Recent Grads Win Biggest-Ever Preston Hirten Tournament
Josh Berman’s slick side volley just 3 seconds into golden goal gave his team — mostly recent Staples graduates, called OLiving — their 1st-ever Preston Hirten Tournament win this morning, at Wakeman Field.
The event — which honors the memory of the 2007 star who died 2 years later of a heart ailment during pre-season training at the University of Mary Washington — drew a record 12 teams, and 130 players. They came from as far as Macon, Georgia. Teams also represented his 2006 Wrecker side; the 2001 Staples squad; Beachside (Hirten’s club team); Hirten’s extended family; the Staples girls varsity (who earned plenty of praise), and 7 teams with current or recent Staples grads.
In the finals, Stephen Rowland’s shot off a Berman header gave OLiving the early lead. Gabe Pensak equalized for the 2015 grads, before the match went into overtime.
The semis saw Dylan Middlebrook’s shot end the 2006 team’s run, while Michael Reid netted the winning penalty to lift the ’15 team into the championship match.
The OLiving winning team included Berman, Rowland, Middlebrook, Efe Elden, Ziggy Hallgarten, Teddy Lawrence and Daniel Reid.
Congratulations to the winners, all participants, and special thanks to tourney organizers Matt Lamb and Dave Sharpe, Preston’s teammates and longtime friends.
The winners (from left): Stephen Rowland, Teddy Lawrence, Daniel Reid, Ziggy Hallgarten, Josh Berman and Dylan Middlebrook. Missing: Efe Elden.
Recent grads and others. Front row: Kurt Dasbach, Jack Zeldes, Joel Collins. Rear: Griff O’Neill, Luca Cocito, Shane Dasbach, Phil Foisie.
Rising seniors. Front: Timmy Liles, Stephen Frost, Benji Malowitz. Rear: Matt Engler, Jake Didner, Chris Martenson, Will Birch.
Rising juniors: Rob Diorio, Lefty Penderakis, Andrew Marshall, Vaughan Sealey, Tom Messenger, Daniel Loughney, Wilson Daniels, Gabe Baltierra.
Rising sophomores: Lau ten Cate, Emerson Anvari, Callum Wisher, Drew Halperin, Sam Liles, Teddy O’Kane, Carter Bassler, Brendan Lynch, Colin Corneck, Pato Perez Elorza.
Mostly 2015 grads: Greg Shikowitz, Kenji Goto, Andrew Puchala, Patrick Beusse, Gabe Pensak, Michael Reid, Noah Schwaeber.
The mostly ’06 team: Ella Wynne, Craig Wolgast, Matt Sych, Brett Kaplan, Sean Soderstrom, Alex Gendell, Barry Beattie.
The mostly ’01 team. Front: Chris Meinke, Mike Carey, Jim Wolf. Rear: ?, Brandon Lamb, Zack Gross, Jordan Scher, Jason Alvarez, Matt Lamb.
The University of Mary Washington alumni team.
All 12 teams — a colorful group! (Photo/Laurie Gendell)
