Soccer rivals face PIAA first round
Burrell and Freeport women's teams meet different District champions on Wednesday evening.
By Pedro Tanaka ·
Freeport and Burrell women's soccer teams begin their PIAA playoff campaigns on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The two squads, which met in the WPIAL final earlier this week, now face separate District champions in the opening round.
Freeport, the defending WPIAL Class 2A champion, hosts Clearfield at its home venue. The Yellowjackets enter the match with a 17-2-1 record after winning their second consecutive regional title. Coach Steve Kukic stated that the team aims to add a state championship to their recent hardware from Section 2 and the WPIAL.
Kukic noted that the team recovered from their loss to Burrell in the regional final. He mentioned that freshman Gia Conglose scored the winning goal in double overtime during that match. The coach gave the players time off over the weekend to rest before facing Clearfield, who defeated Punxsutawney 3-1 to secure their spot.
Burrell, the WPIAL runner-up for the third straight season, travels to District 5 champion Bedford for its opener. The Bucs lost to Freeport 2-1 in the regional final but maintained high spirits during practice, according to coach Frank Nesko. Burrell has participated in the PIAA playoffs for three consecutive years.
Nesko said the team's experience from last year's run provides confidence without overconfidence. Burrell reached the state semifinals in 2025 but fell short of the final match. The coach emphasized that the team must play three strong games to achieve its ultimate goal this season.
Bedford enters the match as a perennial power in District 5/8 Class 2A. The Bisons have won their district title ten times in the last eleven years. Bedford defeated Somerset 4-0 in its subregional final last Wednesday. Nesko acknowledged Bedford's offensive strength, noting the team has scored 132 goals this season.
Both teams view Wednesday's games as the critical next step in their post-season runs. Clearfield is in its first PIAA tournament since 2023. Burrell seeks to improve upon its recent results against Bedford and other strong opponents in the state bracket.
