CLEARFIELD, Pa. (EYT/D9) — A lot of history is being made among District 9 teams still alive in the playoffs.
The Clearfield girls soccer team is coming off its first-ever PIAA playoff victory, a 7-0 win over Central on Tuesday evening in a Class 2A first-round match.
For the Bison, it’s been a long time coming.
“It honestly means the world to us,” said senior forward Elle Smith, who scored four goals in the first-round rout. “We were almost able to achieve this my sophomore year, but we fell short. Since then, it’s been something we’ve had our minds set on.”
In 2020, Clearfield lost to District 7 champion North Catholic.
Clearfield (18-2) will get a shot at a second state playoff victory when the Bison take on District 10 runner-up General McLane at 6 p.m. Saturday at Clarion University.
“I think we can go far if we really dedicate ourselves to it,” said Smith, who now has 58 goals this season and 180 in her career. “I’m super proud of what we’ve been able to do so far and I’m excited to keep pushing as long as we can.”
Karns City, which has been a sort of roadblock to Clearfield over the years, dropped down to Class A this season and captured its first state playoff win since 2017 with a 4-0 blanking of Penns Valley on Tuesday.
The Gremlins will move on to play District 7 champion Freedom at noon on Saturday at Beaver High School.
Karns City (18-4) reached the state semifinals in 2015.
History has also been made at Oswayo Valley.
The Green Wave volleyball team captured the first D9 Class A crown in school history and then won their first PIAA playoff game ever in a five-set thriller over Serra Catholic on Tuesday.
Undefeated Oswayo Valley (23-0) will try to keep the streak going when it takes on District 5 champion Conemaugh Township at noon on Saturday at St. Marys in the quarterfinal round.
The Green Wave are the only undefeated team left in the Class A bracket after Frazier’s loss.
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