The Greater Latrobe Girl’s Soccer team are section champions for the first time since 1992. With a current record of 11-0-1 and a section record of 8-0-1, the Wildcats are poised to make some noise headed into the postseason. 

The team has a total of eleven wins this year-which is more games than they played all of last year- and have worked hard to improve upon last season. “This has been a building progression of the program over the past couple of years,” said coach Jamie Morrison. “We had a great group of girls last year that were able to start believing a little bit more in themselves, and as the season started to progress when they started to find more success, it rewards that belief.”

One thing that has sparked the Lady Cats this year has been the impressive play of sophomore Regan Reilly, and her sister Robin Reilly. Regan had tallied 10 goals on the season (which is tied for the team lead) and three assists. One of her biggest moments of the season was her game-winning goal against Fox Chapel. With time running down in the second half, Regan faked out the goalie and put the ball into the empty net for the Latrobe 1-0 win. “Regan is a standout player for us. She has tremendous speed that really shakes up the other team,” said Morrison. Regan’s strong play at the beginning of the season had her become the Letterman’s Club Athlete of the Week during the Week of August 30, 2021.

The main backstop for the Wildcats has been junior goalie, Sofia DeCerb. Sofia has collected six shutouts this season, and has been there whenever the team needs a save. “Having her in net really gives our team a confidence that it’s their responsibility to protect her and to help her have as easy a night as possible. But at the end of the day, they know that if a shot gets off that she’s got the ability to protect us as the last line of defense,”said Morrison. 

Throughout the team, youth has really emerged onto the scene and has been a big reason for their success in scoring offense. The starting lineup consists of only three seniors and two juniors, and the rest that play the big minutes are sophomores and freshmen. “We are a really young team,” said Morrison. “They are helping us build chemistry off of the level they play at and bring into the program, which is exciting to coach.”

Leadership qualities are important on any team, and that’s what this team has. A group of girls that won’t give in and won’t back down from a challenge. The team has used last year as a building block for this year and it has paid off. “At the end of the day, it takes everyone on the field and on the bench to win these games. They support each other, they give each other critiques and looking to build their games and looking to improve their games off of that. That all adds up to such a great program that they are starting to build and to be proud of at the same time,” said Morrison.

The team officially clinched the 4A Section 3, after their 3-0 win against Hempfield on Tuesday, October 12, on their Senior Night

“For them to go out and produce results even in games that weren’t our best, they have found a way to dig it out and get that W, that speaks a lot to their heart, and their grit and their working for one another,” said Morrison. “I think more than once they proved that they are a team that has earned the right to be where they are, and earned the right to own that section.”

The next stop for these girls is the playoffs.