Soccer Rams beat Ramapo 2-1 in overtime in playoffs while Lady Rams lose opener but hit pre-season goals

October 30, 2024 at 10:30 p.m.

The 2024 Port Chester Lady Rams soccer team which finished with an 8-8 record, far surpassing last year’s 3-12 standing. They are Leidy Emily Estrada Juarez, Mariana Torres, Leslie Reyes, Saidy Hernandez, Kimberly Flores, Juliana Castillo, captain Bridget Morocho, captain Gioiella Pastena, Valeria Torres, Aracely Sanchez, Melani Lopez, Erika Barzallo, Alison Lopez. Unnamed are two girls in the back whose jersey numbers are hidden. Coaches are Danny Alvarado (head coach, at right), Jonathan Garces and Cecilia Martinez. (Joseph DeCarlo/Westmore News)

Anything can happen in the one-and-done ultra competitive Section 1 playoffs, and good things did happen for the Port Chester soccer Rams in the opening round while the Lady Rams didn't fare quite as well and got knocked out.

Living the dream

The Rams beat higher seed Ramapo 2-1 in overtime away last Saturday (10/26), dominating the game even though they trailed 1-0 with slightly more than four minutes to go. But Bertrand Moreau stepped up and scored the tying goal for Port Chester and Rams junior varsity call up Ivan Garcia lived the dream by scoring the overtime goal winner a minute or so into the first extra time period.

That advanced the Rams into the second round away against number one seed Scarsdale later in the week (after press time).

But veteran head coach John Cafaldo's well-conditioned 8-5-4 Rams are always at their best when other teams tire towards the end of the fall season.

Looking good going in

"I felt we dominated the game against Ramapo even though they were the higher seed," Cafaldo said after the game.

And his Rams looked even better in their runup to the playoffs with a 9-1 win over Lincoln with Alexander Villa scoring a hat trick with three goals and an assist while Brayan Lapoyeu and Brandon Flores each notched a deuce. Enrique Farias had a goal and an assist while Ivan Henao had a goal. And Jayson Reyes and Jayden Coyt both came through with two assists while Emanuel Valdovinos had one.

Then they wound down the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Fox Lane with Villa scoring their only goal off an assist from Giovanni Arreguin. So the Rams were ready for the ups and downs of the one-and-done playoffs and got off on the right foot against Ramapo.

Lady Rams ups, downs

The Lady Rams weren't as lucky because they lost to Mamaroneck 4-0 away in the opening round of the playoffs last Friday (10/25). "We had two starters out—Kelly Mendoza came out with a concussion after our fall season finale loss to Fox Lane and Saidy Hernandez had to miss the game for personal reasons," head coach Danny Alvarado said after the game.

"But as a team we hit our three pre-season goals," Alvarado continued, ticking off those goals:

1) to have a better season than we did last year (when they finished 3-12 and missed the playoffs), 2) to make the playoffs (which they did with an 8-8 record) and 3) to see some Lady Rams named to the All-League team (which will be announced next Wednesday (11/6) with at least three Lady Rams having a shot at making the first team (most likely senior co-captains Gioiella Pastena and Bridget Morocho and Hernandez) while as many as four could receive Honorable Mention (including likely candidates Daniela Lopez, eighth grader Valeria Torres, Jhamileth Cabrera, Mendoza, Gianna Rende and Juliana Castillo, among others).

So, no matter what else happens in the playoffs, win or lose, it has already been a good year for the soccer Rams and Lady Rams.