Butler head coach Dan Buzzard watches the team during a girls soccer game against Freeport on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, at Freeport High School. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle

Coach Dan Buzzard and Butler’s girls soccer team entered the season with good vibes.

But injuries derailed that quickly.

“In terms of a start to a season, I don’t know if it could be (much worse),” Buzzard said. “The injuries have just killed us.”

With back-to-back home matches against non-section foes Mercer and Allderdice, the dark clouds hanging over the Golden Tornado (2-3-1, 0-2-1 WPIAL Section 3-4A) could start to break.

“It’s good timing,” Buzzard said Thursday night. “Right now, I feel like our stress level is incredibly high. ... Maybe a couple games like this, where they know it’s not a section game, we can go out a little more care-free.”

During a 1-0 road win last month over two-time WPIAL Section 2-2A champion Freeport, the Golden Tornado posted their best showing so far this season.

“We were determined in that game, put together our best, complete performance,” Buzzard said. “But probably the worst thing that could’ve happened to our team, Maggie Lucas — who was ... the heart and soul, like morale leader of our team — tore her ACL.”

Butler’s been trying to get it together, schematically and emotionally, since losing the senior defender and captain. After a 4-0 win over Mercyhurst their next time out, the Golden Tornado opened section play with losses to Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley by a combined 8-1 count.

Senior defender Addyson Traggiai suffered an ankle injury during that stretch, as well. The team is currently dealing with an illness going around school, too.

“I said, ‘It’s really easy when everybody’s winning to be happy and work together, but the true test of the team is when things are down and it feels like our backs are pinned up against the wall, what kinda version of this team are we gonna get?’’ Buzzard said.

Freeport's Camryn Woods (22) celebrates after scoring a goal against North Catholic in a girls soccer game Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at J.C. Stone Field North Park. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle

As a precursor to the Yellowjackets’ 4-0 section win over North Catholic on Wednesday, Freeport’s Camryn Woods reached 50 career goals during an 11-0 triumph against Valley on Monday.

“Cam just scores goals,” ’Jackets coach Steve Kucic said after the victory over the Trojanettes. “She’s fast, she’s strong and she just knows the game.”

Woods added another pair of scores in the most recent win. Freeport will look to stay perfect in section play against Burrell and at Knoch this week.

Seneca Valley’s 2-1 overtime loss against Fox Chapel on Tuesday allowed the latter to climb into the pilot’s seat of the WPIAL Section 3-4A standings. A Tuesday rivalry clash with North Allegheny will be the latest obstacle for the Raiders (7-1-0, 2-1-0).

Seneca Valley will finish its first round of the section gauntlet Thursday at North Hills.