Wilson wins over Daniel Boone in OT

UNION — The Wilson girls soccer team is accustomed to annually being at the top of the Berks Conference. The Daniel Boone girls soccer team is not.

After the upstart Blazers didn’t buy into history on Sept. 9 in a win over the Bulldogs, Boone junior Alayna Roesener knew what to expect from Thursday night’s return meeting.

“We knew ahead of time they were going to be out for blood,’ Roesener said. “We knew we had to play the same game we did before and push even harder.’

Another evenly-matched game broke out in the second matchup, going to double overtime before Bulldogs freshman Molly O’Shea knocked in the winning goal with 8:20 remaining to give Wilson a 2-1 victory over Daniel Boone in a showdown between the top two teams in Berks I.

The game went to overtime after the Bulldogs opened the scoring on senior Shannon O’Brien’s swerving effort from 20 yards out 25 minutes into the game. The Blazers answered before halftime when junior Kayleigh Kardos’ 25-yard strike bounced and skirted through the legs of the Wilson keeper on a slick night.

Neither team dominated the second half and overtime but Wilson was the one celebrating when junior Rachel Hafer popped the ball toward the edge of the area in the second overtime. Blazers keeper Makenzie Witzel came off her line and got to the high-bouncing ball but couldn’t cleanly corral the ball after a slight collision in the scramble. The ball fell to the ground and O’Shea hit it into the open goal.

“We knew we had to win this game, especially after losing the last game (to Daniel Boone),’ Wilson senior defender Leanne Davis said. “We knew this was going to set up winning the division if we can win the rest of our games so it meant a lot to us.’

Wilson (6-1, 10-2), which shut out four straight opponents entering Thursday, is targeting a return trip to the county final after falling to Conrad Weiser in overtime in 2013.

“We know we have to win counties,’ Davis said. “It’s been three years in a row we’ve lost (in the final) so that’s our main goal now.’

The Blazers may not be used to such deep playoff runs, but they certainly aren’t playing like it, even after suffering their first Berks loss of the year, dropping to 5-1 and 8-3 overall.

“It’s just one loss. We’re still up there at the top (of the standings),’ Roesener said. “We’re tied with them now and we’re looking forward to playing them again in counties.’

Daniel Boone is always tough defensively, but in 2014 the goals have come — namely from Kardos and freshman Madison Spitko — and fourth-year coach John Pantone is more than pleased.

“Beginning of the season, my goal was to split the games with Wilson. I’d have been happy. I thought we’d win here and lose there but we won there and lost here,’ he said. “So I’m completely happy with the girls. They’re a little disappointed but I’m so proud of them and they should be proud of themselves.’

The Blazers defense of Roesener, sophomore sweeper Miranda Majewski and outside backs Gianna Walker and Karissa Zechman impressed, but were matched by Wilson counterparts Davis, O’Brien, Jo Rice and Chloe Stump.

Knowing the stakes and what to expect from an improved Blazers team was a factor, according to Davis.

“We had a lot more energy. Not that we underestimated them (the first game), but we came out with more energy this time. We knew that we needed a result,’ she said.

After topping the Bulldogs in the first match and pushing them to double overtime in the second meeting, Daniel Boone has placed itself in the conversation of Berks contenders.

“We went from a team that didn’t have a culture of winning and I think the girls now are believing in themselves and they are certainly playing like it,’ Pantone said. “We’re on an upswing.’

NOTES

Daniel Boone led in corners, 5-3. … Boone keeper Witzel made five saves to four for Wilson’s Adrianna Swinehart.