FOUNTIAN SPRINGS – Some thought this matchup could be a cake walk.

Don’t dare try selling that pitch to Jim Thorpe’s standout girls’ soccer team, They knew it would be a battle - and that’s exactly what it was.

Williams Valley came with the intention of reaching the Schuylkill League finals, and it played like that.

But the Olympians weren’t going to be denied in Tuesday’s semifinal round matchup.

Thorpe’s ability to convert at crucial times, along with its outstanding defense, lifted it to a 2-1 victory.

The Olympians will face a very familiar foe in the title game, as Pottsville also advanced to the finals with a 2-1 win over Pine Grove - scoring the winning goal in the final 11 seconds.

The title matchup will be the third meeting between the teams this year, with each side having won an overtime game on its home field during the regular season,

“The two best teams are here,” said Jim Thorpe coach Tom Condly. “We know each other very well.”

But it took some hard work for the Division 1 champion Olympians (16-1) to hold off a resurgent Vikings team, which came in as the Division 2 runner-up after posting a 10-4 regular season record.

The Vikings served notice early that they meant business, scoring the game’s first goal - on their only shot on goal the entire game. It was only the fourth goal surrendered by Jim Thorpe goalie Olivia Rosenberger all season, but it put them the Olympians in a 1-0 hole.

“We said that they were doing to us what we do to teams” said Condly. “They had a goalie (Sage Smeltz) that was keeping them in the game.” Condly was right, as Smeltz was spectacular all evening long against Thorpe’s pressure.

After Emily Yeagley scored the Williams Valley goal on a direct kick, Thorpe needed an answer.

Speedy Kalia O’Connor provided it, as she kicked things into second gear and raced in to score the tying goal at the 15:01 mark.

“It’s mind-boggling you see when she put it in another gear,” Condly said describing the breakaway tying goal scored by the super speedster and track star for Jim Thorpe.

The Olympians’ Mackenzie Yuhas followed with the eventual game winner with 17:53 left to play on a direct kick.

Condly felt it was only a matter of time before his team would react with a much-needed score.

“We kicked a few over the net and they had a dangerous counter attack, but it was just a matter of time before we would find our offense,” he said.

Yet, the big reason for the come-from-behind win was Thorpe’s defense.

“We can clamp anyone down defensively, I wasn’t worried,” Condly said. “We knew it was going to be tight.”

TITLE GAME ... Jim Thorpe will play for the first league championship in school history on Thursday.

HE SAID IT … “We really wanted Pottsville. It’s the two best teams in the league. I think it’s kind of neat.” said Condly.

LAST TIME … Jim Thorpe was defeated for the league title in 2020 by Minersville on a free kick in overtime, 1-0.

THE NUMBERS … Thorpe had a total of 15 shots on goal and five corners. The Vikings had but one shot on goal, the score by Yeagley.