HOULTON, Maine — Facing an unknown opponent can always be challenging as the Houlton and Narraguagus boys soccer teams learned Friday evening in a Class C North preliminary playoff.
The two teams traded goals in the first half and all signs seemed to indicate a defensive game was in the works.
All that changed in the second half, as the No. 8 Shires exploded for five unanswered goals to blast their way past ninth seed Narraguagus, 6-1. With the victory, Houlton (7-5-3 overall) advances to the quarterfinals, where the Shires take on top-ranked, and undefeated, Sumner (13-0-1) Wednesday in East Sullivan. The time for that game has not been finalized.
Houlton’s Keegan Gentle, front, focuses on the soccer ball during Friday night’s Class C North prelim game against Narraguagus. The Shires rolled to a 6-1 victory.
(Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr)
Houlton senior Jaron Gentle scored three goals in Friday night’s game, including converting a penalty kick. Freshman Jed Gilpatrick chipped in two goals for the Shires, while senior Keegan Gentle had an assist.
“I have a preferred side to go with on my penalty kicks, but I am not going to tell you,” Jaron Gentle said of his successful penalty kick in the second half. “I know what I am going to do no matter what a goalie is doing.”
Jaron Gentle put the Shires on the board first with 15:20 remaining in the first half as he took a feed from his cousin Keegan Gentle to give Houlton a 1-0 lead. Narraguagus’ Jonathan Ramirez evened things up four minutes later as he scored an unassisted goal for the Knights.
The score remained knotted at 1-1 at the halftime break, before the Shires erupted in the second period to put the game away.
Houlton’s Isaiah Gentle, right, and Narraguagus’ Evan Strout battle for the ball during Friday night’s Class C North preliminary playoff in Houlton. The Shires won 6-1.
(Staff Photo/Joseph Cyr)
“It was a tight first half, but we slowed things down a bit in the second half, took our time with our shots and we made some nice passes, which led to goals,” Gentle said.
Narraguagus ends its season with an 8-5 overall record.
