HAMPDEN, Maine — The Northern Maine Moose boys lacrosse team came out on top in a shootout at Hampden Academy 17-14 on June 3.
“We always enjoy playing against this team as we both started our lacrosse programs around the same time,” head coach Aaron Simoes said. “We’re seeing the same growing pains. We always know it’s going to be a good competition. Tonight was no exception. It was a shooting match between Isaiah Ervin and their star player. In the moment you don’t want the game to go back and forth but when you can sit back and reflect on what you just watched. It was a game of two players going head-to-head. The great part is they congratulated each other after some goals. If you’re a fan that got to watch the game this was a great game to watch with 31 total goals. “
In the end Ervin came out on top with 14 of the 17 goals for the Northern Maine Moose. He also had one assist totaling his points for the night at 15 and was Player of the Game rated by 92.9 The Ticket.
Ervin continues to have help from his faceoff specialist Colton Simoes who won 27 out of the 33 faceoffs taken in the evening — an 81 percent win ratio. That is not an easy position to take on that many faceoffs as it does expend a tremendous amount of quick, explosive energy. It says a lot about Simoes’ endurance, strength and athleticism.
By winning the faceoff it puts the ball in our offensive end and helps us create a rhythm.
Simoes finished the day with 22 ground balls and two goals.
Eli Brown was also on the board for one goal and one assist.
“This win helps us secure a seventh place finish for the season,” Simoes said. “This is an improvement from last year from eighth place and our tournament points are higher this year than last year as well. We made significant improvements. Now we focus on playoffs and wait to find out who the No. 2 seed will be. I’m proud of the boys making it into the seventh place slot where we were hovering at the ninth place spot for quite some time. A great way to finish the regular season.”
