BUFFALO TWP — Kaylee Comperatore has given a lot to the game of soccer.

Including three teeth.

It happened in the state playoff match last season against Karns City when the forward on the Freeport girls soccer team took an elbow to the mouth.

Teeth flew.

It ended her season.

“But we won,” Comperatore said, laughing. “It was definitely worth losing some teeth for.”

Comperatore, now a senior, has had a lot of bad luck on the soccer pitch.

As a sophomore, she sprained her ankle badly twice, once at the beginning of the season and again toward the end.

Now finally healthy in her senior campaign, Comperatore is making a huge impact for the Yellowjackets with 20 goals already this season.

“It's great to finally be healthy for weeks on end instead of being hurt,” Comperatore said.

Comperatore has never been shy about mixing it up.

Fast and aggressive, Comperatore's signature is being relentless and punching home rebounds for goals.

“Her work ethic and tenacity is what makes her so good,” said Freeport coach Brittni Grenninger. “She works so hard out front. She's a little pit bull inside the 18. She never stops working.”

Comperatore's emergence as one of the most potent goal scorers in the WPIAL may have come to a mild surprise outside of Freeport, but not inside the team.

As a freshman, Comperatore was the Yellowjackets' offensive MVP. Perhaps not coincidentally, that was the last time Comperatore was healthy.

Her resurgence has been big for a team that had to replace some goal scorers from last season who were lost to graduation.

“I definitely felt like I had to step up this year,” Comperatore said. “I felt like it was my job to step up.”

Comperatore is also blessed with a strong supporting cast around her.

She said her scoring splurge is in part because her teammates have set her up so well.

She also said she is excited to be a part of a program that has seen its own resurgence in the past few seasons.

“It feels good to be on one of the most successful groups in Freeport soccer history,” Comperatore said. “We want to keep it going.”

That's one thing Comperatore rarely has a problem with: going.

One of the fastest player around, few defenders can keep up with her when the ball is played ahead.

“I think my speed is one of my strengths,” Comperatore said. “That's one of the things you have to have to be a forward. You have to have speed to beat the defense.”

Comperatore has also become much more disciplined inside the 18, Grenninger said.

“She's become much calmer in front of the net,” Grenninger said. “She's much more confident with the ball on her foot.”

Comperatore said Freeport, which is 9-2 overall this season and a perfect 5-0 in section play, is becoming more confident as the season wears on and they get more comfortable together.

That's bad news for the rest of the WPIAL Class AA. The Yellowjackets, who lost in the WPIAL final last season, are a legitimate threat to return again this season.

“We're just trying to get back into that groove,” Comperatore said, “and get be the kind of team we were last year.”