The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
A goal short, Wood still proud of effort
HERSHEY » Dom Petruzzelli lifted the PIAA Class 3A runner-up trophy high with his teammates gathered around him.
“We earned this,” the Archbishop Wood senior captain said.
Sure, he and the rest of the Vikings would have much rather been lifting the state championship trophy Hampton was getting on the other side of the field, but Petruzzelli was right.
After playing just four games in 2020 and getting shocked in the quarterfinals of the PCL playoffs as the No. 2 seed, the Vikings put all their energy on winning the program’s first state title. They got to Hershey for just the second time in program history but an old foe in the Talbots prevented the final step, as the District 7 champions edged Wood 1-0 Saturday night at HersheyPark Stadium.
“We would have liked to win, but I’m proud of myself, my boys, my other captains and especially my seniors,” Petruzzelli said. “All 10, they’re my brothers for life. They’re my guys to the end and it’s an experience I will never forget.”
The 2020 season took a lot from a lot of teams across the state. For Wood, their entire season essentially came down to the outcome of one single match and when they lost, any hope of the postseason was gone with it.
That seemed to motivate the group all fall as they powered through a tough schedule and ascended all the way to the No. 2 seed in the PCL standings heading into the playoffs. Instead of making a run at another Catholic League title, the Vikings were ousted by No. 7 Lansdale Catholic and again left to pick up the pieces.
It served as more fuel, first sending the team to a District 12 title then on its run to Hershey.
“That LC game was such a disappointment considering we were the second seed and had all the momentum going into playoffs,” senior Lou Daniele said. “It hurt, it shocked us and it was a wakeup call but it allowed us to have a great state run. We brought the energy to every practice and game and that’s really all I could ask for from my teammates.”