Lady Raiders win Class AA soccer title
Darnell Graham
Darnell Graham Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Bailey Fudala (26) manages to kick ball before Freedom鈥檚 Cora Mankevich (16) can defend the play during Saturday鈥檚 WPIAL Class AA girls soccer championship game at Highmark Stadium.
Darnell Graham
Members of the Waynesburg Central girls soccer team pose with their gold medals and the WPIAL Class AA trophy after defeating Freedom, 4-2, Saturday at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Waynesburg Central's Kylie Sinn (16) and Freedom's Taylor Greene (11) battle for control of the ball during the WPIAL Class AA girls soccer championship Saturday at Highmark Stadium. The Lady Raiders defeated Freedom, 4-2.
PITTSBURGH 鈥� When senior Madison Clayton was in seventh grade, her coach back then and current girls varsity soccer coach Joe Kijowski predicted Waynesburg Central would win a WPIAL title in her senior year.
Six years later that prediction came true, as the Lady Raiders defeated Freedom, 4-2, Saturday afternoon at Highmark Stadium in the WPIAL Class AA soccer championship.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 even describe what鈥檚 going through my head,鈥� said Clayton, who attends Jefferson-Morgan who plays at Waynesburg through a co-op program. 鈥淗olding this trophy and having this medal around my neck, I just don鈥檛 know what to say. I love my team and this is such an honor to win this. We just knew we were capable of winning it this year. It鈥檚 so unreal.鈥�
With the score tied at 1-1 early in the second half, Waynesburg tallied the next three goals to win the school鈥檚 first-ever soccer title and its ninth WPIAL team championship overall.
鈥淚t was just a gut feeling,鈥� said Kijowski when referring to the conversion he had with Clayton about winning a WPIAL title a number of years ago. 鈥淚 knew we would have the talent and the hope was that these kids would stick together. It was my first year ever as coach, but I just knew we had the kids to win it.
鈥淭hey have put in a lot of work. These kids train their butts off in the summer and they work at this game during the offseason so much. I鈥檓 truly blessed to have so many great kids. They are a joy to coach and I can鈥檛 wait to see what they are capable of the next two weeks.鈥�
Waynesburg will celebrate its WPIAL crown for a couple of more days before starting the PIAA playoffs on Tuesday against District 10 runner-up Harbor Creek at Seneca Valley High School at 6 p.m. Harbor Creek lost to Mercyhurst Prep, 3-1, in the District 10 final.
鈥淲e knew we could get this done today,鈥� senior defender Elle Hampson said. 鈥淲e have so many good people around us, telling us that we are capable to winning a WPIAL title. It was our goal to win and I can鈥檛 even describe this feeling.鈥�
In a defensive-minded first half, the Lady Raiders (19-1) lead 1-0 at halftime after a goal by freshman Rhea Kijowski at the 24:59 mark.
鈥淭hey were playing me pretty close in the box and I just tried to get the best shot I could on net,鈥� Rhea Kijowski said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 score if you don鈥檛 shoot. It was so huge to get that first goal and to play with the lead. We battled the whole game and we never backed down against them.鈥�
Two minutes into the second half the Lady Bulldogs (19-1) deadlocked the match at 1-1 after a goal by junior Alexis Barlamas.
Waynesburg responded two minutes later, moving into the lead for good with a goal off the foot of sophomore Jillian Kijowski at 36:04.
The Lady Raiders extended its lead to 3-1 after a marker by sophomore Kylie Sinn.
鈥淲e have so much grit and character,鈥� coach Kijowski said. 鈥淎ll of these kids come from great families and are such good kids. It was a little tight in the first half, but once we started to get those goals in the second half the game opened us. Not a lot of teams are going to outscore us.鈥�
After having some quality scoring chances earlier in the game, Clayton finally cashed in and buried her WPIAL-leading 55th goal of the season at 13:52.
鈥淚 was getting a little bit frustrated before my goal,鈥� Clayton said. 鈥淚 was getting some good chances, but I was missing them. My teammates told me not to think about it and to play on. We are such a close team and we never get down on each other. I knew I had to get a goal today.鈥�
After Freedom, the defending Class AA champion, registered a goal at 4:57 by senior Lyndsee Monac, the veteran Waynesburg defense stiffened and held onto to secure the title.
鈥淔reedom is the best team we faced all year,鈥� Hampson said. 鈥淭hey have a lot of speed and we were confident we could hold them in check. We communicated well and just played as one unit. We always had each other鈥檚 backs and we always try to put pressure on the ball.鈥�
Waynesburg freshman goalkeeper McKenzie Booth had three saves in the win, while Freedom senior keeper Jacklyn Watkins stopped 12 shots.
鈥淥ur chemistry is what carried us today,鈥� senior defender Claire Garber said. 鈥淲e are such a tight group and we have been playing together since we were eight years old. I鈥檓 still trying to process that we are WPIAL champions.鈥�
As for any more predictions Kijowski for the remainder of the season, the Waynesburg coach said he will just enjoy this moment and stick coaching instead of fortune telling.
鈥淚鈥檓 just so proud of this group,鈥� Kijowski expressed. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud as a coach and as a father. This is a multi-year process to get here and we played with so much intensity today. We weren鈥檛 overwhelmed by the big stage and we just played our game. I鈥檓 at a loss for words right now.鈥�