Wilson takes out Tulpehocken to claim Berks crown

READING>> The Wilson Bulldogs have regained the swag.

One year after uncharacteristically finishing below .500, Wilson recaptured the Berks League championship Thursday night with a 3-0 win over Tulpehocken at Don Thomas Stadium at Exeter High School, completing a league campaign that saw them rise from the ashes of a rough season a year ago.

The Section 1 champs (18-3-0) became county champs again with a clinical effort against the Trojans (19-2-0), in handing Tulpy just its second setback.

Wilson attacked the pitch from the middle, the wings, anywhere there was open space, in one of the sharpest performances of its season to date. The Bulldogs did it with opportunistic execution — and didn’t have to really involve their back line while probing. A recessed back line proved to be an impediment to potential Tulpy counters, snuffing out most attempts.

Dan Gallagher, Christian Sload and Nathan Agentowicz found the net for the Bulldogs — who won their first league crown since 2013, but fourth of the past six seasons.

“We’re just telling the boys to find feet, stick to our game plan and things we’ve been doing that got us here,” Wilson head coach Moss Grande said. “In games like this, you’ve got to do what got you here and that’s what they did. You can’t make it bigger than what it is.

“We saw some things that we could take advantage of in practice that gave us a lot of room, a lot of real estate. These guys have been putting in the work all season and now they’re reaping the rewards. I’m proud of them.”

A key factor in Wilson’s success has been the emergence of junior goalie Josh Wertz, who recorded his 11th clean sheet Thursday in this, his first season as a starter.

“I just take every game like it was last,” Wertz said, “talking to my back line. From the beginning of the season to now, I feel like me and the guys have picked it up.  From coming off a losing season last year, just being able to be 18-3 and county champs again, it feels great.”

Wertz stopped all five shots he saw.

Wilson’s seemingly unending probes paid dividends when Gallagher slotted home a shot from six yards out off a pinpoint entry pass into the box from Caleb Wertz to beat Tulpy keeper Trent Johnson 8:44 into the contest.

The match stayed that way until Sload doubled Wilson’s advantage with 34:40 to play on a header from about eight yards out, off a lofted helper from Cole Snyder.

Agentowicz closed out the scoring with 7:22 left on a tap-in from Sload.

 

Berks League championship

at Exeter HS

Wilson 3, Tulpehocken 0

Tulpehocken –  0  0  — 0

Wilson –  1  2 —  2

First half

W- Dan Gallagher (Caleb Wertz), 31:16

Second half

W – Christian Sload (Cole Snyder), 34:40

W – Nathan Agentowicz (Sload), 7:22

Shots on goal

W 8, T 5

Corners

W 6, T 4

Saves

W (Josh Wertz) 5, T (Trent Johnson) 5