GIRLS SOCCER: Waynesboro edges Chambersburg for tournament title

CHAMBERSBURG >> This has become a scenario the Waynesboro girls soccer team embraces.

For the second straight year, the Maidens faced a 1-0 halftime deficit against Chambersburg in the Trojan Cup Tournament, and both times Waynesboro came back to claim a 2-1 victory and win the title.

Saturday at Trojan Stadium, the Maidens took advantage of a tiring Trojan defense over a span of about 10 minutes to turn the tables around.

"We knew in the second half we had play our game, and we did," said Waynesboro's Kennedy Chandler, who scored the game-winner. "Once we scored the first goal, our adrenaline started flowing and helped us get the second goal."

From the start of the second half, the Maidens (2-0) began controlling play and kept the Trojans pinned in their defensive half of the field. Eight minutes in, that pressure caused a costly Chambersburg turnover. Trying to clear a ball, a defender kicked the ball into the middle of the field right to Waynesboro's Katie Clawson.

Clawson dropped a pass back to Monica Beck, and she launched a killer shot that found the back of the net.

"We were just starting to get tired on that first goal," Chambersburg coach Eric Guyer said, "and when we get tired we do some things we normally don't do. There was a bad series of events on that goal, but it was a really good shot."

Guyer had to make some substitutions to rest his starters and while several were on the bench, Waynesboro struck again. Morgan French's pass up the right wing sent Chandler flying past her defender and when Trojan keeper Megan Cottingham came out to cut the angle, Chandler booted a low shot into the far-side netting.

"She is dangerous, and got in behind our defender," Guyer said.

Maiden assistant coach Dave Reed said, "We did the same thing in the first game – we started slowly in the first half. But both times we saw some mistakes and corrected them and the girls went out and won the game."

Chambersburg (1-1) scored in the first half after Gabriella Lecuona sent a throw-in to the middle for Isabella Weigle. She collected the ball, touched it to her left and smacked a shot inside the left post.

Guyer said, "Overall, I'm not terribly disappointed with the day, and we showed some progression. Waynesboro is a good team that will do well in their division."

Chandler hopes the result can be a catalyst for another strong season.

"We won here last year and it was a confidence booster for us," Chandler said. "We're hoping for that again this year. This was a big game and we're really excited to win it."

NOTES >> In the first round, the Trojans beat Gettysburg 2-1 on Lecuona's second goal of the game, which came with 40 seconds remaining; Claire Jacobs assisted on both ... Waynesboro topped James Buchanan 3-1 as Chandler assisted on all three goals ... In the consolation game, Gettysburg topped JB, 3-1 ... The Rockets (1-2) got goals from Mickey Heinbaugh and Elivia Kipe.

Championship

Waynesboro 2, Chambersburg 1

Waynesboro02—2Chambersburg10—1

First half — (C) Isabella Weigel, asst. Gabriella Lecuona, 28th minute.

Second half — (W) Monica Beck, asst. Katie Clawson, 49th, (W) Kennedy Chandler, asst. Morgan French, 54th.

Shots — Way 7, Chbg 8; Shots on goal — Way 4, Chbg 3; Corner kicks — Way 4, Chbg 4; Saves — Way 2 (Taylor Welty), Chbg 4 (Megan Cottingham); Fouls — Way 3, Chbg 2; Offsides — Chbg 1.

Gettysburg 3, James Buchanan 1

Gettysburg21—3J. Buchanan01—1

First half — (G) Alana Bortner, penalty kick, 24th, (G) Nicole Intile-Suggs, asst. Alexis Kranias, 27th.

Second half — (JB) Elivia Kipe, asst. Sydney Benedict, 51st, (G) Haley Hobbs, 79th.

Shots — Get 10, JB 6; Corner kicks — Get 3, JB 2; Saves — Get 1 (Caton Raffensperger), JB 5 (Siara Gossert).

First Round

Waynesboro 3, James Buchanan 1

J. Buchanan10—1Waynesboro12—3

First half — (W) Katie Clawson, asst. Kennedy Chandler, 6th, (JB) Mickey Heinbaugh, asst. Madison Martin, 28th.

Second half — (W) Morgan French, asst. Chandler, 53rd, (W) Monica Beck, asst. Chandler, 69th.

Shots — JB 4, Way 16; Corner kicks — JB 1, Way 7; Saves — JB 8 (Siara Gossert), Way 1 (Taylor Welty).

Chambersburg 2, Gettysburg 1

Gettysburg01—1Chambersburg11—2

First half — (C) Gabriella Lecuona, asst. Claire Jacobs, 35th.

Second half — (G) Emily Bertram, 50th, (C) Lecuona, asst. Jacobs, 79th.

Shots — Get 5, Chbg 25; Corner kicks — Get 1, Chbg 6; Saves — Get 14 (Caton Raffensperger), Chbg 4 (Caitlin Masaberg).

JV score — Chambersburg 6, Gettysburg 0. Trojan goals were scored by Emily Mort (3), Keely Glass, Alex Cottingham and Micaela Champion, and assists were by Dakota Deibler, Cottingham, Kloe Ocker and Caitlin Hunsecker.