Staff Writer
There was plenty at stake when the Ellsworth Eagles came to town Saturday for a doubleheader against Presque Isle.
In their meeting at Ellsworth Sept. 6, the PI boys played to a draw with the Eagles, while the girls suffered their only loss of the season.
The results were much more positive in round 2 at the Johnson Athletic Complex. On a rainy afternoon, the Presque Isle girls managed a 3-1 victory in the opener, while the Wildcat boys won a hard-fought battle in the second match of the day, 2-0.
In the girls’ game, all three PI goals were netted in the second half. Katrina Whittier, Sarah Porter and Chelsea Nickerson all scored unassisted goals to lift the ’Cats to their seventh win of the year against just the one loss.
Kellsey Park was up to the challenge in goal, saving five of the six shots she faced. Casey Wyman scored for Ellsworth and goalkeeper Angie Tucker turned away 11 of 14 shots.
The boys’ game was scoreless at intermission, but Nate Ackerson and Warren Zubrick scored goals in the second half and the PI defense took care of the rest in the shutout win.
“We certainly took a big step forward as a team on Saturday,” said Presque Isle coach Scott Young. “Ellsworth is known for their toughness and style of play and stinginess on the defensive end, but we seemed to get stronger as the game progressed and really carried play for most of the game.”
Dillon Kingsbury collected seven saves in the contest, as PI moved to 7-0-1 overall.
Both Wildcat teams are in first place in the latest release of the Eastern Maine Class B Heal Point standings. The girls lead by eight points over second-place Winslow, while the boys have a comfortable 21-point cushion over Camden Hills.
The Wildcat teams were winners at John Bapst last week, with the boys claiming a 2-0 win last Wednesday on goals by Russ Mortland and Oliver Zubrick and the girls prevailing Thursday, 2-1, behind goals by Kayla Legassie and Abbie LaPointe.
The Ashland girls remain in first place in EM Class D by virtue of a 3-0 shutout win over Southern Aroostook last Wednesday. The Lady Warriors were 9-0-1 entering the contest, including a victory a week earlier over the Lady Hornets.
In this one, played at their home away from home, the Johnson Athletic Complex in Presque Isle, Brooke Labelle scored off an Andrea Good assist, Macie Pelkey tallied a goal off an Anna Paradis feed and Jessica Jimmo scored unassisted on a breakaway to key Ashland’s offense.
Taylor Baker claimed her seventh shutout win of the season by saving eight shots in goal for coach Peter Belskis’s Hornets, now 9-2-1 after being upset by Katahdin Friday, 1-0, on a goal by Mary Jo Robinson early in the second half.
The Fort Fairfield boys are in fourth place, but suffered a surprise loss to Limestone/MSSM Friday, 2-1. Jordan Dolan popped in the game-winning goal with less than five minutes to go in regulation to give the Eagles the upset win. Josh Booth scored Fort’s only goal.
Ashland was shut out twice, 2-0 by Southern Aroostook last Wednesday and 6-0 by Katahdin Friday. The Hornets are now 7-5 and fell to sixth place in the EM D rankings. “Those were the last of six games we played in a 12-day stretch,” said Ashland coach Kevin Paradis. “We are quite banged up both physically and mentally right now.”
Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics
GOING FOR THE HEADER- Freshman Kayla Richards tries to get in position for a head ball against Ellsworth defender Laren Peer during Saturday’s home match, won by Presque Isle, 3-1.
Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics
ABSORBING CONTACT – Presque Isle Wildcat Warren Zubrick wins a ball in the air against Ellsworth’s Adam Kaspala in a home game Saturday. Ellsworth’s Drew Barkhouse, left, and Presque Isle’s Josh Allen are also in on the play. The ‘Cats came out on top, 2-0.
