Hannah Hurleman makes a big splash as Spartans win 2nd straight district crown

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

HERSHEY – Hannah Hurleman and her dad talked about it when she started ninth grade. A six-word question that was going to help shape the next eight years.

“What do you want to do?” Jason Hurleman asked.

Hannah didn’t deliberate long. She knew swimming was her No. 1 sport. She also knew that wasn’t the entire answer.

“I’m not giving up soccer no matter what,” Hurleman added. “There’s just something about it that’s always been part of me. I need that.”

Four seasons and 75 goals later, Hurleman has an athletic resume few can match.

Two of those goals came in the second half Saturday. Hurleman helped top-seeded Wyomissing defeat No. 2 Bishop McDevitt 3-1 in the District 3 Class 2A final at Hersheypark Stadium. The Spartans captured back-to-back district championships for the first time.

The fact that soccer is Hurleman’s second sport needs to be brought up occasionally because what she’s doing stretches the limits of believability. The best players in the county play year-round. That’s just how it works.

Hurleman plays some in the summer, when she can make time, and during the fall. That’s it. No club. No academy.

“She’s a very athletic individual and she’s very competitive,” Wyomissing coach Rachel Hoffman said. “When you put those two together, it doesn’t matter if it’s her first sport, second sport or fifth sport. She’s hungry to win, to compete and be at the top of every game she’s playing. That’s her.”

Hurleman has scored 33 goals this season, tied with Wilson’s Natalee Vicari for the league lead. That’s more goals than anyone in Berks has scored since Gov. Mifflin’s Emily Gingrich in 2012.

For the moment, let’s focus on No. 32. That made it 2-0 with 26:22 left in the second half. It was the game-winner and it was special for a different reason. It came from Izzy Marshall.

“Having that goal combination from one of my best friends, that’s a moment you really don’t forget,” Hurleman said. “Especially in a game like this.”

If someone wanted to pour over each minute of tape and figure out how many times Hurleman connected with Marshall, it’d be interesting to see that stat. Safe to say it’s a lot. 

Marshall took a long pass from Cadi Hoke, a fantastic ball in its own right, in the left side of the box. The wing could have taken a shot. Many players would have. Instead she understood she had a bad angle and Hurleman was open.

One second later the ball was in the net.

“I feel like I’ve made that pass so many times,” Marshall said. “That is what my position is. We were both in our spots. I was in the corner and she was in the middle. It was just about finishing.”

Marshall saw Hurleman this time. Many times she doesn’t. She either flips the ball into the box or to the far post to Molly Kuhn. Marshall passes to a location. She could do it blindfolded.

Sophia Zeppos delivered Wyomissing’s first goal early in the second half. It was No. 20 for the freshman. Hurleman’s second goal, No. 33, came with 9:38 left. That stretched the lead back to two and rescued the Spartans from any last-minute drama. 

One of the most underappreciated accomplishments in sports is winning when everyone expects it. Wyomissing (22-1) lived with those expectations for months. The Spartans were supposed to be district champs again. People said it like it was easy.

Wyomissing made it look easy. It never faced a deficit as it rolled through Camp Hill, Trinity and Bishop McDevitt by a combined 8-2.

Hoffman, one of the greatest athletes in school history, now has coaching achievements to match. She treated the final few minutes like it was a tie game instead of a two-goal lead. She’s always pushing even when her team is in control. That’s what greatness requires.

“When you’re at the top, that weight is on your shoulders,” Hoffman said. “You’re battling against every team. Every team wants to knock you off of the top. They did an amazing job. They kept their composure. They’ve stayed focused on their goals.”

Hurleman scored the golden goal when Wyomissing beat Northern Lebanon in overtime of last year’s final. With four minutes left in this title game, she turned to no one in particular and shouted, “C’mon, blue, we’re almost there.”

As if on cue, the players who were seated on the bench stood up and inched toward the sideline. A celebration was coming. It was almost time to charge the field.

Hurleman, who will swim at Arizona State, said she took a glance at her medal collection not long before she boarded the bus for Hershey. She has four individual golds in swimming. This is her third gold in soccer.  A county title and two district titles.

Of course she couldn’t quit soccer. How could she miss out on something like this?

“I’ve played with them since I was in U-9,” Hurleman said. “It’s so special. This is everyone I’ve grown up with. I consider soccer as family.”