Wilson’s reign over Berks County boys lacrosse shows no signs of slowing down. The Bulldogs claimed their 14th consecutive county championship on Tuesday night, defeating Twin Valley 9-3 at Alvernia University in a dominant performance that capped a girls/boys doubleheader.
This victory marks the third straight year Wilson has topped Twin Valley in the county title game, further cementing a rivalry that continues to intensify.
“They’re different every year because the journey is always different, and it’s a different group of kids working to get here,” Bulldogs coach Ryan Sheaffer said. “I certainly respect the heck out of Twin Valley and their program. They’re well coached and a really worthy opponent. It’s been great because we’ve really developed a little bit of a rivalry with those guys.”
Sheaffer emphasized the importance of the county title as a season-opening benchmark. “The guys take this really seriously. This is really important to us. We talk about it at the start of the year. It’s one of our very first goals. It starts with this one. We want to win some more, but it always starts with this one.”
The Bulldogs (16-3) entered the night with something to prove after falling to Twin Valley 8-5 on April 7. This time, they left no doubt.
Senior midfielder Luke Azzanesi ignited the offense with a first-half hat trick, while Beckett Redner added two goals. Harrison Moyer was a playmaking force, contributing one goal and three assists, and Ian Miller chipped in with a goal and an assist. At the faceoff X, Alex Crouse dominated, winning 11 of 16 draws and scoring a goal of his own.
“It means a lot,” Azzanesi said. “We lost to them earlier in the season, and it just meant the absolute world to these guys. We did this for the other 13 teams that have won this thing. They deserve to keep this streak alive. We deserve it, and it was for them.”
Defensively, goalkeeper Ethan Harding was a wall, making 12 saves to erase numerous Raiders scoring chances and keep Twin Valley off balance all night.
“Always play hard all the way through,” Harding said. “My boys have my back. Trust your teammates, knowing where the shots come from, and putting me in a good position to keep making saves.”
Twin Valley (16-3), which hadn’t been held under five goals all season, struggled to find its rhythm. Outside of two goals from Drew Engle—who scored the first goal in each half—the Raiders’ offense was smothered by Wilson’s relentless defense.
Compounding the challenge for the top-seeded Raiders was the absence of Colin Gallagher, a Marquette commit and the team’s second-leading scorer, who was sidelined with an illness.
Sheaffer and the Bulldogs learned of Gallagher’s unavailability upon arriving at Alvernia. “It’s a shame,” Sheaffer said. “Colin is a great player. I would have loved to see him out there tonight.”
With the county crown secured, Wilson now sets its sights on the next challenge, carrying a legacy of excellence that shows no signs of fading.