VARDEN — Western Wayne’s girls soccer team has sealed the deal on another Lackawanna League title with a stellar performance against a longtime local rival.
The Wildcats traveled to Wallenpaupack Area on Thursday, Oct. 15, and cruised to a 3-1 win over the Buckhorns.
Thanks in large part to highlight reel plays from Makenzie Chearney, Maci Lazorchak and Audrey McHugh, Western Wayne improved its overall record to 13-2-1 and clinched a second straight Division II championship.
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“This was a hard-fought physical match,” veteran head coach John Fahrenbach said. “Our girls really stepped up in the second half and played some of their best soccer of the entire season.”
Weather permitting, the Wildcats will be back on the pitch Oct. 20 at Honesdale. Action gets underway at 6 p.m. at the Daniel J. O’Neill Sports Complex.
Milestone moments
Makenzie Chearney was just three years old when she first stepped onto the soccer pitch and already playing on a travel team by the age of 10.
Now a varsity captain and two-time Lackawanna League all-star, Chearney has quietly rewritten the school record book over the course of the past four years.
On Oct. 8, Chearney became Western Wayne’s all-time leading scorer with yet another milestone moment against Nanticoke. The senior tallied her team’s lone goal in a non-league match that ended in a hard-fought 2-1 loss.
That goal was the 101st of Chearney’s varsity career, moving her past 2020 graduate Cassidy Asinski for the top spot.
“It was definitely a really special moment for me,” said Chearney, who is also a standout on the track team. “I’m very proud, but also grateful for my teammates, coaches, and family who have helped me reach this goal. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this without them.”
Chearney also contributed key plays in the division clinching win over Paupack. The highlight of her night came on an unassisted goal, her 27th of the season. She now has 102 career goals and 31 assists.
“Makenzie is a phenomenal soccer player,” Fahrenbach said. “But, I’m most proud of the way she’s grown as a teammate and leader. Makenzie has always led by example, but now she’s a much more vocal, confident leader.”
Lazorchak accounted for the rest of the Wildcats’ scoring against Paupack. The sophomore forward found the back of Buckhorns’ net twice, once unassisted and once via a pinpoint pass from teammate Avery Vinton. She now has a total of 57 goals for her career.
McHugh is a battle-tested senior who normally plays on the back line. However, when starting keeper Delaney Kaub went down late in the first half, McHugh filled in admirably in helping her team to the division title.
“This was an intense match, which has been the theme of the season,” Fahrenbach said. “Defending our division title was as challenging as I thought it would be. It's a testament to the girls' heart, resilience and work ethic and I couldn't be more proud of them.”
Eyes on the prize
Western Wayne enters the final week of the regular season all alone atop the Division II standings with a 9-0-1 record.
The Wildcats are 13-2-1 overall and second in the District 2 power rankings, trailing only Mid Valley (14-1-2) among all Class AA teams.
This year’s district tournament is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Oct. 28. At this point in time, Western Wayne’s most likely opponent would be no. 7 Montrose at home.
“Our team has worked so hard and put in so much dedication this season,” Chearney said. “We are all really motivated going into districts after winning the division for the second year in a row. I definitely think we can make some noise in the playoffs”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Record-setter Chearney leads Western Wayne girls soccer team to title