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Wilson dominates in win over Exeter to secure 11th straight Berks Boys Lacrosse League championship

It was just another day at the office for Wilson boys lacrosse team Thursday night.

The Bulldogs won controllingly 14-1 over Exeter at at Albright College to claim their 11th straight Berks Boys Lacrosse League championship.

“They always feel good,” Wilson coach Ryan Sheaffer said. “Each year it’s a different group of kids and they all have different gifts and strengths and they all work really hard. So every year you feel really good for the group of kids that get a chance to win it and lift the trophy. Always feels good and we never take it for granted.”

The top-seeded Bulldogs (17-3) have won 140 consecutive games against league opponents.

The Wilson Bulldogs pose with the trophy after beating Exeter to win the Berks Boys Lacrosse League championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH - READING EAGLE)
The Wilson Bulldogs pose with the trophy after beating Exeter to win the Berks Boys Lacrosse League championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)

Wilson got off to a quick start, getting its first goal from Cohen Renninger off an assist from Brady Rigdon within the first two minutes.

Seamus Breslin scored his first of four goals with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter.

Wilson's Seamus Breslin fires in a score against Exeter during the Berks County Boys' Lacrosse Championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH - READING EAGLE)
Wilson’s Seamus Breslin fires in a score against Exeter during the Berks County Boys’ Lacrosse Championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)

“We’re just doing the things we know how to do,” Breslin said on how he and his team felt coming into the game. “We take care of business at practice and it translates on the field. Taking care of the little details and working hard as a team in a setting when there’s no competition means everything when there is competition.”

Third-seeded Exeter (12-7) got its lone goal when Ty Yonas, the league’s leading goal scorer, scored with 3:23 left in the first. Yonas finished this season with 102 goals and 27 assists and his career with a league-record 239 goals and 91 assists. He finished second all-time in the BCIAA in points with 330; Connor Howell, a 2015 Wilson grad, holds the record with 353 points.

The Bulldogs blew it open in the second quarter, getting six goals from five players, including two from Breslin. Breslin’s final goal came with just seven seconds remaining in the half.

“Seamus has been unbelievable this year,” Sheaffer said. “He’s really become the quarterback of our offense. … He organizes us and tells the guys where to go and where to be. And he can score in a variety of ways, which you saw tonight.”

In the third quarter, the Bulldogs scored three goals — one each from Spencer Thenga, Jack Dendall and Breslin — within a two-minute span.

Wilson's Spencer Thenga shoots and scores for the Bulldogs against Exeter during the Berks County Boys' Lacrosse Championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH - READING EAGLE)
Wilson’s Spencer Thenga shoots and scores for the Bulldogs against Exeter during the Berks County Boys’ Lacrosse Championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)

Wilson kept up its hounding defense until the last whistle, not allowing Exeter to get close to another goal.

Wilson goalie Zach Weitzel defends against an attack by Exeter's Ty Yonas during the Berks County Boys' Lacrosse Championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH - READING EAGLE)
Wilson goalie Zach Weitzel defends against an attack by Exeter’s Ty Yonas during the Berks County Boys’ Lacrosse Championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)

The Bulldogs scored three more goals in the fourth.

For Wilson, Renninger finished with three goals and Dendall had two goals and one assist.

Wilson's Jack Dendall shoots and scores against Exeter during the Berks County Boys' Lacrosse Championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH - READING EAGLE)
Wilson’s Jack Dendall shoots and scores against Exeter during the Berks County Boys’ Lacrosse Championship Thursday at Albright College. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)

This loss concluded the Eagles’ season as they did not qualify for District 3 play.

“I think it went well,” Exeter’s Derek Stump said about his first season as head coach. “I was hired and we had really, really low numbers to the point where we were looking at not being able to form a team. … I think all things considered it was a very good season but more motivation to keep grinding and be better in the future.”

Shaeffer and Breslin each shared similar thoughts on the upcoming district playoffs. The Bulldogs earned the fourth seed in Class 3A and a first-round bye. They will host the winner of the first-round game between No. 5 Hempfield and No. 12 Conestoga Valley in a quarterfinal on Thursday, May 25, at 7 p.m.

“We feel great,” Shaeffer said. “We feel like we’re playing really good. We feel like we’ve got a lot of confidence right now. I like this group. I will put this team up against anybody. We will play anybody, anywhere and we’re going to get our chance in districts.”

“We’re excited,” Breslin said. “We know where we sit in the seeding and the rankings, but none of that really matters to us anymore. We’re excited to go get a home game and then go on from there and see what kind of damage can be done in districts. Hopefully a district title.”


Source: Berkshire mont

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