The countdown begins to the postseason, as the last countable game for the soccer season is Tuesday, Oct. 22. The Class D playoff games will be held on Friday, Oct. 25, with Class C on Saturday, Oct. 26. All boys’ quarterfinal games will be played on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
The defending Class C state champion Shiretowners had big gaps to fill as they lost their top scorer and veteran defensemen. But, they have continued to press onward, finding those who can step in and continue to advance them.
The Shires will be on the road to close out their regular season, playing Saturday in Orono at 3 p.m. and Monday in Lincoln at Mattanawcook Academy at 4 p.m.
The Shiretowners are seeded eighth in the latest Heal Point Standings with a 7-4-1 record and they are worth 15.3571 tourney points. They have accumulated a tourney index of 47.3214.
Madawaska is the top-ranked team in Class C, 10-1-0 and have accumulated 82.2704 points; second, Fort Kent, 9-2-1, 76.2755; third, Orono, 7-2-2, 75.000; fourth, George Stevens Academy, 10-2-1, 68.4311; fifth, Washington Academy, 9-2-0, 64.9235; sixth, Central of East Corinth, 8-2-2, 58.9286 and seventh, PCHS, 7-4-1, 54.5918.
Capping off the top playoff teams in Class C are: ninth, Penquis 5-6-1, 33.0357; No. 10, Sumner, 5-7-2, 31.3776 and No. 11, Mattanawcook Academy, 3-4-4, 30.9949.
The Shiretowners took the top-ranked Owls to the brink on Monday in Houlton. The Shiretowners forced double overtime before a winner was determined.
The Owls won 2-1.
Ian Lee opened the scoring for Madawaska at the 27:08 mark of the second half, but Houlton’s Isaac Cone took a Jake Drew pass and evened the game just six minutes later.
After a scoreless overtime, the teams went into a second one. Lee again struck for the Owls with 14.6 left in the double overtime to keep his team’s unbeaten streak alive.
Houlton goalie Kole Buzzeo had 11 stops on 19 shots, while Madawaska’s Tim Deschenes turned back six of 10 shots faced.
Last Tuesday, the Shiretowners blanked visiting Schenck, 3-0.
Connor Grant of Houlton opened the scoring for Houlton on an assist from Cone, while Dan Howe provided two more second-half goals to secure the win.
The Shires’ Jake Carter added an assist for Houlton, while goalie Buzzeo blocked three of three shots faced.
For Schenck, keeper Jonathan Chaisson stopped 20 of 24 shots.
In Class D, the Southern Aroostook Warriors have positioned themselves for a possible home game, as they are sitting in the fourth position with a 10-2 record. They have accumulated a tourney index of 43.1378, which puts them about 18 points behind the first-ranked team Easton, 10-0-1, 60.9821.
The Warriors finish their season Friday in Madawaska, as does East Grand as they host Shead at 3:45 p.m.
Bangor Christian is second in the Class D standings with a 12-0 record and a tourney index of 58.1207 and third, Jonesport-Beals, 8-3-1, 45.1743.
In fifth, Shead, 7-2-0, 42.7480; sixth, Ashland, 5-3-3, 42.7296; seventh, PVHS, 6-2-3, 40.3699; eighth, Washburn, 5-4-2, 33.8010; ninth, Wisdom, 7-2-1, 30.4464; 10th, Central Aroostook, 3-6-3, 30.4464; 11th, Deer Isle-Stonington, 4-10, 20.2806; 12th, Fort Fairfield, 3-6-2, 17.8571; 13th, Machias, 2-8-0, 15.8234; 14th, Schenck, 2-8-2, 14.2857 and rounding out the top postseason qualifiers is Hodgdon in the 15th spot with a tourney index of 12.9082.
Other local teams standings are: Katahdin, 18th, 1-10-1 and 22nd, East Grand, 0-11.
In other action this week, the Katahdin Cougars tied Central Aroostook, 1-1.
On Friday in Mars Hill, the Panthers scored at the end of the first half when Dane Kingsbury struck for a goal with 35 seconds left until halftime. But, Katahdin’s Nick Randall scored the equalizer with 16:48 left in regulation, sending the game into a scoreless overtime.
Katahdin goalie T.J. Young blocked eight of 22 shots, while Panther keeper Spencer Garrison set back five of eight shots.
In Dyer Brook last Tuesday, the Warriors overpowered Hodgdon, 6-0.
Cody Lassonde racked up three goals to pace the Southern Aroostook boys to the win. Trent Cullinan scored a goal and had two assists in the game, while Cameron Landry, Parker Walker and Logan Buckley each had single tallies. Goalie Austin White had six saves, while Hodgdon netkeeper Tristan Larson made nine saves.
