Old Tappan secured the North 1, Group 3 girls soccer title on Nov. 13 with a 4-1 victory over Ramapo.
The Golden Knights improved to a 16-4-1 record and claimed their first sectional championship since 2022, according to Yahoo Sports.
Sophomore Elena Pothos, who recently committed to Rutgers, recorded a hat trick to lead the offensive effort.
Pothos opened the scoring three minutes into the match by converting a penalty kick.
Reflecting on the opening goal, Pothos noted that the shot went closer to the middle than she intended, as reported by NorthJersey.com.
Ramapo briefly tied the match with a goal from Cameron McKee, but Old Tappan regained control as the game progressed.
Pothos added a second goal five minutes into the second half to break the tie.
Freshman defender Ella Candullo extended the lead with a long-range shot from 40 yards out with roughly 10 minutes remaining.
Candullo explained that she decided to chip the keeper because she observed her playing high, per the Yahoo Sports report.
Pothos sealed the win with her third goal of the day, bringing her season total to 31 goals.
Head coach Maia Levenshus praised the team for their resilience during the high-pressure match.
Levenshus remarked that she is incredibly proud of the group, noting that it was her first sectional title as a head coach, according to NorthJersey.com.
The victory marks the second time this season that Old Tappan has defeated Ramapo, following a previous win in the Bergen County Tournament.
Looking ahead, the Golden Knights are scheduled to play at Chatham on Nov. 17 in the Group 3 semifinals.
Pothos emphasized that the team set specific goals at the start of the season, including winning the league and the sectional title, as reported by the outlets.