Mahopac’s trip to Harrison wasn’t just a measuring stick. It was a stress test of identity, resilience, and whether a retooled Wolf Pac could still punch at the level the program has grown accustomed to.
First-year Mahopac coach Daniella Morgante and assistant Katrina Klammer, a longtime pillar within the Wolf Pac program, knew exactly what they were signing up for when they scheduled Harrison, the 2025 Class AA runner-up that pushed two-time defending NYS champion Albertus Magnus to the brink last fall.
And while Tuesday, Sept. 8, ended in a 1–0 loss to the host Huskies, Mahopac walked off the field having answered a long list of early-season questions. The Wolf Pac showed toughness, organization, and a willingness to compete in the trenches—all crucial traits for a roster replacing so many key graduates during the 2026 campaign. The scoreboard didn’t tilt their way, but the performance suggested something more important: Mahopac isn’t shrinking from the challenge of rebuilding. They’re leaning into it.
Junior goalkeeper Brianna Savino’s booming clearances continued to serve as key transitional plays, but the Wolf Pac (0-1-1) simply couldn’t find the back of the net with any of their five shots on goal.
“Harrison is a very strong team, and this was a tough, competitive game for us,” Morgante said. “We’re in a transition right now. We lost some significant players from last year, including the Kelleher twins, who were powerhouses for us on both sides of the ball. You don’t simply replace that kind of experience and presence overnight. We’re asking new players to step into bigger roles, and part of my job right now is getting them comfortable and confident in those roles while we continue to build our identity as a team.
“Harrison is also a very high-pressure team,” the coach added. “And they exposed an area we know we need to continue working on: moving the ball quickly, especially through the middle of the field. When a team pressures you immediately, you don’t have much time to make decisions. We need to be quicker to recognize pressure, move the ball, and trust our first decision. That will continue to be a major focus for us.”
Meanwhile, the defense appears to be an area of strength early on; Mahopac has allowed just two goals through the first two games.
“Sophomore defender Brianna Lofaro never gave up for one second and has really stepped up for us this season,” Morgante said. “Senior defender Ella Biolchini has also been a tremendous presence defensively and brings a lot of composure and experience to the group. Both were asked to deal with a very aggressive Harrison attack, and they continued to battle throughout the game.”
The Harrison goal was what many coaches might call a “Hail Mary”—a strike from very far out that was extremely difficult for any goalkeeper to stop.
“Brianna Savino also came up big for us in goal and continued to battle and gave us a chance throughout the game,” Morgante said. “Now, we need to finish. We have girls who can strike the ball well and who have the ability to score from distance. We need them to believe in themselves enough to take those chances when they’re there.
“We can’t be afraid to take a shot. We need to be confident, be aggressive, and get the ball in the back of the net.”
Scheduling both Somers and Harrison to open the season suggests the Wolf Pac is up for the challenge as the team chases consecutive Class AA Final Four appearances.
“Facing two challenging teams back-to-back is not easy, but I wanted this schedule for us early in the season,” Morgante said. “Playing strong competition, regardless of the result, gives us valuable information about where we are and what we need to improve, especially during a transition year. I’d rather find those things out now and use them to get better. We’re not going to make excuses for a loss. We’re going to learn from it, get back to work, and get better. That’s the expectation.”
Mahopac was set to visit Carmel on Tuesday, Sept. 15, before hosting Fox Lane on Thursday, Sept. 17 (5 p.m.). The following week includes a trip to Hastings on Wednesday, Sept. 23 (5 p.m.) and another to John Jay-CR on Saturday, Sept. 26 (4 p.m.). The Wolf Pac will then close out the month on Monday, Sept. 28, at John Jay-EF (5:30 p.m.) and Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Peekskill’s Torpy Field (5 p.m.), thus ending a four-game road swing.
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