Preseason Rankings: Section 1 Top Five Teams

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Section One has produced some impressive teams and players over the last few years. In this article we predict the top five teams across Section One. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. <strong>North Rockland </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach: <strong>John Hickey</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Coach Hickey</strong> led his Red Raiders to an impressive 10-3 season in 2024 capturing a Section Championship. North Rockland won twice against Carmel, along with picking up wins against Arlington, John Jay, and New Rochelle. In the playoffs they got their second win against Carmel along with revenging their loss against Mamaroneck. Monroe Woodbury started the year with a win against NR, propelling Coach Hickey's team to an 8-2 record the rest of the season. <strong>Christian Brothers Academy(Albany)</strong> ended their season with a playoff loss. North Rockland loses key additions such as <strong>Javon Lawrence (DB)</strong> and <strong>King Saint Fleur (DB)</strong>. Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1720765' first='Chase' last='Perini'] (QB)</strong>, A<strong>mari Occena (ATH)</strong> and Juniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='939853' first='Dominick' last='Tirri'] (OL)</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1513257' first='Jacob' last='Rodriguez'] (LB)</strong> will lead this team this season. I see the Red Raiders finishing 7-1 in the regular season with an opening year loss to <strong>Curtis</strong>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/thiells/north-rockland-raiders/football/schedule">https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/thiells/north-rockland-raiders/football/schedule</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>T-3. <strong>Yorktown</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach: <strong>Pantelis Ypsilantis</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Coach Ypsilantis</strong> led his Huskers to a 6-4 record in 2024. The Huskers had key wins against <strong>Brewster, Mahopac and Harrison</strong> who are all projected top 15 teams in the Section this season. <strong>Somers</strong> escaped with a 4 point win which could have snapped an over 15 game win streak. <strong>Fox Lane and Rye(x2)</strong> were the other four losses for Yorktown. The Huskers lost key players like <strong>Senior QB Kaden Gonzalez and RB Joseph Hunter</strong>. With most of this roster becoming rising Seniors, the Huskers have one of the most experienced roster in Section One. <strong>WR Tyler Galente, and DT Rocco Lore </strong>will lead this veteran roster which faces a challenging schedule. I see Yorktown as a 6-2 team with a trip to the playoffs. Key loses include <strong>Rye and Somers</strong> who beat the Huskers last season. Key wins include <strong>Harrison, Niskayuna, Carmel and Brewster</strong>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/yorktown-heights/yorktown-huskers/football/schedule">https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/yorktown-heights/yorktown-huskers/football/schedule</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>T-3. <strong>Mahopac</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach: <strong>Dominick DeMatteo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach DeMatteo led his Wolf Pac to a 6-4 record in 2024. The Wolf Pac had key wins against <strong>Averill Park, Brewster, Lakeland, and John Jay</strong>. <strong>Somers and Yorktown</strong> blew out Mahopac. <strong>Clarkstown South and Harrison</strong> picked up close defensive wins as well. Seniors <strong>Justin Sanchez, Jack Clifford and Landon Varley</strong> are all key losses for Mahopac. Luckily Coach DeMatteo brings back Star <strong>QB [player_tooltip player_id='1811582' first='Ethan' last='Dedvukaj'] </strong>who is one of my top QB's in the state. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1743061' first='Matthew' last='Bentivenga']</strong> is also a key returner for Mahopac. I see Mahopac finishing with a 6-2 record, with key wins including <strong>Carmel, Eastchester, Lakeland and Brewster</strong>. Key loses include <strong>Somers and Yorktown</strong>. Hence why both teams are tied as they will have the same record but Yorktown will have the head-to-head victory. Playoff success will be the difference between the two this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/mahopac/mahopac-wolf-pac/football/schedule">https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/mahopac/mahopac-wolf-pac/football/schedule</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. <strong>Rye</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach: <strong>Dino Garr</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1,2 on this list are easy to pick. Coach Garr led his Garnets to a 10-1 record with key wins against <strong>Monsignor Farrell, Harrison Eastchester, Brewster and Yorktown(x2)</strong>. The lone loss last season came against an outstanding <strong>Somers</strong> team who went on to win a state championship. Key loses after the 2024 season included <strong>Jake Kessner who will suit up for Princeton this fall, along with DE Peter Olkhovets and OL Patrick McGuire</strong>. Coach Garr brings back the number one QB/WR duo in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1229592' first='Carson' last='Miller'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1529592' first='Henry' last='Shoemaker']</strong>, the Garnets also bring back LB <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1260110' first='Carsten' last='Steinmann']</strong>. I see Rye finishing the regular season with a 7-1 record with once again a loss to Somers. Key wins for the Garnets include <strong>Middletown (Section Nine), Yorktown, Eastchester and Harrison</strong>. Coach Garr and Rye are primed for another deep playoff run, and a potential late November rematch against Somers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/rye/rye-garnets/football/schedule">https://www.maxpreps.com/ny/rye/rye-garnets/football/schedul</a>e</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Somers</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach: <strong>Anthony DeMatteo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Somers has won 27 straight games, dating back to the 2023 season. The Garnets have won three straight state championships and have looked like a top team in the state the last year. Key wins for the Huskers included <strong>Rye, Mahopac, Yorktown, Averill Park, Cornwall Central, and Whitesboro</strong> in a blowout state championship game 51-27. Somers loses key players like <strong>Will Marcus, Mason Kelly, and Joe Discala</strong>. Coach Garr returns a top receiver in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1206376' first='Dean' last='Palazzolo'], QB Carter Iglesias, DT RJ Peterson, and DT Lorenzo Dambrosio</strong>. The season for the Huskers starts out with one of the top matchups this season as <strong>Iona Prep and Somers collide in Albany</strong> for the Heroes bowl supporting Tunnel for Towers which will feature six of the state's top teams. I predict Somers winning streak will end and start over at the same time as I see a fourth straight sate championship but a <strong>7-1 </strong>regular season with a loss to Iona Prep. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br><br><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"></ol> <!-- /wp:list -->