The Bethlehem entry in the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey league lost their final game of the season, an 8-4 defeat against Southern Lehigh, 6-5, In the league single-elimination playoff game.

It wasn’t about an agonizing loss in their final game. Instead, it was about how they got there.

The BASD (Bethlehem Area School District) team finished with an overall 8-4 record this season, a mark they may have not been able to achieve. But, they persevered through some rough spots, and now believe they can be a force in the Lehigh Valley Scholastic Hockey League (LVSHL).

The Southern Lehigh game certainly left some lingering effects.

“Our kids deserve a lot of credit,” said head coach John Snyder. “The game against Southern Lehigh was a hockey game to see. They played their hearts out.

“We worked our way to that point, and now we know what we can do as a team.”

Snyder sees the Bethlehem unit, which serves as the lone area outlet from the defunct Bethlehem Catholic, Freedom, and Liberty teams from the past, ready to take the next step.

“Our kids have bought into the system,” added Snyder. “This year, it was a lot of fun. It also has been gratifying to see how much progress they have made.

“We have about 85 percent of our kids from Freedom.”

Snyder pointed to Tyler Bertlesen, who led the team in scoring this past season with 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points. He was followed by Donovan Richards (12-12-24), Nick Montz (13-11), Ryan Hathaway (10-6-16), and Chris Fanning (5-9-14).

“Those guys made a difference,” said Snyder. “There are a few of them that play travel hockey, and that can make a difference.

“We managed to put together some good lines, and they were quite effective.”

Fanning - a Moravian Academy student – was a stalwart on defense, as Snyder described him as, “the best defenseman in the Lehigh Valley.” Thomas Piraparel and Stephen Gargollo also were strong on the back end.

In the nets, Eden Binder played in each game and posted a 3.85 goals against average.

“She hung in every game for us,” said Snyder. “At the end of the season, you could see that she made progress.”

Bethlehem set the pace for the season. They opened with a 6-6 tie with Southern Lehigh, and they reeled off four consecutive victories, two against Phillipsburg and one each against Parkland and Nazareth.

Down the stretch, Bethlehem won four of seven games, one a 7-3 triumph over Southern Lehigh.

Snyder also credited his coaching staff of E.J. Powers, Paul Fisher, and Shane Watson. Powers also is the team manager.

With interest building in the program, Snyder is optimistic about the future.

“We had a good year,” he stated. “We were a game away from getting to the finals. That was a real testament to this team.”