Bullets chasing first boys soccer playoff appearance in a decade

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

Brandywine Heights was one minute away last year. If the Bullets held their lead against Antietam, they would have won Berks IV and qualified for the county playoffs.

Then, suddenly, it was gone. Not just their division hopes, their season. They lost 2-1 in overtime and turned in their uniforms.

“That was tough,” coach Jason Miller said. “We were so close we could taste it.”

All of that pent-up disappointment was unleashed when those boys soccer teams collided again Saturday night. Brandywine blitzed Antietam 9-1 at Mertztown.

The Bullets took the inside track to the division title and showed that the playoffs are very much within reach.

“These kids were ready,” Miller said of the rematch. “There was no time for a big speech. I said, ‘If we play the way we have trained, we’re gonna win.’ They played very well.”

Brandywine (4-0, 6-2) already holds a two-game lead over Antietam in Berks IV. The Bullets are trying to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2011.

As the nine-goal outburst suggests, this is a dangerous attacking group. Brandywine leads the Berks League with 33 goals. Owen Lichtenwalner has six goals, Josh Sterner has five and Joe Crist has four.

There are only two seniors in the starting lineup: center-mid Spencer Miller, the coach’s nephew, and keeper Adam Lichtenwalner. Miller has four goals and four assists and is a team leader.

“He is possessed,” Jason Miller said. “This is his last chance and he knows it. I’ve got to give him all the credit in the world. He’s just all over the place.”

Miller, a Brandywine alum who has coached there for 12 seasons, moved into second place on the school’s all-time wins list with 79. Only Harry Kline has more. 

Two years ago, Miller made a decision to build for the future. The Bullets went 1-9 in league play with the hope that tomorrow could be brighter. Tomorrow is here.

“I started seven of these juniors when they were freshmen,” Miller said. “So we took our lumps. We got a little better last year. Now they have all this experience. It makes a big difference.”

Fleetwood flourishes: There aren’t many programs that could endure the graduation losses that hit Fleetwood and still succeed. All-State forward Hunter Smith was gone. So were All-Berks selections Adam Follweiler, Jeff Rosenberger and top scorer Danny Heebner.

Despite all of those departures, Fleetwood (5-0, 6-2) is alone in first place in Berks II. The Tigers own victories over Conrad Weiser, Daniel Boone and Exeter on the road.

Oscar Flores is Fleetwood’s top scorer with four goals and the defense has posted three shutouts in five league games. The Tigers face Reading High and Wilson this week. Some big-school tests are waiting.

Chasing Wyomissing: The first-place team in Berks III isn’t defending champ Oley Valley or Tulpehocken. It’s Wyomissing. The Spartans have reeled off four consecutive league wins.

Bennett Hopler has emerged as Wyomissing’s top scorer with eight goals. Antietam’s Christian Bowles (13), Reading’s Kevin Guzman (12) and Oley’s Danny Turchi (9) are the only league players ahead of Hopler.

Wyomissing has back-to-back showdowns this week: at Tulpehocken Monday and home against Brandywine Tuesday. The Spartans are undefeated at Flannery Field.