Freedom, Bentworth set to face off for WPIAL Class A title

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, November 2, 2018 | 7:21 PM

Girls soccer

WPIAL championship

Class A

No. 1 Freedom (19-1) vs. No. 3 Bentworth (17-2)

11 a.m. Saturday, Highmark Stadium

Coaches: Colin Williams, Freedom; Tyler Hamstra, Bentworth

Players to watch: Jayden Sharpless, Fr, F, Freedom; Jocelyn Timlin, Jr., F, Bentworth

Corner kicks: For the first time since Class A was created nine years ago, a team besides Greensburg Central Catholic and Shady Side Academy will be crowned a champion. Freedom was a runner-up in Class 2A last season and won the Class 2A title in 2016. Freedom is led by freshman Jayden Sharpless, who scored a WPIAL-leading 50 goals in the regular season, which set a school record. Her sister, Myla, missed most of the season with a knee injury but returned at the end of the regular season. Myla scored twice in a quarterfinal win over Springdale. Michaela Watkins also scored twice in that win. … Bentworth features plenty of offensive firepower. Timlin scored 41 goals in the regular season, and Paige Marshalek had 31 goals. Timlin has scored more than 100 career goals in three years. Rori Schreiber scored the game-winner in a 2-1 win over GCC in the semifinals. Marshalek netted the overtime winner against Bishop Canevin in the quarterfinals. Keeper Cande Kossel has posted 33 shutouts in her career.

Coming up: The winning team will play the District 5 runner-up and the losing team will play the District 9 champion in the PIAA opening round Tuesday.

Bill Hartlep is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bhartlep@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TribHSInsider.

Tags: Bentworth, Freedom