Patella, Sniezek Are Season's First Athletes of the Week

This week's iBerkshires.com/Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Athletes of the Week helped their respective teams to 2-0 starts to open the season.

 

The defending Western Massachusetts Division 2 champion Hoosac Valley Hurricanes survived a couple of tough early tests, and defending Western Mass D2 medalist Henry Sniezek is a big reason why.

 

The 'Canes defended their home course against a pair of contenders: 2018 D3 qualifier Lenox and 2018 D2 qualifier Mount Greylock.

 

Sniezek earned medalist honors in both opening matches, carding a 37 in a two-stroke team win over the Millionaires and a doing one better two days later: a 36 to lead Hoosac past Berkshire County North rival Mount Greylock.

 

It was a North-South crossover event to open the fall for the Lenox girls soccer team, and the 2018 Western Mass D4 finalists survived a furious second-half comeback by Pittsfield under the lights at BCC to take a 1-0 win.

 

Sophomore keeper Sophie Patella needed to make every one of the 17 saves she collected to preserve the victory.

 

Two days later, her offense gave her twice as much support, but two goals was not much of a margin against a game Mount Everett side. This time, Patella stopped five shots as she and the Lenox defense extended their shutout streak to 160 minutes to start the year.

 

The Millionaires will put that streak on the line -- and go back to BCC's Gene Dellea Field -- on Monday against Taconic.

 

Sniezek and the Hoosac Valley golfers are on the road Tuesday at the Patriot Classic at Mount Anthony Country Club in Bennington, Vt.

 

The iBerkshires.com Athlete of the Week is sponsored by Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.