Sports Reporter
The final official Heal Point standings will most likely be released by the Maine Principals’ Association later today or Thursday, but by all indications it appears a few teams in central Aroostook County will represent their region in the upcoming playoffs, which get under way with the preliminary round on Saturday.
Contributed photo/jMavor Photography
Jared Sleeper of the Vikings shields off an Old Town player in a race for possession during a match played Saturday at Old Town. The Coyotes won in overtime, 3-2. Despite losing their final three matches, Caribou will qualify for the playoffs and will compete in the quarterfinal round next Wednesday.
The Presque Isle and Caribou boys are locks for the post-season in Eastern Maine Class B, while Ashland and Central Aroostook both have a good chance to secure a top-four position in Class D. The quarterfinals are set for next Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Limestone-MSSM, Easton, Fort Fairfield and Washburn closed out their regular seasons and all failed to qualify for the EM Class D playoffs.
Summaries of the final regular season matches, played through Monday, Oct. 19, are as follows:
Ashland 4, Fort Fairfield 3 – At Presque Isle Monday, the Hornets secured one of the top three positions in the Eastern Maine Class D soccer standings as Casey Cobb scored off a Kenny Tarr assist with 1:37 to go in regulation to break a 3-3 tie.
Cobb scored earlier in the contest, while Tarr and Royce MacDonald had the other goals for the 11-3 Hornets. Andrew Libby and Brandon Saucier had assists.
Josh Booth scored two goals and Derek Dufour had another for Fort, who needed a victory to have a chance to qualify for the post-season. Travis Noyes collected two assists and Josh Churchill had the other for the 4-9-1 Tigers.
In the battle of the goalies, Ashland’s Bobby Gardner saved 16 of 19 shots and Chris Weeks turned away 22 of 26 attempts.
Old Town 3, Caribou 2 (OT) – At Old Town Saturday, the Vikings lost not only the game, but their starting goalkeeper throughout the upcoming playoffs.
Junior Garrett Jordan suffered a concussion-related injury during a collision early in the second half. According to Caribou coach Mark Shea, Jordan received a concussion last week in an accident which was not sports-related, and was forced to sit out his team’s match against Fort Kent Thursday. He was cleared to play in Saturday’s match, but came out following the collision and will miss the post-season, according to Shea.
In Saturday’s regular season finale, the Coyotes’ Jake Leithiser scored the game-winning goal 3:15 into the first overtime period to lift his team to the triumph.
Chad Caverhill and Cam Anderson each scored and Ted Walker posted an assist for 6-5-3 Caribou, which has a three-game losing streak entering next Wednesday’s quarterfinal match. Shea said Camden Hills is the likely opponent, and Caribou will be on the road as the No. 5 seed.
“We wanted to carry a little momentum with us into the playoffs, but I still like our chances against whoever we play,” Shea said. “Things, such as injuries, have happened to us which are beyond our control, but I told our guys to only worry about the things we can control, such as playing good combination soccer, taking care of our possessions and playing solid defense.”
Caribou had already lost its starting center midfielder and captain, Ethan McDuffie, for the remainder of the season due to an injury in late September. Junior forward Nate Rossignol has also been limited over the past couple weeks by an ankle injury, which was reaggravated against Fort Kent Thursday.
Stephen St. Peter came on in relief of Jordan in goal. The two combined for 11 saves on 16 shots.
Katahdin 2, Fort Fairfield 2 (2OT) – At Stacyville Friday, the Tigers were unable to hold on to a 2-0 halftime lead as the Cougars charged hard in the late going to salvage the tie.
Andrew Tuck and Weeks were the Tigers’ goal scorers. Booth picked up an assist on Tuck’s goal. Tyler Churchill was Fort’s goalkeeper and saved 14 of 25 shots.
Limestone-MSSM 2, Hodgdon 2 (2OT) – At Limestone Thursday, Josh Forsman scored a first-half goal and set up teammate Nate Tucker for another in the second half, but the Eagles had to settle for a tie against the Hawks. Wade Estabrook scored goals two minutes apart in the second half to wipe out a 2-0 deficit and allow the Hawks to knot the score.
Zach Moreau saved 15 of 21 shots in goal for the Eagles, which finished up their campaign with a 3-9-2 record and out of contention for a playoff spot in Eastern Maine Class D.
Washburn 1, Van Buren 0 – At Washburn Thursday, Jordan McLaughlin scored off an Adam Wilcox assist midway through the second half to provide the game’s only goal as the Beavers closed out their season with a victory over the Crusaders.
Justin Howe and Connor Fitzpatrick shared goalie chores for Washburn and combined for five saves on seven shots. The Beavers, who will not qualify for the playoffs this season, finished out their year with a 3-10-1 mark.
Fort Kent 2, Caribou 0 – On Senior Night Thursday at Caribou, the Warriors’ Jared Soucy spoiled the party by scoring two second-half goals and led his team to the victory.
St. Peter, playing in place of the injured Jordan in goal, saved six of eight shots for the Vikes.
Central Aroostook 6, Fort Fairfield 3 – At Fort Fairfield last Tuesday, the Panthers doubled up on the Tigers as Spencer Stetson and Daniel Brewer scored two goals each and Brandon Anthony and Logan Thomas one each.
Brandon York and Tyler Rusby chipped in with assists and Ross Grass made eight saves in goal for the Panthers.
Travis Noyes had all three Tiger tallies. Weeks had eight saves in goal.
Wisdom 6, Limestone-MSSM 2 – At Limestone last Tuesday, the Eagles stayed close and trailed the Pioneers by just a goal before the visitors scored three times in less than five minutes in the late going to account for the final score.
“We ran out of gas,” said Eagle coach Jon Hamilton.
Josh Forsman and Michael Allen were the Eagles’ goal scorers. Christian Miles had an assist and Dylan Stevens and Moreau combined for 21 saves on 28 shots.
Presque Isle 2, Caribou 0 – At Presque Isle last Tuesday, the Wildcats avenged an early-season tie with their rivals 13 miles to the north by scoring a goal in each half and keeping the Vikes off the scoreboard.
Wilder York netted the first goal and Josh Allen tacked on an insurance goal with just over a minute to play. Presque Isle had some good chances to score early on, while the Vikes also had a pair of opportunities to tie the game, but came up empty each time.
The Vikes had to play the final 10 minutes without the services of top offensive weapon Cameron Anderson, who was issued a yellow card for a trip from behind.
“They are a better team than we are right now and both of their goals were quality goals,” Shea said of the Wildcats.
Staff photo/Joseph Cyr
Getting the ball in the face is Fort Fairfield’s Josh Booh, right, as Katahdin’s Kolby Gallagher defends during Friday’s boys soccer game in Stacyville. The two squads battled to a 2-2 stalemate.
