ADAMS TWP — Junior midfielder Jayden Sharpless scored three goals and North Catholic dented the scoreboard 28 seconds into the game in defeating Clearfield, 5-2, in a PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal girls soccer game Saturday at the Mars Athletic Complex.

The Trojanettes (14-2-1) won their ninth straight game and will play District 5 champion Bedford — a 5-0 winner over Villa Maria — in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Mars.

Tori Michalski's shot from the right of the net was blocked, the ball deflecting over to sophomore Lauren MacDonald. The latter rolled a shot into the left corner of the net for a 1-0 North Catholic lead 28 seconds in. It was her seventh goal of the season.

“The first goal is always big, especially when you get one that early,” North Catholic coach Emily Karr said.

The Trojanettes controlled play for most of the first half. Clearfield's best scoring chance game in the seventh minute, when Riley Ryen had a free kick from 5 yards out, at a tough angle, and fired a shot just wide, across the goal-mouth.Sharpless scored her first goal in the 36th minute, knocking home a rebound off an Angelina Berkey shot that bounced off the goalpost.North Catholic's lead was cut in half when Clearfield sophomore forward Elle Smith kicked in a loose ball during a scrum in front of North's net, off a corner kick, with four seconds left in the half.“It was disappointing, giving that one up,” Karr allowed. “But I loved the way we responded.”Michalski netted her sixth goal of the year off a Sharpless corner kick in the 55th minute. Three minutes later, Sharpless sailed a 45-yard free kick over the outstretched arms of Bison goalkeeper Cayleigh Walker three minutes later.Smith cut the gap to 4-2 with her second goal of the day in the 69th minute for Clearfield (15-3-1).Sharpless completed her hat trick a minute later, giving her 16 goals on the year and restoring the three-goal lead.“Jayden is such a versatile player,” Karr said. “We line her up in different spots, different roles, and she's all over the field.“I thought this game might develop into a bit of a shootout after seeing the way they (Clearfield) beat Karns City in a back-and-forth game. But we settled things down pretty well.”North Catholic had a 17-4 advantage in shots on net and tallied six corner kicks to the Bison's three.

WPIAL Class 2A champion Deer Lakes (16-1) ended Karns City's season with a 2-0 victory in the PIAA quarterfinals.Goalkeeper Mallick Metcalfe had more than 10 saves for the Gremlins (13-2-1).Ronan Renter snapped a scoreless tie by netting a goal in the 50th minute. Ryan Rodgers, who assisted on that tally, scored one himself three minutes later.Deer Lakes won its 12th straight game.

North Catholic improved to 18-0 with a 25-16, 25-12, 25-15 PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal win over Redbank Valley.The Trojanettes have dropped only three sets all season. North Catholic will host Philipsburg-Osceola — a 3-2 winner over Maplewood — in the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Trojanettes' gym.