Wreckers Look Sharp In Preston Hirten Tourney
The Staples-based team ran up a 2-1-1 record against stiff competition in today’s 4th annual Preston Hirten 7-v-7 Tournament.
The event — held under a broiling sun at Wakeman Park — brought together a record 11 teams. All played in honor of Preston Hirten ’07, the former Staples star who died in 2009 during pre-season training at the University of Mary Washington.
Players came from across the country. Two teams represented UMW. There were also players from Preston’s 2006 Staples squad, his club teams, and his family. The youngest player — Patrick Donovan — is the son of Dan Donovan ’82.
The Staples squad — Foster Goldberg, Kenji Goto, Charlie Leonard, Jordan McNair, Gabe Pensak, Andrew Puchala, Michael Reid, Noah Schwaeber and Jack Scott — opened with a 0-0 draw. They topped the Staples ’06 team 3-1, thrashed a Fairfield Ludlowe-based side 6-1, then fell 1-0 to eventual tournament champion UMW 1-0. Guest keeper Adam Liu ’09 stymied Staples with a great save at the end of that match. Had the high schoolers drawn, they would have advanced to the semis.
The tournament — and other weekend events — were made possible by the hard work of Matt Lamb ’07 and Dave Sharpe ’07; the Hirten, Gendell, Lamb and Sharpe families; Stuart McCarthy and Westport Parks & Rec, and many others. The tournament also included a used soccer gear drive for Goals4Ghana — an organization Preston worked with and loved.
The 11 teams in the 2013 Preston Hirten Tournament.
