The rematch is set.
The 2021 BCIAA girls soccer championship game will feature the same two teams that met in the 2020 final as top-seeded Wilson will take on No. 2 seed Wyomissing Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Tulpehocken.
The Spartans beat the Bulldogs 1-0 for the 2020 championship and boast an experienced lineup that features seven seniors. For many of the players, the big stage will be nothing new.
“It’s so special for us because we’ve been playing together for almost our whole lives,” senior Hannah Hurleman said. “Making it to our second county championship (in) our last two years of high school, it really shows we grew up together, playing together.”
Wyomissing finished league play with a 10-0 record and is 19-0 overall. The Spartans defeated No. 7 seed Tulpehocken 2-0 in the Berks quarterfinals before beating sixth-seeded Fleetwood 8-3 in the semifinals.
Wyomissing’s high-powered offense has scored 94 goals this season, which ranks first in the county. The Spartans have scored at least five goals in eight of their last 10 matches.
“It’s really nice to see that at this point in the year, they’re really coming together,” Wyomissing coach Rachel Hoffman said. “They’re still finding each other and working together.”
Hurleman leads Wyomissing with 29 goals, and fellow senior Isabel Marshall is not far behind with 20 goals. While many of the Spartans played in last year’s final, this title game will have a little extra significance, according to Hurleman.
“We’ve been talking about this forever; it’s always been our goal,” she said. “It’s just even more special this year because there’s such a big group of us (seniors). Our team is super close, so we all really appreciate each other and respect each other.”
With eight seniors on the team, the Bulldogs do not lack any experience either. Wilson has played in each of the last four championship games, winning in 2018 and 2019.
The Bulldogs went 11-0 in league play and are 18-1-1 overall. Their only loss came at Central Bucks West in September, and their only tie came at Methacton on Oct. 2.
Wilson defeated eighth-seeded Kutztown 6-1 in the quarterfinals and shut out No. 5 seed Exeter 3-0 in the semifinals Tuesday night. Despite the win over the Eagles, Bulldogs coach Tim Fick said he believes his team got off to a slow start in the semifinal and will have to play better in the final to have success.
“That’s definitely not something we can do on Thursday and expect to compete with Wyomissing,” Fick said after Tuesday’s victory. “They’re the strongest offensive team in the league.”
The Bulldogs are led by seniors Natalee Vicari and Elizabeth Estrada, who’ve scored 29 and 13 goals this season, respectively. Wilson has allowed a league-best 15 goals and has scored 89, which is second to the Spartans.
“We got our work cut out for us,” Fick said. “It’s going to be a huge challenge.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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