Metro Conference CHAMPS!

Mikey Berkman sets new school record with 111 points in a season!

The Warriors secured its third West Metro Conference title in school history, first since 2013, with their 16-6 victory at district rival Apopka on Wednesday night. The win also earned the Warriors the No. 1 seed in the district tournament for the sixth-straight season.

The victory, West Orange’s 13^th in as many games, was highlighted by two more record-breaking performances by senior midfielder Zach Malaussena and junior attackman Mikey Berkman. Zach’s nine face-off wins brought his season total to 195, good enough to break his own school record of 192 wins set his sophomore year.

Mikey’s five goals and two assists landed him at the apex of individual-season performances in WO school history. The Syracuse commit now owns the school record for points in a season with 111 (41g/70a) with four regular season games remaining before post-season play. He surpassed Alec Benkovich’s 2012 record of 109 points. Additionally, Mikey becomes only the second player in school history to reach the 40/40 Club, joining Benkovich who reach the mark twice (2011 & 2012).

The Warriors offense was once again bolstered by a strong defensive performance with all defensemen, short stick and long, combining for a total of 17 caused turnovers. Senior pole Jake Fromberg and sophomore pole Robert Luette each had four CTs followed by senior Alex Kouchalakos’ three CTs.

Other leading scorers for Warriors included midfielders Daniel Luette, a senior, who had two goals and three assists accompanied by junior Nick Witten’s one goal and three assists. Senior attackman Liam Mueller and sophomore midfielder Matty Nastasi each contributed two goals and an assist. Senior middie Justin Bittenbender rounded out the multiple-point scoring performances with two goals.

The Warriors will now look toward keeping their school-record 13-game winning streak intact with two games over Spring Break. The Warriors will host West Boca on Wednesday at 5pm. They will then travel to the Lake County Soccer Complex on Friday to play Ohio’s Hawken School at 1pm.

STATS

Goals: Berkman (5); Luette, Daniel (2); Bittenbender (2); Mueller, Liam (2); Nastasi (2); Burdon (1); Ross (1); Witten (1);

Assists: Luette, Daniel (3); Witten (3); Berkman (2); Mueller, Liam (1); Dyer (1); Nastasi (1)

Ground Balls: Luette, Daniel (9); Luette, Robert (5); Berkman (4); Hoover (4); Fromberg (3); Malaussena, Zach (3); Ross (3); Witten (3); Finch (3); Ross (3); 10 players with two or fewer

Caused Turnovers:  Fromberg (4); Luette, Robert (4); Luette, Daniel (2); Kouchalakos (3); Hoover (3); Mueller, Liam (2); 8 players with one

Face-Offs: Malaussena, Zach (9/10); Hoover (9/16);

Saves: Malaussena, Sam (8)