High school soccer quarterfinal action for the girls’ teams begins today, with the No. 1 Houlton Lady Shires hosting No. 8 Madawaska, a preliminary winner over No. 9 Sumner, 10-0.
The game will begin today at 4 p.m. Admission will be charged. Adults is $4 and students/seniors $2.
Houlton and Madawaska have met twice on the regular season, with Houlton winning both times, 2-1 at home in their opening contest of the year and 6-0 in their second meeting in October.
“They are a very good team and they are very well coached,” said Houlton coach Tim Tweedie. “Madawaska has a very proud and strong tradition in soccer, so I can guarantee you that they won’t simply lay down for us because we’re the No. 1 seed.”
The Lady Shires finish an undefeated season, 12-0-2, drawing ties with Fort Kent, 0-0, on Sept. 12 and Orono, 1-1, last Saturday. Both games were played in Houlton.
The Houlton girls have an offensive punch as they outscored their regular season opponents 64-6 and the most goals the Lady Shires defense has allowed this season is one.
Shiretowners blank Lee to advance
The Houlton Shiretowners were scheduled to play their Class C quarterfinal game on Tuesday in Fort Kent.
The teams have met twice on the season, with Fort Kent winning both times, 4-1 and 5-0 in September.
Last Saturday, the No. 10 Shiretowners were on the road at No. 7 Lee Academy and shut out their hosts, 5-0.
Abe Lorom spearheaded Houlton’s offense with a pair of goals, while single tallies were recorded by Connor Grant, Dawson McLaughlin and Dan Howe.
The Shiretowners gained control of the game and never let up. Houlton goalie, A.J. Henderson, had six saves on 20 shots, while Lee Academy’s keeper, Sam Mallett, turned back five of 10 shots.
Warriors edge Van Buren; meet Schenck in QF
The No. 5 Southern Aroostook Warriors were scheduled to play No. 13 Schenck yesterday in their Class D quarterfinal game. The Wolverines defeated No. 4 Shead, 3-2 in the preliminary contest.
“I expect a tough, physical game against Schenck,” said SACS coach Cliff Urquhart. “They play a tough schedule and aren’t your traditional 13 seed. They are very defensive oriented. They have a solid keeper and kids in front of him play hard, smart and win the ball out of the air.
“We have to control the tempo,” he added. “We want it to be a game where we get up early and make them have to score a goal or two. They have scored less than 20 goals all season.”
The Warriors hosted No. 12 Van Buren in their prelim game on Saturday in Dyer Brook. The Southern Aroostook boys won, 2-1.
Within the first three minutes of the game, Southern Aroostook scored their opening goal when Cameron Landry headed in a Jackson Mathers corner-kick cross. The game remained 1-0 throughout the first half of action, with both teams looking to capitalize against each other’s defense.
Both goalies, Austin White of Southern Aroostook and Joey Canwell of Van Buren, came up with defensive stops in the first half to keep each team’s momentum in check. Neither team could punch a goal into the net though each team had their opportunities that were met by solid goalkeeping efforts. There were times when each goalie was left one-on-one with a shooter and made saves on the play by blocking, sliding or leaving the net to snatch the ball.
The second half was again a defensive battle. Southern Aroostook was working for an insurance goal, while Van Buren wanted to find their rhythm to score the equalizer.
With 17:57 left in the second half, Parker Walker and Mathers would work a give-and-go play to break through Van Buren’s defense. Walker controlled the ball and as he watched the action unfold, he sent a pass to Mathers, who picked up the pass. As Mathers took the ball, he drew Van Buren’s Canwell out of the goal. Mathers then sent a cross to the opposite corner of the net for the game-winner.
Van Buren pressed Southern Aroostook in the last 10 minutes of the game, bringing the score to within a goal with 10:08 left in regulation.
Van Buren’s Thomas Lajoie took a cross from Andre Rossignol and had a break-away shot on SACS White on goal. As the ball rolled into the net, no one reacted because players thought an offside was called. Once the officials talked it over, the goal stood.
“They played a good switch,” said Urquhart. “Austin got caught off his line a little and left an open goal. I know from talking with him that if he could go back, he would change his approach, if he had to do it again.”
White had five saves for the 13-2-0 Warriors, while Canwell made nine saves for 4-10-1 Van Buren.
“Austin was key coming up with a huge save late on a breakaway that could have tied things up,” said Urquhart.
East Grand girls win in overtime
The No. 7 East Grand girls will travel to Howland to meet the No. 2 Penobscot Valley Howlers today in their Class D quarterfinal matchup at 2:30 p.m.
In last Friday’s preliminary game in Danforth, the East Grand girls picked up a 3-2 win in overtime against Shead.
Game conditions were very soggy, as the rain fell and the ball was slowed by the wet playing field, which collected water making for plenty of puddles. Despite the damp and cold weather, aided by a breeze blowing across the field, the Lady Vikings persevered to a win.
Senior Allie McEwen scored the game-winner with six minutes left in the first sudden-death overtime on a chip shot over the head of Shead’s goalkeeper off a pass from Adreanna Phillips.
The Lady Vikings opened the scoring quickly in the first half as Bethany Lindsey knocked the ball to the weak side of the net and Kianna Caissie added the second goal. East Grand is 8-4-1 on the season.
