For the second consecutive year, Bethlehem Catholic won the Lehigh Valley Summer Soccer League Championship after defeating Jersey Dogs, 4-1, in the Girls Division final on July 19 on the Goodman Campus of Lehigh University.

“I wanted it for them,” said Becahi coach Brad Kratzer. “I wanted them to reach the success I know they can, and they did it. I’m really, really proud of this group.”

Coach Kratzer noted that it’s been an emotional couple of months for the Hawks with the unexpected passing of former teammate Gabby Amato in April, and Becahi senior Summer Hill said that the Hawks were dedicating the championship to Amato, who loved red, white, and blue, the colors of Beca’s summer jerseys.

Hill, a Lehigh University commit, scored three of Becahi’s goals, including one, shoeless, in the second half.

“I cut around a player and took a touch inside,” Hill said. “It actually took my shoe off when I shot it. And then I shot it barefoot and it went right under the goalie’s arms.”

Hill had two goals in the first half, and the Hawks led Jersey Dogs, 2-1, at the break.

“They scored on a one-on-one, and it went through my arm,” said Becahi sophomore goalie Sophia Arvelo. “They were coming in strong, doubling us, and going in wide. Our defense was good and marked the girls that needed to be marked.”

The Hawks’ fourth goal was on an own goal when Tallia Hill crossed the ball and Jersey’s center back tried to clear it.

Becahi defeated Palisades, 3-0, in the semifinal on July 17.

“Palisades is arguably one of the best teams we play, and first game we tied them, 1-1,” said Coach Kratzer. “The second game, our defense absolutely played perfect, and it enabled so many counterattacks and went through our whole rotation of girls and we were able to hold that one scoreless.”

The single elimination playoffs began on July 10 when Becahi defeated Saucon Valley in the quarterfinal.

“It’s been a choppy season, to say the least, because of summer vacations,” Kratzer said. “We haven’t had the time to get a full team together, including today. We’re missing a lot of our older girls and playing with a lot of sophomores and freshmen, but the seniors have shown great leadership in getting over the hump in some of these tougher games.”