In an epic Section 1 Class AA girls soccer semifinal, state-ranked powers John Jay-Cross River (No. 22) and Mahopac (No. 25) left everything on the field Thursday, Oct. 29.
When the dust finally settled, second-seeded John Jay escaped with a dramatic 1-0 overtime victory, ending a memorable postseason run by a third-seeded Mahopac squad that exceeded expectations from start to finish.
The Wolf Pac matched the favored Wolves stride for stride for more than 95 minutes before John Jay found the breakthrough on a set piece, with Mykel Papa delivering the sudden-death winner on a 35-yard direct kick.
Mahopac reached the semifinals for a second consecutive season by edging sixth-seeded Nyack, 1-0, in the quarterfinal round. All-State-caliber striker Kayleigh Dolan provided the difference, burying a rebound with 36:32 remaining to send the Wolf Pac into the final four.
Despite the heartbreaking finish, Mahopac's season was one of resilience and growth. After graduating a significant portion of last year's roster, the Wolf Pac developed into one of Section 1's most dangerous teams, earning a state ranking and proving capable of competing with the area's elite programs.
The semifinal showdown lived up to its billing, featuring relentless defensive play, quality goalkeeping, and few clear-cut scoring opportunities as two evenly matched teams battled for a spot in the Class AA championship game.
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