Wayne Hills girls soccer gets payback over biggest rival behind record-breaking scorer
WAYNE – Sophia Bradley sat on the end of the bench, alone with her thoughts.
Her teammates filed for the bus after a crushing end to the 2021 soccer season, but the Wayne Hills forward hung around to process what had unfolded.
A goal with under 10 seconds left in the sectional semifinal was a bitter end to her sophomore year and sent crosstown rival Wayne Valley on the way to its first state title. It became the jet-fuel to one of the most dominant seasons by a Wayne Hills player.
"That pain was something unmatched," Bradley said. "You never want to lose and especially to your town rival. I think that's what really got us here because we wanted it more."
Given the chance for payback on Saturday, Bradley didn't miss. She rarely does.
Bradley broke the team record for goals in a season and set up the insurance tally to lift the sixth seed past No. 3 Wayne Valley, 2-0, in the North 1, Group 3 quarterfinals.
It wasn't until after the game when the Virginia commit found out about her place in history – her 32nd and latest goal moved her past the 2011 benchmark set by Nickolette Driesse.
Bradley was too busy hugging teammates, who bounced around as time expired and piled on top of each other near midfield.
This was no ordinary celebration for a second round match. Nor should it be.
Wayne Hills put away the past and moved one step closer to its first sectional title.
"You could always say we could have won. We could have done this," Bradley said. "You could have done it but you didn't. So for us to actually do it and pull it through is amazing. To say we took down the reigning champs this year really shows how far we could make it."
What it means
Wayne Hills will make another road trip on Tuesday as the lowest seed left in the tournament.
The Patriots will take on second-ranked Sparta, who was moved up a group this year. It's their second straight game against a returning sectional champion and a chance to reach their first final in 16 seasons.
For now, the Patriots can take some pride in earning their third straight shutout win. Especially since it came against a Wayne Valley team that tied and beat them once this season.
"We just let them play this time," coach Gregg Rehberger said. "We didn't over-coach. We told them we don't want to be a factor, we want to leave it up to them as players."
Turning points
Wayne Hills had the territorial edge in the game (plus a 9-2 lead in shots on goal) but had to wait until after the break to find the back of the net.
The Patriots eventually got on the board in the 46th minute when Lilly Weltman centered a pass from the left corner. Bradley was able to get inside position by the near post and flicked a shot past the Wayne Valley keeper. It was a defining moment for a player who's changed the Patriots program with her inner drive.
"She's even practicing at a different intensity level than everyone else," Rehberger said. "It really is what pushes her over the top. That's become contagious with the rest of the team."
Wayne Hills was able to relax a little more after a counter in the 53rd minute. Senior Sophia Kearney was left alone down the middle and chipped in a cross from the right side. The versatile forward made the most of her opportunity up top after spending part of the year on defense.
"She's such a good technical player," Rehberger said. "She understands what we're looking to do."
Kearney deflected credit to her longtime teammate.
"Bradley played a very good ball in," Kearney said. "I was just there and timed my run and made the shot."
And for the 5-foot-10 Bradley, the chance to enjoy the ride with longtime friends is what keeps her coming back to the high school game even while training with the Youth National Team.
"This is what soccer is," Bradley said. "It's about having fun. I wouldn't play this sport if I didn't enjoy it as much as I did."
Sean Farrell is a high school sports reporter for NorthJersey.com. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis from our Varsity Aces team, subscribe today. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter and download our app.
Email: farrells@northjersey.com
Twitter: @seanfarrell92
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Wayne Hills girls soccer knocks off state champ Wayne Valley
