Fort Tigers upend Ashland
Staff Writer
It’s always difficult to gauge the meaning of the Maine Principals’ Association initial release of the Heal Point soccer standings. Since Aroostook County teams get a two-week head start on their season, the numbers are always somewhat skewed.
Contributed photo/Becky Shea
Cameron Anderson, left, and Ethan McDuffie, right, celebrate with teammate Chad Caverhill after the freshman scored his first career varsity goal in the Caribou boys soccer team’s 3-0 triumph at home Saturday over Hermon.
Those standings were released Tuesday morning, and both the Caribou boys and girls find themselves in second place (behind Presque Isle in both instances) in Eastern Maine Class B.
The Caribou boys are currently 5-2-1, having lost to Madawaska Thursday before easing past Hermon Saturday.
The defeat at the hands of the Owls wasn’t totally unexpected, as Madawaska always puts up a challenge on its home field and the squad has yet to taste defeat through its first 11 games with a mark of 9-0-2.
Brandon Caverhill scored off a Cameron Anderson assist in the first-half for the lone Viking goal in the 3-1 loss. Goalkeeper Eric Brown saved seven of 18 shots for Caribou.
Jon Lee put in a pair of goals for Madawaska and goalie Nate Beaulieu had four saves on eight shots.
Saturday was a different story, as Caribou blanked the Hawks, 3-0. Freshman Chad Caverhill picked up his first career goal, while Anderson and Philip St. Peter also added tallies, St. Peter’s coming on a penalty kick in the second half. Brandon Caverhill and Jon Ouellette both had assists in the contest, while Brown turned away 15 of 16 shots for the shutout in goal.
Caribou coach Mark Shea said he has been “pleasantly surprised” with the play of his team through the halfway point of the season.
“Overall, I think we are much improved from our first game of the season,” Shea said. “Our two losses have been to two of the best teams in the County (Madawaska and Presque Isle) – teams that will probably go deep into the playoffs.”
The veteran coach said Anderson (9 goals, 2 assists) has emerged as the Vikes’ player his teammates look to when they need an offensive spark, but noted Caribou as a whole has been playing a good “passing and possessing” game, with aggressiveness and effectiveness in set plays the other strengths through the season’s first eight contests.
The Caribou girls are also ranked No. 2 behind PI with their 5-2 record. Coach Todd Albert’s Lady Vikes had a quiet week of game action, with their only match played Saturday at home against Hermon and resulting in a 6-3 triumph.
Lydia Kieffer opened the scoring for Caribou with a converted penalty kick, while Jenna Selander scored the first of her three goals off a Kieffer assist a little later in the half. Jamie Martin and Abby Small also got into the act with goals for the Lady Vikings, with Selander getting the assist on Small’s goal.
Even though he was happy with the offensive showing, Albert said the defense needs to tighten up.
“I thought we gave up a few goals that we shouldn’t have given up,” he said. “Besides a few lapses, the defense has been solid as a whole (this season).
Morgan Swan, stepping in for the injured Brittany Doak, had her first career start in goal for Caribou and saved five of nine shots. Albert is expecting Doak to return as the starting goalie, possibly as soon as today at Foxcroft Academy or on Saturday at home against Mount Desert Island.
In Class D play, the Fort Fairfield boys picked up a huge win Friday over Ashland, 2-1. The victory moved the Tigers into the No. 3 position in the EM rankings with their 7-3 mark.
Sophomore Travis Noyes scored both Tiger goals, both coming in the second half. Austin Bixler assisted on the first. His second, which came unassisted, was “a beauty that hit the upper right-hand corner of the net from about 25 yards out,” according to Ashland coach Kevin Paradis. Austin Dufour saved 17 of 18 shots in goal for FF. The now 7-3 Hornets’ only goal was provided by Stephen Philbrick in the first half.
Josh Churchill had Fort’s lone goal in Thursday’s 1-0 win at Van Buren.
The Limestone/MSSM boys, coached by Jon Hamilton, currently owns a 2-7-1 mark following a loss to Central Aroostook Thursday and a tie with Van Buren last Tuesday. Jordan Dolan scored with 6:13 left in regulation for the Eagles, with Caleb Davis providing the assist. Goalkeeper Brandon Hopkins blocked eight of 15 shots for Limestone/MSSM. The Eagles are currently ranked 14th in the standings.
Washburn is at 1-11 overall with two games to play following the harvest recess.
For the girls, Fort Fairfield blanked Limestone/MSSM Monday, 4-0, as Kelsie York, Kaitlyn McLaughlin, Danielle Tracy and Alyssa Murchison contributed a goal apiece as Kerrie Alley’s team improved to 6-4-1.
Rose-Mary Williams assisted on two of the goals. Goalie Katy Donovan earned the shutout by saving six of seven attempts aimed her way by the Lady Eagles. Kaitlin Good faced 16 shots and saved 11 of them for Limestone/MSSM, now 5-6 on the campaign.
Fort was beaten by Ashland Friday, 4-1, as Brooke Beaulieu had the Tigers’ only goal.
The Lady Eagles defeated Central Aroostook Thursday, 4-3, with Kellie Peers notching the hat trick, including the game-winner off a Jasmine Cote assist at the midway point of the second half. Stephanie Leighton, a freshman, had her first career goal off Ashlyn Kelly’s assist. Limestone/MSSM outshot the Panthers, 13-8, with Good collecting three saves for the win in goal.
Limestone/MSSM finds itself in fifth place with its 5-6 record and Fort in sixth, but the latest standings don’t reflect the Tigers’ Monday victory.
Washburn heads the harvest break with a 7-4 mark and in fourth place overall. The Lady Beavers helped themselves by playing to a scoreless tie against Ashland, ranked first, on Sept. 15.
Contributed photo/Becky Shea
Victoria Dorman of the Caribou Lady Vikings plays tight defense on a Hermon player as the two teams battle during a contest played Saturday afternoon at Caribou High School. The Vikings moved to 5-2 on the season following their 6-3 victory.
