Wyomissing tops Tulpy, takes first key step toward coveted Berks boys soccer crown

By Jason Guarente — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

Tyler Lentz looked at the scoreboard and clapped a few times the moment the clock reached zero. Step 1, a division championship, was complete.

Where it goes from here is an open question. The upcoming Berks boys soccer tournament is the most unpredictable in recent memory.

Anyone can win. No one is playing better than the Berks III champs.

Wyomissing held off Tulpehocken 1-0 in a battle for first place at Flannery Field Tuesday. It was the Spartans’ seventh consecutive victory and they’re hoping for more.

“We have very distinct goals we can build on,” Lentz said. “Division, county, districts, states. This is the first. Winning this will bring a lot of momentum for our county game.”

Wyomissing (10-1-1, 13-3-1) should be one of the top seeds when the BCIAA quarterfinals open Saturday. The Spartans have been knocking on the gold medal door for years. They lost in the Berks final in 2014 and 2017.

Lentz is the centerpiece of this lineup. He plays in the midfield, wears the captain’s band, creates opportunities for his teammates and cancels them out for his opponent.

“He really brings everything,” Wyo coach Eric Miller said. “He’s phenomenal on the ball. He talks. He leads. He’s dangerous but at the same time he’s a great defender. He’s the cog that makes us go. Without question.”

Brandon Vargo scored his 11th goal on Lentz’s 11th assist early in the first half. Tulpehocken chased the equalizer for 70 minutes and never found it. The Trojans had five corners in a short stretch of the second half that weren’t converted.

Vargo is another jack-of-all-trades kind of player. He spent most of this matchup at striker but is equally comfortable in the defensive midfield.

Lentz and Vargo are a good pairing. They found instant chemistry when Lentz joined the high school team as a freshman after playing Pa. Classics Academy when he was younger.

“Tyler does a really good job of working it around from that center spot,” Vargo said. “Finding people down the lines. One of our biggest strengths is Tyler driving up the field and us playing 1-2s. I think it’s been working for us this year.”

Wyomissing’s only league blemishes are a scoreless draw against Tulpehocken and a loss to Brandywine Heights in a 24-hour span last month. Vargo missed those games because of injury.

Tulpehocken (8-2-2, 12-3-2) has its own playoff ambitions. The Trojans were ranked second behind Camp Hill in District 3 Class 1A entering play Tuesday. They’ve allowed seven goals in 17 games and will be a threat in the county tournament.

Bennett Hopler has 10 goals and Caleb Taylor has seven for Wyomissing. Demetrios Scantzos and Aidan Sharkey are strong in the center of the defense in front of keeper Aleko Zeppos.

Lentz has seven goals along with being one of just three league players with double-digit assists. He spent the final minutes playing defensive mid.

“It shows the kind of kid he is,” Miller said. “He’s not looking for stats. He wants to move back if we think that’s the best thing to do. Because he wants to win. He wants what’s best for the team.”

Wyomissing is pursuing its first Berks championship since 1994. Unlike previous years, there are no giants in the field.

Maybe the Spartans are ready to take that next step.

“We’ve had lots of skilled teams,” Lentz said. “Now we’re seniors. I think this senior class is really special. It’s definitely a realistic goal for us. We have a shot at winning it this year.”