Hamburg boys and girls keep Taylor Seitzinger Memorial soccer trophy at home
By Jason Guarente –MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent
One of the highlights of each Hamburg soccer season is the Taylor Seitzinger Memorial Tournament. It’s 16 games, varsity and JV, on one day.
The event pays tribute to a great Hamburg athlete. Seitzinger was a soccer, basketball and cross country standout who died from injuries suffered in a car accident during her senior year in 2009.
Chris Zalasky, Hamburg’s boys coach for 14 seasons, coached Seitzinger when the girls’ season was played in the spring.
“She was one of my top five competitive kids I ever coached — boys or girls,” Zalasky said. “It’s nice that we still have this going to keep her memory around.”
The tournament is a fundraiser for the scholarship that’s given out in Seitzinger’s name each school year. Saturday’s installment was special because both Hamburg’s boys and girls teams were victorious.
The Hamburg boys defeated Northern Lehigh 6-0 in the semifinals and Solanco 1-0 in the championship. Brandon Young scored three goals in the first game. Luke Bensinger had the game-winner five minutes into the second half of the final.
The Hawks girls knocked off Schuylkill Haven 5-1 and Northern Lehigh 2-1 on their way to the championship. Isabelle Wilkes scored four goals in the tournament.
Saturday also brought a milestone. Girls coach Mick O’Neil, who used to coach Kutztown’s boys, earned his 200th career win.
It was a fun day on Hawk Hill.
“Any time you can win your home tournament, that’s something that’s big for the boys,” Zalasky said. “That’s something they get up for.”
Wyo wakeup call: The only undefeated boys team in Berks III is not defending champ Oley Valley or top contender Tulpehocken. It’s Wyomissing.
The Spartans knocked off the Lynx Thursday after opening their league season with a win over Kutztown. It’s the second year in a row they’ve defeated Oley at Flannery Field.
Brandon Vargo, Bennett Hopler and Tyler Lentz have each scored four goals for Wyomissing (3-1), which has won three in a row after a season-opening loss to Biglerville.
Berks IV showdown: Brandywine Heights and Antietam square off at Mertztown Saturday night. Those two will likely battle it out for the Berks IV title. The Mounts defeated the Bullets on the final day of last season to win the division.
Antietam’s Christian Bowles is the league’s top goal scorer with 10 in five games. Bowles finished tied with Cameron Rowe and Aidan Negron for the scoring lead two years ago.
Golden goals: Fleetwood’s Oscar Flores and Wilson’s Luca Marchio delivered overtime goals last week. Flores’ finish lifted the Tigers over Conrad Weiser. Marchio’s tally helped the Bulldogs knock off Daniel Boone. Both games were 1-0.
Girls games to watch
Fleetwood at Daniel Boone: The two undefeated teams in Berks II will meet for the first time at Birdsboro Monday. Fleetwood (2-0, 3-1) looks like it’s ready to contend again. Leilah Sallee has a team-high five goals for the Tigers. Boone (1-0, 2-1) is the defending division champ. Lily Ferguson and Anna Buckwalter have scored three goals apiece.
Wilson at Gov. Mifflin: Wilson, Mifflin and Exeter are a combined 11-0. The Bulldogs take on each Berks I rival this week. They host Exeter Monday and travel to Shillington Wednesday. Natalee Vicari and Macy McDonough have each scored four goals for Wilson (1-0, 3-0). Mifflin (2-0, 4-0) has a balanced scoring attack led by Madison Rotkiske and Ellie Leffler with four goals each.
