Lady Shires lose in a heartbreaker

By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    In last Tuesday’s Eastern Maine Class C quarterfinal game, a scoreless first half proved how difficult it could be to defeat a team three times in a row.
    The No. 3 Houlton Lady Shires were defeated 2-1 by the No. 6 visiting Calais Blue Devils.
    With a 1-all score, the teams sparred through two scoreless 15-minute overtime periods, leading into penalty kicks. In the first round, Houlton had two chances to win, but came up tied, forcing another set of five penalty kicks. In the last round, Calais triumphed, despite the effort of Houlton goalie Marina Cameron, whose skill was demonstrated on an individual platform. Cameron came up with several outstanding stops in both rounds, but in the end, Calais moved on to the semifinals.
Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
FINISHING — Houlton’s Natalie Hill finishes the play, as Calais’ goalie comes out to snag the ball.
    The Lady Shires’ Alana Pratt put Houlton on the scoreboard 10 minutes into the second half on a scramble in front of the net. Pratt played the bounce of the ball in front of Calais’ goalie, banging the ball point-blank to the right of the helpless stopper. It was Pratt’s 23rd goal of the season.
    It appeared as though the Lady Shires were going to be able to hold on for the win, up 1-0, for the next 22 minutes. But a surprising fluke play with eight minutes left in the game allowed Calais new life.
    Calais’ Olivia Smith was standing at midfield and was attempting to simply send the ball back to her front line. Smith struck the ball hard and high. Houlton goalie Cameron had made her way out of the box just a bit to catch the pop fly. But, the wind carried the ball over Cameron’s head. She backpedaled, hands ready for the catch, like an outfielder going after a fly ball. The ball carried in what coach Tweedie called a “freakish fashion” landed and bounced into the net.
    “I know Marina felt bad about it,” said Tweedie, “but it was a very difficult play to make. There is no way she could have guessed the ball would carry that far and once it did, that it would land in the goal. I don’t know how it happened, but it did.”
    The Lady Shires outshot Calais, 20-8 and held a 13-0 advantage on corner kicks.
    The Houlton girls finish the season 12-3, scoring more goals (64) and allowing the least amount (14) in Tweedie’s seven seasons as coach.
NOSE FOR THE GOAL — Houlton’s Alana Pratt tracks down the ball during  quarterfinal action against  Calais.
    “We simply faced a very formidable opponent and after two hours of play, we were tied and it had to be settled on penalty kicks,” Tweedie said. “The girls fought to keep from losing, as they outplayed their opponent.”
    The Lady Shires put 373 shots on goal, with their opponents taking 98.
    “We allowed our opponents to average less than a goal per game against us,” said Tweedie.
    Pratt broke the girl’s school record, scoring 23 goals this year, and Tweedie’s players earned him the Penobscot Valley Conference Class C Coach of the Year Award.