Lopez, Kirchner Named Athletes of the Week

One month into the fall season, this week’s iBerkshires.com/Bedard Bros. Athletes of the Week have led their teams to perfect starts.

 

Mount Greylock sophomore Brenna Lopez has been perfect in her own right, going 4-for-4 at the front of the pack in four cross country races this season.

 

She leads a strong pack of Mounties that has gone 9-0 in dual meet competitions with two midweek meets left on the varsity schedule.

 

Last week, she finished 22 seconds ahead of the field at a four-team meet at Monument Mountain, the same course where she won by 47 seconds against all of the Berkshire County teams in the season opener back on Sept. 9.

 

This Wednesday, the Mounties run their only home meet of the fall, hosting Monument Mountain, Taconic and Wahconah. Mount Greylock then is scheduled to head east to compete in the Twilight Invitational on Cape Cod on Saturday.

 

The only unbeaten Berkshire County football team midway through the eight-game regular season is the same team that was perfect last fall before falling in the state semi-finals.

 

And the same quarterback is back under center and back in our weekly honor roll.

 

David Kirchner was masterful in a 50-6 road win on Friday as Lee played without one of its top offensive weapons.

 

Kirchner completed five of seven pass attempts for 146 yards and four touchdowns, including a 71-yard strike down the left side late in the first half to Bryce Hoff, another strong candidate for the AOTW after rushing for 104 yards and two TDs and going over 100 yards with a TD as a receiver.

 

Kirchner’s numbers, meanwhile, equate to a passer rating of 153.27. In the NFL, the “perfect” passer rating is 158.3.

 

“He executed really, really well,” Lee coach Tom Salinetti said of Kirchner. “That long touchdown to Bryce [Hoff] there, we saw it [earlier] and came back to it. And [Kirchner] knew it right off. We ran that one earlier, no one went with the wheel [route], and he was like, ‘Oh, shoot. I know the coverage. I know one’s going to be on that.’ And we came back, and he threw a really good ball.

 

“And then the other ones, he’s been executing those quick passes very well.”

 

Lee (4-0) will look to continue its strong execution on Friday when it hosts Hoosac Valley.

 

The iBerkshires.com Athlete of the Week is sponsored by Bedard Bros.