the Section 1 field hockey playoffs will include some upsets.

But it would be surprising if undefeated/one-tie Mamaroneck doesn't win the Section 1 Class A title.

And while perhaps more possible this year than in most recent years, a loss in Class B by Lakeland, the winner of 14 straight Section 1 championships, is hard to envision — not impossible — but hard.

While some seedings may generate second guessing, Putnam Valley has clearly earned the No. 1 spot in Class C and a loss by it would be an upset.

Below are our predictions of what we believe is likely to occur.

Also included are lists of some key players from teams we believe have a chance of making the semifinals.

All three Section 1 championships will be decided Oct. 29 at Lakeland High School.

Class A

Built to win it all: Mamaroneck is, hands down, the favorite. The Tigers went 15-0-1 with a 0-0 tie against Class B second-seed Horace Greeley. The Tigers, who fell in overtime to Scarsdale in last year's section final, have given up just three goals this season. Mamaroneck beat second-seed Clarkstown 6-0 and was dominant everywhere but on the scoreboard in two 2-0 wins over third-seed Scarsdale.

Good enough to go deep: Scarsdale is the No. 3 seed in part because it didn't play all 16 regular-season games that are allowed, so didn't earn all the points it might have. But it had a very tough schedule, making its 7-3-3 record impressive. It was in every loss, falling 3-1 to Greeley and twice by 2-0 scores to Mamaroneck. The Raiders are a very strong defensive team but, as those scores indicate, have sometimes struggled to score. Scarsdale's three ties, for instance, were 0-0 and 1-1 with Ursuline and 1-1 with Rye, both strong Class B teams. But there are no ties in playoff field hockey, which will put pressure on the Raiders' offense. While it should win its opening-round game against 6-5-1 No. 6-seed John Jay-East Fishkill, getting on the board early may prove important. The Patriots are also a very strong defensive team. With the exception of a 4-0 loss to Class B No. 1 Lakeland, they never yielded more than two goals in a game.

Not going down without a fight: No. 2 Clarkstown, which has had more of an up and down season than its 9-3-3 record might indicate, finished the season with an impressive shutout of North Salem. But it will have to battle to get out of the quarterfinals, which will be its first game. It will face No. 7 Fox Lane, which, while having virtually no chance of winning the section, could make the semifinals.

Game-changers: Mattie Betts, Jr., F, Ketcham; Catherine D'Arcy, Jr., MF, Mamaroneck; Abby Feuerstein, Sr., D, Scarsdale: Olivia Galati, Sr., F, Clarkstown; Shana Goldsmith, Sr., MF, Clarkstown; Kayla Kinkel, Sr., MF, John Jay-East Fishkill; Lauren Mastromarco, Sr., G, John Jay-East Fishkill; Parker Mauro, Sr., MF, Scarsdale; Juliette Patricot, Sr., D; Mamaroneck; Ruby Pearson, Jr., MF/D, Mamaroneck; Samantha Reder, Jr., F/MF, Fox Lane; Caitlin Ruggiero, Sr., F, Suffern; Sidney Sicignano, Sr., F, Fox Lane; Lexi Suman, So., MF/F, Mamaroneck; Ava Thompson, Sr., F/MF/D, Clarkstown

And the winner is: Mamaroneck

Up next: The Class A winner will play in a state semifinal regional playoff game Nov. 1 at Guilderland High School.

Class B

Good enough to win it all: Lakeland and Horace Greeley both fall into this category. Greeley's only loss during a 14--1 campaign was 2-0 to Lakeland, the winner of 14 straight section titles. Of 12-3-1 Lakeland's three losses, only one was to a Section 1 opponent, Mamaroneck, 3-2. Lakeland, whose last state title was in 2019, is very good but it shouldn't be confused with the Lakeland teams that were part of a mindboggling nine straight state titles, concluding with the 2017 championship. There's no reason to think Lakeland will lose but it will have to battle to win its 15th straight section title, creating offensive penalty corners and then scoring on them. And, if the seedings hold true, and Lakeland and Greeley are in the final, that won't be easy. Like Lakeland, Greeley is very strong defensively. It's the only team to play and not lose to Mamaroneck this season. The Quakers' 0-0 tie with the Class A top seed and only undefeated team in the section speaks to its defensive skill. All of that said, it will have to be careful in its likely quarterfinal matchup against Ursuline, a fine defensive team that it only beat 2-0 and whose No. 7 seeding is misleading.

Built to go deep: John Jay-Cross River began the season on the wrong end of a 7-0 beatdown vs. Mamaroneck that could have been much worse had Mamaroneck not pulled its starters early. The fact this team, which in the preseason coach Deb Walsh basically described as being loaded with athletic talent but not overwhelming field hockey talent, lost only two more regular-season games (4-0 to Lakeland and 2-0 to Greeley) would have seemed very unlikely when the final horn sounded after its first game. The fourth-seeded Wolves have grown and while it's unlikely they'll make the final, they're at least in that conversation. A likely quarterfinal game against No. 5 Rye could prove interesting, though. John Jay-CR just got by Rye 1-0 early this month.

Not going down without a fight: That Rye squad fell only 2-1 to Lakeland four weeks ago. It, No. 3 Pearl Rive, which tied John Jay-CR early last month, and even No. 6, up-and-down Yorktown all have a shot at making the semifinals., although it's difficult to imagine any going farther than that.

Game-changers: Bella Basulto, Sr., MF/D, Lakeland; Jane Brennan, Jr., D, John Jay-Cross River; Sophia Brown, Sr., MF, Pearl River; Nina Byrne, Jr., D, Horace Greeley; Jojo Degl, Jr., MF, John Jay-Cross River; Dani Halperin, Sr., MF, Horace Greeley; Kaycie Keeley, Jr., F, John Jay-Cross River; Lauren Mastromarco, Sr., John Jay-East Fishkill; Kate Morreale, Jr., MF, Rye; Emma Numme, Sr., MF/D/F, Lakeland; Kacey Pritts, Jr., F, Pearl River; Caitlin Ruggiero, Sr., F, Suffern; Eve Rutman, So., D, Horace Greeley; Gabby Santini, Jr., F/MF, Lakeland; Beau Whaling, So., F.., Rye ; Lilly Whaling, Sr., F, Rye; Phoebe Warshaw, So., MF, Horace Greeley; Emily Yazzetti, Sr., F, Lakeland

And the winner is: Lakeland

Up next: The Class B champion will l play in a state semifinal regional playoff game Nov. 1 at Guilderland High School.

Field hockey:2023 Section 1 playoff seedings and schedule

Class C

Good enough to win it all: Putnam Valley, last year's runner-up, earned the No. 1 seed for the very good reason it ran the table after an opening-day loss to No. 1 Class B seed Lakeland. It recorded a shutout in 13 of its 15 wins. But not far removed is No. 2-seed Irvington, 13-2. One of its two losses was 1-0 five weeks ago to Putnam Valley. If a rematch occurs, it could be a good one.

Built to go deep: Put Irvington somewhere between potentially winning it all and going deep and add No. 3 North Salem to the going deep list. The latter is contingent on North Salem getting by Pawling in the quarters. It should, based on record (five more wins on the season and better performances against the same opponents), but when these teams recently met, the game ended in a 1-1 tie.

Not going down without a fight:: The name evokes memories of multiple section titles. And count on No. 4-seed Bronxville to make it to the semifinals in this small class. But if that happens, the defending Class C champions will be a significant underdog vs. Put Valley. The Tigers beat them 6-0 earlier this season. But Bronxville will scrap and the Broncos recently fell only 2-0 to Scarsdale, so Putnam Valley shouldn't take this likely game for granted.

Game-changers: Sophia Aversano, Jr., F, North Salem; Izzy Cerrato, Sr., MF, Putnam Valley; Isabel Clark, Sr., D, Pawling; Brady Ellicott, Sr., D, North Salem; Sierra Gabriel, Sr., D, Putnam Valley; Ava Harmon, Sr., MF, Putnam Valley; Chelsea Hodge, Sr., D, Pawling; Anders Knapp, Sr., MF, Irvington; Frannie Krause, Sr., F, Bronxville; Emmaline LeBuhn, Sr., MF, Irvington; Carleigh Taylor, Sr., MF, Irvington; Molly Videla, Sr., MF, North Salem; Vivi Webber, Jr., MF, Pawling; Emma Yeon, Sr., F, Bronxville; Izzy Yeon, Sr., MF, Bronxville

And the winner is: Putnam Valley

Up next: The Class C winner will l play in a state semifinal regional playoff game Nov. 1 at Guilderland High School.