Nov 4, 2017 4 min read

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PITTSBURGH – When Madison Clayton was in seventh grade, soon-to-be Waynesburg girls soccer head coach Joe Kijowski told the youngster she would win a WPIAL title her senior season.

Now, as a senior, Clayton and the rest of the Raiders are WPIAL champions after defeating Freedom 4-2 in the Class 2A title match at Highmark Stadium Saturday afternoon.

“We always knew that we could do this,” Clayton said. “We’ve really been playing with each other since we were eight years old. Joe (Kijowski) was our coach growing up, and we’ve all known each other forever.”

Kijowski told Clayton his prediction at a training the summer before he became head coach in 2013.

“I just had a feeling,” Kijowski said. “I saw the talent of the girls who were there. I knew if we could keep them together, keep them working hard and stay relatively injury-free, we would have a chance.”

In Kijowski’s first two seasons as head coach, the No. 3 seeded Raiders went a combined 8-21-2. Waynesburg then made the playoffs both in 2015 and 2016, losing in the quarterfinals and the semifinals, respectively.

“I’m just so proud for the girls. They worked so hard. They’ve worked on this (for so long),” Kijowski said. “This hasn’t just been this year. This has been a multi-year process that they’ve been working towards. To see them actually get to achieve their goal, it’s very satisfying as a coach.”

Waynesburg (19-1) will now play in its first-ever PIAA tournament. The Raiders take on District 10 runner-up Harbor Creek (18-4) at Seneca Valley High School Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The loss for top-seeded Freedom, the reigning Class 2A champions, snaps the Bulldogs’ 39-game winning streak in the WPIAL, with their last loss coming in the 2015 playoffs. Entering the contest, the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association poll ranked Freedom (19-1) as the best team among all Class A and Class AA schools in the state. Waynesburg was ranked No. 16.

“Freedom is obviously a really good team. They never gave up,” said senior defender Elle Hampson. “Coming out of our section, we never really see any amazing teams like Freedom. It’s good to see that type of competition heading into states.”

Waynesburg’s Rhea Kijowski started the scoring 15 minutes into the match. The freshman forward took a throw-in just inside the 18-yard box with her back to the goal, got position on her defender, spun and nailed a shot to put the Raiders up 1-0.

Freedom’s Michaela Watkins nearly responded seven minutes later with a goal of her own, but an offside call negated the score.

The Raiders went into the half with a 1-0 lead.

It only took Freedom 96 seconds into the second half for the Bulldogs to tie the score. A Chloe Keller shot that was saved by Waynesburg goalkeeper McKenzie Booth went right to Alexsia Barlamas for the rebound goal.

The Raiders responded quickly, as sophomore Jillian Kijowski scored from 18 yards out off a pass from Clayton to give Waynesburg a 2-1 lead.

It would be a lead the Raiders would not relinquish.

About 15 seconds later, Freedom’s Lyndsee Monac was fouled inside the penalty box and was awarded a penalty kick. The senior forward’s shot narrowly missed the top right corner of the net.

Kylie Sinn scored eight minutes later off a perfect pass from Jillian Kijowski. Sinn’s goal hit the crossbar and bounced straight down before entering the goal to give the Raiders the 3-1 lead.

Clayton put the match away with 14 minutes remaining on a breakaway goal. The Pitt recruit, and the WPIAL’s top scorer with 55 goals, had several prime scoring opportunities early before finding the back of the net.

“Nobody on this team feels sorry for themselves. You can’t, because by doing that, you’ll be letting your teammates down,” Joe Kijowski said. “That’s always been her mindset, and it’s really the mindset of the whole team. The mindset of this team is what’s special.”

Despite a late goal from Monac off an assist from Watkins, the Raiders came away with the victory.

Waynesburg tallied 25 shots, 15 of which were on goal, compared to Freedom’s nine shots, five on goal. Joe Kijowski said the Raiders will not change their philosophy heading into the state tournament.

“(We need to) score early, score often and score as many as we can,” Kijowski said. “We’ll take our chances that way.”