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by Philip E. Repko*
The 2021 season for Boyertown Boys’ Soccer was rife with success. Coach Matt Danner and his program maximized the abilities of the 2021 Player of the Year, Beckett Wenger, an elite talent who helped the Bears to the Liberty Division title and a narrow loss in the PAC Championship.
Naturally, replacing an All-State and All-Region player, especially one who was a dynamic goal scorer, can be a daunting task. However, Coach Matt Danner (3rd year) and his staff-- Matt Eisenhard and Dave D’Aiello-- are hoping to capitalize on some young talent and reinforcement in messaging.
Coach Danner learned recently that the Boyertown Boys’ Soccer program actually originated almost 100 years ago, before being supplanted by a football program shortly thereafter. In addition, the program has plans to emphasize a motto that they hope will make the upcoming season a success. That motto, “Labora et Vince” has been part of the Boyertown Area Senior High for more than that same 100 years, but the Boys’ Soccer Program is convinced that reinforcement of the message, “Success through Hard Work,” will make a difference.
First on the to-do list for Coach Danner and company is finding a way to replace the scoring provided by Wenger. Returnees Adam Becker, Elijah Kaba-Emedoh, Brady Albanese, and sophomore Chase Bartman may well be up to the task, but Coach Danner believes the biggest challenge will be for these players to come together and through synergy of sorts, develop into a strong unit.
Seniors Mason Lorah and Nate Seip, as well as Macade Knoblauch, will be counted on for leadership and talent on the defensive end of the field. Hopefully, that leadership will also translate into rapid growth for the prospective goalie, either Bruce Sztuba or Brayden Risser.
Coach Danner expects Owen J. Roberts and Spring-Ford to remain strong and worthy contenders, but he also plans to keep an eye on the talented Perk Valley and Methacton teams.
As always, the challenge for the fall soccer season is to overcome a short training camp and limited time to help new teammates jell with one another. However, if hard work leads inexorably to success, the Bears will unite behind a common belief that together they can achieve to a degree that exceeds their individual abilities.
Camp opens Aug. 15, and regular season play begins with the Bears hosting Faith Christian Academy Aug. 30 at 3:45 pm. The squad will quickly see if hard work can indeed lead to victory.
[Students in above photos: #25- Chase Bartman; #10- Adam Becker; team.]
[Photos courtesy of Boyertown Athletics/Sue Begany; Ross Smith, athletic leader]
[*Phillip E. Repko is a BASH '79 alum and while in high school served as sports editor of The Cub student newspaper.]
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