By Doug La Rocque
Earlier in the season the Doane Stuart Thunder Chickens (yes, Thunder Chickens) were identified by Berlin Coach Art Schmich as one of the teams he thought might provide their toughest league competition. [private]But this past week all the lightning and thunder came from the Mountaineers, as Ryan Willis scored three times and Sam Mikit was perfect in the Berlin net to lead their team to a 5-0 victory. Willis scored on a penalty kick in the first minute of the game, and he and Ioann Popov would each tally later in the first half as Berlin built a 3-0 lead at the break. Coach Schmich said his team’s passing was much improved in the second half as Willis and Tyler Kellar would score, each also picking up an assist as did Addison Colon. Keeper Mikit ended up with 13 saves while posting the shutout. The win keeps Berlin in the early lead in the Central Hudson Valley League with a 2-0 record. A non-league game later in the week against the Salem Generals saw Berlin’s scoring pick up right where it left off. Coach Schmich had high praise for defenders Seiji Akera and Nick Tripepi. Goalkeeper Sam Mikit posted another 7 saves, and Mike Zlotnick had one more in the 6-0 Berlin win. The Mountaineers strikers continued to pile up the goal count, with Ryan Willis netting three and an assist, Ioann Popov scoring two goals and one assist, and Tyler Kellar putting in one goal and picking up two assists.
Berlin Girls Post Two League Wins Behind The Scoring Of Pietrzak And The Goalkeeping Of Maxon Jewel Pietrzak continues to tear up the CHVL defenders, netting five more goals in a 7-2 win over the New Lebanon Tigers. Gabby Mazzeo had the Lady Mountaineers’ other two scores. Doane Stuart’s Thunder Chickens had no answers for Berlin’s scoring champion either, as Pietrzak scored all four goals in the 4-1 win. Coach Fleda Berschwinger had high praise for her Keeper Haley Maxon, who recorded 21 saves in the game. Monday night Berlin crossed the border to take on the Wildcats of Lee, Massachusetts. They fell to Lee by a 3-1 score, with Pietrzak netting Berlin’s only goal. Berschwinger said the game could have got out of hand if not for the efforts of Maxon in the net, crediting her with several key saves. Berschwinger likes the way her team is coming together, especially on defense, but worries that all the scoring load is falling on Pietrzak. She said they have to find ways to get some of the other strikers on the score sheet as well.[/private]