Burrell girls deal with mixed emotions, but mostly pride, after PIAA runner-up finish

By: Michael Love
Monday, November 17, 2025 | 5:54 PM

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The Burrell girls soccer team members had a bittersweet feeling in their hearts and in the pits of their stomachs hours after the end of Friday’s PIAA Class 2A championship game against Archbishop Wood at Northeastern York High School.

The bitter came from a battle that ended in heartbreak in a 2-1 overtime loss.

But the sweet, Burrell coach Frank Nesko said, came from them knowing how well they played and represented themselves, their school, their community and the WPIAL as they sought the program’s first state championship.

“Mixed emotions were a way to sum it up for everybody,” said Nesko, who helped guide his team to a WPIAL runner-up finish before reaching the PIAA title game. “Obviously, we’re proud of what we did, as runs like this don’t happen all the time. But they also had that missed-opportunity feeling.

“Both teams played well, and that is what you would expect in a state title game. In the immediacy right after the game, you don’t really think about the chances you had to score. On the ride home, the coaches started talking and were wondering if this would’ve happened or that would’ve happened. I take nothing away from Archbishop Wood. They are worthy champions, and I felt we gave them a great fight. That is all you could ask for.”

Wood scored the first goal with 15 minutes left in regulation, but Burrell responded with three minutes on the clock on a goal from sophomore co-captain Parker Moore off a corner kick from junior Eva Wilson.

The Bucs hoped for the game-winner in the first 20-minute overtime, but the Vikings struck six minutes into the extra session.

“It could’ve been easy for the girls to just roll over, but I felt they picked it up and really played with a sense of urgency. I am so proud of them for that,” Nesko said.

Burrell capped its season at 15-8-2 after a 6-2 postseason. All along the way, Nesko said he and his team felt the love from the Bucs community, who traveled well to each game, and also from others throughout the region. The Bucs were one of just three WPIAL soccer teams — the Bentworth boys and South Fayette girls were the others — to make it to a PIAA final.

“The girls really fed off of all the support,” Nesko said. “Not only that, but we received messages from surrounding teams, schools and communities. Driving past Highlands Elementary, there were kids standing out there holding “Go Bucs!” signs and waving blue and white towels. That was pretty cool to see. Even folks from Freeport — as hard as I am sure it was for them to not be able to get to the title game — were messaging me, ‘Go get it!’ and ‘Do Section 2 proud!’ It gave us chills.”

Burrell finished third behind Freeport and North Catholic in Section 2-2A. All four section teams, including Shady Side Academy, made the quarterfinals, and the Bucs and Yellowjackets faced off for the WPIAL title.

The Bucs drew a home game for the WPIAL first round, a move by the WPIAL that surprised some outside of Burrell who felt they should not have been afforded that opportunity because they finished third in the section.

Burrell turned that around, topped Belle Vernon in the WPIAL first round and upset No. 1 South Park and No. 4 Mt. Pleasant to reach Highmark Stadium.

“There was a chip on their shoulders because of it,” Nesko said. “No offense to any other section, but I think we proved in the playoffs that Section 2 was the most competitive section in Class 2A. That says something when four teams make the quarterfinals.

“Then we also went out and played Quaker Valley, Plum and Peters Township. We had a 2-2 tie against Knoch, and I felt Knoch was better than several of the teams that made the WPIAL playoffs from other sections. That game wasn’t a blemish. It was a competitive game, and I loved it. We knew what we were and what we went through during the season that got us ready to make that run.”

The Bucs used a trio of 2-1 wins in the PIAA playoffs, avenging last year’s loss to Cathedral Prep, topping District 5 champion Bedford and outlasting rival Freeport in the semifinals to snap a seven-game losing streak against the Yellowjackets.

“I said to the girls after the Cathedral Prep game that it was a defining win,” Nesko said. “They came off the loss at WPIALs, and you didn’t know how they would gather themselves. But within the first 10 minutes, I knew we were going to be all right because we came out and took it to them.”

Mikayla Coury, a co-captain with Moore and junior McKenna Miller, was the only senior to start the PIAA title game, but the senior group overall, Nesko said, was a valuable asset to the team success.

Casey Brancato was 9-4-2 in goal before an injury against Plum forced her out of action. When she was healthy again, junior Leah Waldsmith had established herself, and the decision was made to keep Waldsmith as the starter.

Nesko said forward/midfielder Laney Kazor, defender/midfielder Carmen Bires and midfielder/forward Taylor Lippert made valuable contributions throughout the season.

“We had some injuries, and they came in and really gave us a lot of good play,” Nesko said. “Taylor struggled a little bit with injury this year, but she still contributed when she was called upon.”

With 10 starters returning, including all-WPIAL performers in Miller and junior Makiah Buchak, and additional all-section selections in Moore, Wilson and junior Katie Koehler, Burrell looks like a favorite to make another deep postseason run next year. But Nesko said while things look promising, nothing is ever guaranteed.

“Every season has its twists and turns,” Nesko said. “My biggest challenge next year will be keeping the girls focused in the moment and not getting ahead of ourselves. While we’re optimistic, we’re also realistic about doing the day-to-day work to get there again. We’re going to get everyone’s best, and we know it.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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