Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Gloria Austin
BACK-TO-BACK — The Southern Aroostook Lady Warriors hoist the state soccer championship trophy Saturday in Hampden after beating Greenville 2-0 for their second straight title.
Lady Warriors capture back-to-back Class D state titles
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
It was the perfect ending to a perfect season, as Southern Aroostook captured their second straight state soccer title last Saturday at Hampden Academy with a 2-0 win over Greenville, while keeping their perfect 18-0 record intact.
“It is amazing,” said senior goalie Emily Cummings. “Our second year in a row. It feels just as good as it did the first time.”
A year ago, the Lady Warriors claimed the first-ever state title for the girl’s program defeating Greenville 1-0 in overtime.
The first half of Saturday’s contest found the Lady Warriors hesitant in their attack of the net, instead of aggressive, as they usually are on the field. The Lady Warriors weren’t accurate on corner kicks, as they were going out-of-bounds and when it looked like there was a breakaway, Greenville’s defense stepped up and booted the ball away to midfield, frustrating the front line of Southern Aroostook.
BITTER SWEET – Southern Aroostook players, right, Rochelle Nadeau and Janel Rockwell embrace after Rockwell scored the first goal of last Saturday’s state championship game against Greenville. In the background, Greenville players respond to the score. The Lady Warriors went on to defeate the Lakers, 2-0, for their second straight Class D state title.
“It wasn’t that great,” said senior striker Liz Goodall. “We had shots, but we missed them.”
So, the game was scoreless at halftime and the Lady Warriors were discouraged. But, a stern talk from Coach Holly Vining got the team back on course.
“They were irritated with one another and they were bickering,” said Vining. “Our communication wasn’t what it needed to be. I told them we aren’t losing the game, it’s 0-0. You need to forget you are high school girls and drop the drama.”
Vining wanted her players taking more shots, instead of passing so much.
“We needed to go back to our teamwork, which is our foundation,” she explained. “We needed to play deeper on offense and just keep taking shots, and eventually one will fall in.”
Less than five minutes into the second half, senior left wing Evangeline Goodall decided to put her coach’s words into practice.
“I started crossing and that’s when Janel scored,” she said. “I knew she would be right there.”
Just 3:01 into the second half, Goodall, unmarked on the left side, sent a high cross in front of the net, and Rockwell corralled the ball and one touched it inside the post just under the goalie’s hand.
“I was right there at the right moment,” Rockwell said. “I knew that instant, if I got the ball I had to shoot it or the opportunity would be gone.”
About seven minutes later, the duo worked their magic again for the insurance goal. Goodall banged a high cross in front of the net, which looked as if it might be too wide, but Rockwell hustled in and got her head on the ball and beat Greenville’s goalie to the near post.
Though dejected, the Lakers kept a push on to score in the late minutes of the game. One of their better chances came when Greenville beat SACS defense leaving Cummings alone. McKenna Peat crossed the ball to Nikki Hamilton in front of the net. Hamilton took a shot, but Cummings blocked it with her right hand, bobbled it, but regained possession and cleared the ball.
MAKING A STOP – Southern Aroostook goalie Emily Cummings stops the ball with her hand after a shot on goal during last Saturday’s Class D state championship game at Hampden Academy. The Lady Warriors defeated Greenville for the second year in a row to capture the state title.
Peat got one-on-one with Cummings again, but Cummings pounced on the ball for a crucial second save.
“It was intense,” Cummings said. “I love that feeling. I love being pressured. It gives me the adrenalin and drive to just do my job and do it well.”
Cummings has done her job well all season, as Saturday she picked up her third shutout in four playoff games and her eighth on the season.
“I didn’t face a lot of pressure during our season,” she said. “But today, definitely. Our defense is a huge part of our team. They are amazing. They are just rock solid. They are like a wall.”
Cumming’s wall of defense is senior Lauren McGary, Kaitlyn Sommers and Shelby Hartin. Time and time again, these players thwarted any scoring chances for opponents throughout the year.
With about 20 minutes left in the state game, McGary went down, causing concern since she had broken a bone in her left foot six weeks ago and had struggled with the same injury during last year’s basketball season.
“It’s my entire left foot,” she said. “I iced it a bit, but I knew I had to get back in and finish it. I told myself before the game, I am not going out at all. But, I couldn’t help it. It was hurting.”
However, McGary got back into the game with 15 minutes left and was in the middle of her team’s celebration.
“I was holding my head, saying is this real? Is this happening? We just won. It is indescribable,” she said. McGary agreed the start was bumpy.
“We had a rough start at the beginning,” she said. “When we don’t get a goal right off, we get frustrated. But the second half, we told ourselves we are going to focus. We are a family and we are going to do this together.”
When the Lady Warriors’ season began, they had a bulls’ eye on their back, and mounting pressure for a repeat.
“I never dreamed we would be 18-0,” said Vining. “It’s a pretty amazing feeling.”
The Lady Warriors played a physical game in the Eastern Maine finals against Ashland, and some players were bruised and hurting heading into Saturday’s game.
USING HER HEAD – Southern Aroostook’s Liz Goodall heads the ball away from a Greenville player during last Saturday’s Class D state championship game held at Hampden Academy. The Lady Warriors won their second straight state crown by defeating Greenville, 2-0. This is the second year that Southern Aroostook has beaten Greenville for the title.
“The mood was positive on the way down,” Vining said. “We were pumped up. Then, when we got here and saw they were purple and white, it just brought it all together for us.”
Last Wednesday, the Lady Warriors claimed the Eastern Maine crown with a 4-0 win over Ashland in Dyer Brook.
Liz Goodall scored twice, while twin sister Evangeline and Rochelle Nadeau each scored a goal.
Liz Goodall’s first goal was unassisted with 25:56 left in the first half, as she booted a grounder past a diving Taylor Baker of Ashland.
A minute later, Evangeline Goodall was tripped and scored on a penalty kick to give SACS a 2-0 lead. With just over six minutes left in the half, Nadeau lifted a shot into the upper twine off Rockwell’s assist for a 3-0 lead.
In the second half, Liz Goodall scored the final goal with just over six minutes left, sending one up and over Ashland goalie Baker.
Cummings had four saves on eight shots, while Baker blocked three of 11 shots faced. The Hornets ended the season at 14-3.
The Lady Warriors are losing seven seniors off their squad — Kim Pratt, Nadeau, the Goodall sisters, Cummings, McGary and Alex Bishop.
“We are losing a lot of power on offense,” said Vining. “But, I have kids who made tremendous strides this season. I have freshmen and sophomores step up all season, as sometimes we were down three or four starters in games and they came through for us. They now know the pressure of playoffs and I think that will make them stronger, too.”
Rockwell admitted the pressure last Saturday had mounted.
TRIPPED UP – Southern Aroostok’s Jasmine Rockwell and Olivia Bouchard of Greenville get tangled while going for a loose ball. The Lady Warriors claimed their second straight Class D state crown last Saturday in Hampden with a 2-0 win over Greenville.
“Coming here for a second time is so much pressure,” she said. “We have all played together since peewees. It’s incredible to once again celebrate something like this. Next year is going to be tough, but I think we will be strong. We still have most of our defense and midfield. So, I think we will be decent.”
Vining feels the experience her younger players got in the playoffs — she had many in the quarterfinals semifinals and finals, as well as state — will pay dividends.
Returning players are juniors, Janel and Jasmine Rockwell, Cassie Garcelon and Hartin; sophomores, Jillian Diaferio, Morgan Gustin, Jessica Charest, Mallary Lawlor, Sommers and Olivia Raymond; freshmen, Elizabeth Bishop, Katelyn Goodall, Kristen Tarr and Desirae Dubois.
“I try to get everyone in when I can,” she said. “The younger players practiced against the best, our seniors, which makes them stronger. That will help us next year. I think we may come out and surprise a lot of teams.”
