Freeport tops rival Burrell to claim 1st WPIAL girls soccer championship

By: Michael Love
Saturday, November 1, 2025 | 1:42 PM

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The Freeport and Burrell girls soccer teams knew so much about each other from many intense, hard-fought section matchups, including the pair of Section 2 clashes this year.

So it came as no surprise that neither team gave an inch Saturday in their rematch for the WPIAL Class 2A championship at Highmark Stadium.

The Yellowjackets and Bucs, with their plethora of weapons on offense and standout defenders backed by solid goaltending, played a close, physical contest that wasn’t decided until late in regulation.

A goal from sophomore Elena Jenkins in the 74th minute — off an assist from junior Cam Woods — put Freeport in the lead, and it was able to hold off Burrell the rest of the way for a 1-0 victory and the first WPIAL championship in program history.

“There is just so much love for each other on this team,” said Jenkins, again a main goal-scorer for the Yellowjackets after netting 13 in her varsity debut last year. “We all had a goal to get (to Highmark), and we worked and prepared so hard together. This is just an amazing feeling.”

Freeport (18-1) and Burrell (12-7-2) came in seeking their first WPIAL title.

The Yellowjackets’ won WPIAL gold after falling in their only other finals appearance in 2016.

Freeport defeated Burrell, 3-1, in the first meeting between the teams in September and then scored a 1-0 win in the rematch Oct. 6.

“I kind of compare us and Burrell to the Steelers and Ravens,” Freeport coach Steve Kukic said. “It’s a divisional showdown, and no matter what the records or rankings are, it’s going to be a battle. It’s going to be a one- or two-goal game every time we play.

“We’re just fortunate that the girls had the resolve to keep going at it. It can get really frustrating when you think you have the game under control, but you are not generating good scoring chances. The girls kept their heads and stayed together. They just kept going, and we got it.”

The Bucs hoped for a better fate at Highmark this year after a loss to Quaker Valley in the 2024 final.

Burrell coach Frank Nesko said he was proud of his players for all their hard work in making it to the final for the second year in a row and also for their effort over the course of Saturday’s game.

“It definitely speaks to their character,” Nesko said. “There’s a quote by John Wooden that says you would rather be known for your character than your reputation. The character is who you are, and your reputation is what others think of you. We showed all year long what our character is. We battled in a tough section through wins and losses, but we kept on showing up each night. That continued in the playoffs. These girls were determined to get back here, and they played their hearts out. I couldn’t be more proud of them.

“We knew coming in that it was going to be a tough test. We were even until late in the game, and that speaks so well about our girls. There’s no love lost between the teams because of the rivalry, but there is just so much respect.”

Freeport, which started six sophomores, finished the game with a 16-9 shot advantage, but the shots were even at seven in the second half.

Burrell keeper Leah Waldsmith made several stellar saves before the Jenkins goal, including a pair of first-half stops on dangerous chances from Woods, Freeport’s leading scorer.

Jenkins, on the winning goal, sprinted from the midfield and took a feed from Woods. Waldsmith came out to challenge, but Jenkins was able to work the ball around her and place it in the back of the net.

“Elena scores goals, and she’s fast. She’s strong,” Kukic said. “When she went on that run, and I saw her picking up speed, I knew something good was going to happen. She buried it, and it won us a championship.”

Kukic said he felt his team played a little tentative and tight in the first half

“It was our first time here in this unbelievable atmosphere,” Kukic said. “We worked hard, but, at times, I thought we got rid of the ball too quick because maybe we were worried to much about making a mistake. We talked (at halftime) about our energy level, and I thought that improved in the second half. I thought our overall game improved, and we generated more good chances and finally broke through.”

Freeport and Burrell now will take on the best from District 10 in the PIAA playoffs starting Tuesday at sites and times to be determined.

The Yellowjackets are matched up with District 10 runner-up Fort LeBeouf.

“We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing for the past three months,” Kukic said. “There’s a reason why we’re here, because we’re hungry, talented, and we work really hard. I don’t see that changing any time soon. We don’t care who we play or where we play. Our mission from the very beginning was to win the section, the WPIAL and the state championship this year. We’ve got two out of three, and we’ve got four games to go. I know the girls are going to give everything they’ve got.”

Burrell mostly likely will travel to Erie to take on District 10 champ Cathedral Prep.

“The girls will wake up tomorrow, and it will be a new day,” Nesko said. “It’s going to hurt for today, and that’s OK. Those emotions are a part of why we do this. But the girls have a chance to turn the page and get ready for a good Cathedral Prep team and set their sights on making a run through the PIAA playoffs.”

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: Burrell, Freeport