WPIAL champion Freeport gets back to work, advances to PIAA quarterfinals
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Tuesday, November 4, 2025 | 10:15 PM
Freeport’s Teresa Hanak Fort LeBoeuf’s Haylee Will during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Cecilia Schlegel get her shot off past Fort LeBoeuf’s Baylee Volgstadt and scores during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Elena Jenkins celebrates with Camryn Woods after Woods first Goal against Fort LeBoeuf during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Peyton Los clears the ball from Fort LeBoeuf’s Haylee Will during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Peyton Los drives past Fort LeBoeuf’s Jenna Popowski during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Camryn Woods hugs Cecilia Schlegel after Schlegel’s goal against Fort LeBoeuf during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Cecilia Schlegel’s shot beats Fort LeBoeuf’s during keeper Gabriella Green during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Camryn Woods drives past Fort LeBoeuf’s Taylor McChesney (l) and Mia Stauffer during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Camryn Woods jumps over the ball to gain advantage over Fort LeBoeuf’s Lily Friday during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Camryn Woods heads the ball past Fort LeBoeuf’s Lily Friday and Mia Stauffer during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Nia DiSanti fights for the ball with Fort LeBoeuf’s Katie Froess during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
Freeport’s Lucy Hassler hugs Camryn Woods after Woods first goal against Fort LeBoeuf during first round PIAA 2A soccer action Tuesday Nov.4, 2025 at Freeport Area High School.
There was no PIAA hangover for the WPIAL champion Freeport girls soccer team.
The Yellowjackets fought off an expected strong challenge from District 10 runner-up Fort LeBoeuf on Tuesday evening at Freeport Area Athletic Stadium.
Freeport scored twice in the first half and once in the second to complete a 3-1 victory over the Bison.
“That was the first thing we talked about before the game,” Yellowjackets coach Steve Kukic said.
“Coming off such an emotional win (over Burrell) on Saturday, it would’ve been easy to have a letdown in this game. But I just challenged the girls to not let that happen and come out strong, especially for that first 10. I thought we came out really good.”
Freeport improved to 19-1 with its 18th win in a row and will return to the field for a quarterfinal game Saturday against District 3 runner-up Lancaster Catholic (21-1) at a site and time to be determined.
It is the first PIAA quarterfinal game in program history.
“It’s a great feeling to be moving on at this point with the opportunity to prepare for another game,” Kukic said.
Fort LeBoeuf capped its season at 12-6-1. The Bison were in the PIAA playoffs for the fifth year in a row.
“I am so thankful to be a part of this program,” Bison head coach Bryan Kowalczyk said.
“Year after year, we reload with great players. We build from the year before, and the girls take pride in the consistency.
“The girls gave it all and left it all on the field. I am proud of them. That is a very good Freeport team. They did everything they could to try and win that game. They can keep their heads high.”
Sophomore CeCe Schlegel extended Freeport’s one-goal halftime lead to 3-1 with 26 minutes left in the second half. She unleashed a shot from 25 yards, and the ball curved as it found its way past Fort LeBoeuf senior keeper Gabriella Green.
The Bison got a good chance with 17:43 on the clock as senior Haylee Will took a free kick from 40 yards. The ball was boomed over the collection of players from each team and right into the hands of Freeport senior keeper Alyssa Alcorn.
Fort LeBoeuf senior striker Jenna Popowski, a Mercyhurst University commit who came in with 110 career goals, took a free kick from 55 yards and sailed the ball on the fly right to Alcorn.
The Yellowjackets finished with a 12-6 advantage in shots and an 11-4 edge in shots on goal. Green made eight saves, and Alcorn tallied three stops.
Popowski and Freeport’s leading scorer, junior Cam Woods, established themselves early with strong shot attempts.
Woods’ shot from 18 yards in the fourth minute, while closely guarded by a Bison defender, was hauled in by Green.
Popowski unleashed her shot from 20 yards exactly seven minutes in, but Alcorn was there for the save.
Those two would trade scores 25 seconds apart in the 15th minute. Woods collected a through ball from senior Nia DiSanti and scored past Green for a 1-0 Yellowjackets lead.
Popowski answered for the Bison with a laser beam from 20 yards that got past Alcorn to tie the match.
“We didn’t do anything special against (Popowski) other than play the defense we’ve played all year,” Kukic said.
“It again came down to communication and always having help, somebody rotating behind you and always moving your feet. We did that really well all game except for that goal.”
Woods gave Freeport the lead back at 2-1 with 20:45 left until halftime on a free kick from 35 yards. The ball bounded through a collection of players from both teams and found its way into the back of the Fort LeBoeuf net.
Woods’ first goal was her 70th of her career. She now has 24 for the season.
Sophomore Elena Jenkins came close to extending Freeport’s lead in the 25th minute as she took a feed from DiSanti and made a run. But Green came out to stop Jenkins from getting a shot off.
Freeport sophomore Maggie Conger helped keep the Yellowjackets in the lead in the waning seconds of the half. In the scrum after a Fort LeBoeuf corner, the Bison got off a close shot that appeared headed for the Freeport goal. But Conger was there to kick the ball out of danger.
“We had a lot of opportunities in the first half,” Kukic said.
“We could have and should have had a couple more goals. After we scored that (first) goal and gave up one so quickly, I think that was the only time we really relaxed. We weren’t focused at that moment, but overall, we played a really good game.”
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.
Tags: Freeport
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