No silver lining for Lynx after district title-game heartbreaker

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

HERSHEY – By the time you reach this point, there is no consolation. It doesn’t matter that it was an incredible shot. Or that a year ago no one expected Oley Valley to get here.

It’s gold or it’s heartbreak. The Lynx didn’t walk on the field thinking they were the No. 7 seed and should be happy to be here. They were the defending champs with a chip on their shoulders.

“They’re disappointed; I’m disappointed,” Oley coach Shawn Meals said. “We’ve raised the bar over the last few years. Once you raise the bar, the expectations get a little higher.”

Matt Sampsell scored 6:29 into overtime to lift top-seeded Lancaster Mennonite over Oley 1-0 in the District 3 Class 2A boys soccer final at Hersheypark Stadium Saturday.

A chance at another title disappeared as fast as a 30-yard rocket can hit the back of the net.

Oley Valley’s seniors have carried a burden through the past few months. Most don’t see it. Despite all the hardware they helped accumulate, including the previous two county championships, they felt overlooked. They were the team after the dream team.

“Growing up all we heard about was the year before us,” senior Ryan Beatty said. “Class of 2021. They’re doing so good. It never really was the Class of 2022. We wanted to put our class in the newspaper and to get the medals. It just didn’t happen.”

A 1-0 loss against Fleetwood in the Berks semifinals and one goal Saturday stood in the way.

About that goal . . .

Sampsell couldn’t hit a better strike if he took it another 10 times. Oley keeper Corbin Teeters couldn’t have made the save if someone told him where it was going. 

Some plays are perfect. Magical. It’s best when championships are decided that way.

“That’s a helluva shot,” Meals said. “A goal from 30 yards on a rope? It’s still a loss but it’s not a PK. It’s not a scrum in the box. It’s not a 50-50 ball or a keeper getting their fingers on it. It’s a good, solid shot.”

There was at least one moment Oley will relive and replay. If there’s video they may take another look and squint to see if the referee got it right.

Chase Reifsnyder was called offside before he rolled a shot inside the left post in the second half. It was a matter of inches. That’s the only other time the ball entered the net.

Last season was one of Oley’s most historic. Twelve seniors, four of whom were All-Berks selections, guided the Lynx to their first district championship since 1995. They lifted the trophy on their home field.

Those boys cast a shadow. These boys lived in that shadow.

“The whole goal of this year was to prove we were just as good as the senior class last year,” forward Anthony Witt said. “They weren’t the complete driving factor.”

Last season is really when that metaphorical bar was raised. Getting here, like Oley did in 2013 and 2017, and standing toe-to-toe with one of District 3’s giants isn’t enough. Meals said so after the game.

Here’s the thing. There’s no separating the Class of 2021 and 2022. There’s no banner without Witt, Danny Turchi, Josey Williamson, Nate Pufko and the rest. They’re part of the legacy. Always will be.

Oley defeated No. 2 Biglerville and No. 3 Boiling Springs in this tournament. Those teams combined to lose two games all season. What the Lynx failed to do was repeat. To win that last game. That’s a tough task. No public school has gone back-to-back in Class 2A since Elco in 2002-03.

Again, that’s no consolation.

About a minute after Sampsell ended it, with jubilant Mennonite players celebrating all around, Witt hugged junior Jack Williams and gave him some words of inspiration.

“I was telling him next year is their year,” Witt said. “They have to take this as a learning experience. It’s a great experience for them.”

Next year’s Oley seniors will try to match the Class of 2022. Those boys, even if they don’t know it yet, cast their own shadow.