Shires to defend EM title today

Photograph courtesy of Stephanie Howe
PRESSURE — Houlton’s Jimmy Fitzpatrick puts pressure on Madawaska goalie Tim Deschenes, who slides to snatch the ball, while an Owl defender moves in on the play. Houlton won 2-1 and will host Orono today in the Eastern Maine final  at 3 p.m., weather permiting.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    The No. 4 Houlton Shiretowners are poised for another title run as they will host No. 7 Orono in the Eastern Maine Class C championship today at 3 p.m. at the high school soccer field. Orono upset No. 3 Fort Kent to advance.
    “It is important that we don’t overlook Orono,” said Houlton sophomore Dan Howe. “We need to treat this next game like we treated the Madawaska game. If we do that, we will be fine. It’s just exciting to be back in the Eastern Maine championship game.”
    Last Friday, the Shires came from behind to take a 2-1 victory in an evenly-matched contest in Madawaska.
    “It’s an incredible feeling to go onto someone else’s field and win like that,” added Howe.
    The Shiretowners and Owls had split on the regular season. The Owls defeated Houlton, 4-1, in their second game of the season and Houlton’s opener. The Shires won 3-2 in double overtime in Houlton in both teams’ final regular season game.
    Madawaska’s Ian Lee scored the opening goal at the 32-minute mark of the first half, as he curled a direct kick into the upper right corner of the net, to take the lead.
    The teams played evenly before Houlton knotted the score with 3-minutes to the half when Kyle Bouchard finished a Brandon Ward corner kick.
Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
FOOT CONTROL — Houlton’s Gage Hunt kicks the ball back over his head during the Class C quarterfinals against visiting GSA.
    “I ran and jumped on it,” said Bouchard. “I re-directed the ball toward the Madawaska net. I thought for sure that when I headed it, it was going in. Somehow it was deflected and ended up bouncing around my feet. My only thought was to strike the ball before Madawaska did. The goalie was out of position from trying to stop my header, so it went straight in.”
    Three minutes into the second half, Jimmy Fitzpatrick took a Bouchard pass to score the game-winner.
    “I received a pass, I believe just outside the 18,” recalled Bouchard. “I immediately turned to see who was around me. I saw Jimmy streaking towards the goal.”
    The play reminded Bouchard of how Houlton had beaten Madawaska in a similar fashion in overtime at home 11 days earlier.
    The Houlton sophomore pushed a diagonal pass through Madawaska defenders to Fitzpatrick, who banged it home.
    “I slipped the ball to Jimmy, as he was streaking towards the net,” Bouchard said. “Jimmy did what he does best in finishing [the play].”
    “I wanted to get the ball to the second-leading goal scorer in the state and one of the best players to ever come out of Houlton High School,” said Bouchard.
    Houlton goalie Kole Buzzeo protected the net, stopping 11 of 17 shots in the game, while the Owls’ netkeeper, Tim Deschenes, blocked 14 of 22 shots faced. The Owls end their season at 13-3.
    Looking to the today’s Class C final, Bouchard noted Orono was a very respectable team.
    “But, at the same time, we are confident in our own team,” he said. “We are excited and determined to defend our Eastern Maine championship.”
    Keep on knocking. Those were the words that Houlton coach Mike Carlos yelled time and time again to his troops in last Wednesday’s Eastern Maine Class C quarterfinal soccer game against No. 5 George Stevens Academy in Houlton.
    Finally in the second half, the door opened. The No. 4 Shiretowners took a 2-0 win. They advanced to play No. 1 Madawaska last Friday in the semifinals.
Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
KNOCKED DOWN — Houlton’s Brandon Ward uses his head to knock the ball down during the Class C quarterfinal game with GSA.
    Within the first five minutes of the second half, the Shiretowners’ dominance was demonstrated, as they scrambled for the ball to keep steady pressure on GSA’s defensive unit, which rose to the challenge on many plays.     
    But, with 26:37 left in regulation, Fitzpatrick fought the defense hard, but his shot rang off the right goal post. However, with 25:05 left in the game, Fitzpatrick took Barrett Dunn’s pass, turned and drilled the ball into the net.
    Houlton kept up the pressure with several more quality shots. Houltons’ Howe set up the Shires second goal when he stole the ball from a GSA player, dropping it to Bouchard, who raced down the sideline and passed the ball to Fitzpatrick for his second tally of the day.
    Houlton goalie Buzzeo was perfect between the poles stopping all six shots faced. For GSA, goalie Keevien Hilsinger blocked seven of 20 shots faced.