Staff Writer
The Presque Isle Wildcat soccer teams play half their games on a field with a smooth surface at the Johnson Athletic Complex. Last week, they were a long ways away from the artificial turf, but were still able to win impressively at Old Town.
“The biggest obstacle was the field itself,” said PI boys coach Scott Young. “It is small and full of dips and valleys all over, but somehow we were able to one-touch very effectively throughout the entire game.”
The result was a 4-0 win last Wednesday over an aggressive Old Town squad, with Russ Mortland notching a second-half hat trick to pace the offense. Eric Morris had the other PI goal. Young complimented the play of reserves Brandon Bonville and Andrew Legassie, who both turned in fine performances in both midfield and back positions.
Young said the team defense, led by Evan Richards and goalie Dillon Kingsbury, was consistent and excellent communication skills were on display throughout.
The Lady Wildcats played on the same field the following afternoon and picked up a big 3-0 win to hand the Coyotes their first loss of the season. Sarah Porter, Kayla Legassie and Mackenzie Pinette were the goal scorers and Katrina Whittier and Chelsea Nickerson picked up assists.
“We play a skilled game, but Old Town’s field is not conducive to skilled play as it is bumpy and very uneven,” said coach Ralph Michaud. “We played really well anyway.”
On Saturday, the ‘Cat squads were back on their home field and both were easy winners over Bucksport. The PI boys blitzed the Golden Bucks, 8-2, while the girls won by an even greater margin, 12-0.
Warren Zubrick had four goals and two assists in only 40 minutes of action for the Wildcats. Josh Allen chipped in with a goal and two assists, while Morris, Mortland and Carter Christiansen were the other goal scorers as Presque Isle held a 38-8 advantage in shots on goals.
In the girls game, Porter and Legassie each had hat tricks as Presque Isle cruised. Brooke Postell, Kayla Richards, Amy Grivois, Kailee Ireland, Nickerson and Pinette added single goals for the Lady Wildcats. Kelsey Park had an easy time recording the shutout, having to save just two shots throughout the game.
Both Presque Isle teams are atop of the Eastern Maine Class B standings, which were just released Tuesday morning. The PI boys are 5-0-1 and the PI girls 5-1.
“If we continue to improve our skills and conditioning, which is always a bigger challenge during harvest break, and we can avoid serious injuries, we will probably finish in the top four due to our strength of schedule,” Young said.
The PI boys travel to Bangor to take on John Bapst today, while the girls teams match up on Thursday. Ellsworth pays a visit to Presque Isle for contests on Saturday afternoon beginning with the girls game at 1 p.m.
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.
On Monday, Ashland was soundly defeated by Katahdin, undefeated and No. 4 in the division, by a score of 12-1. Six of the Cougars’ goals were scored by Marshal Davis, while Kenny Tarr had the lone Ashland goal.
The Hornets were ranked fifth in the latest standings. They had recorded a 6-3 win over Southern Aroostook last Wednesday behind a four-goal explosion by Jacob Paradis.
“Jacob has stepped up in a huge way,” said coach Paradis, noting he has 14 goals and six assists while inheriting the scoring load vacated by injured senior Carl Nemer. Jacob Paradis also helps secure the defense in key game situations, and the coach said his play at sweeper “has been just as dominating as his play up front.”
Jeremy Tarr and Casey Cobb also scored goals for Ashland, while Lucas Hafford, Kenny Tarr and Jeremy Tarr notched assists.
Coach Paradis said Nemer had a doctor’s appointment scheduled Tuesday and could be cleared to play.
The Easton Bears closed out its slate with a 3-3 tie against the Wisdom Pioneers last Tuesday. Easton had led before Kody Chamberland scored with 13 minutes to go in regulation. Kurtis Daigle had a goal and two assists for Wisdom, while the Bears were led by Brad Trask, Holden Turner and Tony Brown with a goal apiece.
The Bears are at the top of the ‘D’ rankings, but their regular season is now complete and they will have to wait it out to see what the teams behind them do. “Hopefully we can stay in the top four or five,” said Easton coach Greg Miller.
Central Aroostook tripped Limestone/MSSM Thursday and is in second place with its 7-4-1 record.
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, in sixth place in EM Class D, was beaten by Ashland Friday, 4-1, as Macie Pelkey tallied two goals and Brooke Labelle and Jackie D’Ozier added one each. Taylor Baker made four saves in the game, while facing six attempts. Brooke Beaulieu had the Tigers’ only goal.
Ashland then shut out Katahdin Monday, 4-0, as Crystal Cook netted two goals for the 8-1-1 winners, the first-place team in the division. Labelle and Elena Reynaga also had goals for Ashland, while Baker had six saves in the shutout.
Last Wednesday, the Lady Hornets suffered their first loss of the season. They fell to Southern Aroostook, undefeated on the year, by a score of 3-0 in Dyer Brook. Janel Rockwell found the back of the net twice for SA. The two teams have a rematch in Presque Isle this afternoon.
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, Sept. 15.
Central Aroostook dropped a 4-3 decision to Limestone/MSSM Thursday. A goal and an assist by Sarah Michaud led the Panthers, who fell to 4-8 while completing their pre-harvest break slate. Rachel Grew and Kristen Long had CA’s other goals.
Easton used Ariana Babineau’s hat trick last Tuesday to beat Wisdom, 3-0. Taylor Burtt was perfect in goal with three saves in the match as the Lady Bears moved to 4-9 and are in 13th place.
Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics
TANGLED UP — Fort Fairfield’s Travis Noyes is slide tackled by Ashland defender Tony Baker during Friday’s soccer matchup at FFHS. Noyes scored both goals in the Tigers’ 2-1 upset victory over the Hornets.
Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics
RACE FOR POSSESSION – Ashland’s Macie Pelkey, left, and Fort Fairfield’s Brooke Beaulieu go after the ball during Friday’s match, won by the Hornets, 4-1. Pelkey scored twice in the victory.
