By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
The top two girls’ teams in Eastern Maine Class D met for the second time in 11 days Thursday and the results were a total departure from the first go-around.
After Ashland handed Washburn a 4-0 defeat Sept. 9 in Washburn, the Beavers turned around and blanked the Hornets in the most recent meeting held in Ashland, 7-0.
“We knew Ashland was a great team, but the girls were determined to step it up,” said Washburn coach Marcie Barbarula. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but we realized we were going to have to rely a lot on our defense, so we marked up their three top scoring threats and the team worked very well together. Their communication on the field is what made the difference.”
Contributed photo
NEW RECORD — Mackenzie Worcester scored four goals in a Sept. 13 win over Hodgdon, giving her 85 for her career and the new Washburn District High School record for goals in a career. Worcester passed Jordan McLaughlin, who scored 85 when he played from 2008-2011. Worcester, only a junior, currently has 90 with three games still remaining in the regular season. From left are assistant coach Scott Olson; her father, Larry; Mackenzie Worcester; her mother, Kim; and head coach Marcie Barbarula.
Mackenzie Worcester had a hand in all seven Beaver goals, scoring three and assisting on the other four. Joan Overman notched two goals and Carmen Bragg and Kennedy Churchill added one each as Washburn improved to 10-1 on the season and took over the No. 1 position in the standings, with Ashland still in second at 6-1.
The Presque Isle boys were not highly regarded entering the season, but they have managed to turn some heads by piling up five wins and a tie over their first seven contests and grab the No. 1 position in the Eastern Maine Class B Heal Point rankings.
The Wildcats had a couple recent road games and picked up victories in both. PI beat Old Town Saturday, 4-1, and turned around and downed Foxcroft Academy Monday, 6-2. Goalkeeper Cody Lyford saved a penalty kick in both matches, with Alex Michaud picking up two goals and an assist against the Coyotes and Ben Nickerson finding the back of the net four times against the Ponies.
“It’s been a good first half of the season for us,” said PI coach Joe Greaves. “The boys have been playing well and I could go on and on about all the good things I am seeing from them. Bottom line is they have done a great job coming together as a team. The seniors’ and juniors’ leadership has brought the team together nicely.
“They make our young guys feel comfortable but at the same time hold them accountable,” he added. “There is no finger-pointing when something goes wrong — just the reminder to keep working hard and good things will happen.”
Presque Isle had major question marks on defense heading into the season, with personnel losses coming due to graduation and transfers, but the team has been up to the task as evidenced by six goals surrendered thus far.
“Cody, Tyler (Seeley) and Ryder (Soucy) have done a great job back there. Cody has made some huge saves and Tyler sets the tone for the team, and the young guys pick up on it and follow,” Greaves said.
Devin Schinhofen and Ansu Morrow have been controlling play from their midfield positions and the offense, which scored just three times in the first three games, has tallied 18 in the last four. The coach is pleased with the start, but warned that things will not get any easier.
“The second half of the season is the toughest and teams won’t be overlooking us now like they have been,” Greaves said. “We will have to pick it up a notch.”
The Presque Isle girls were able to pick up their first win of the season last Tuesday after topping Fort Kent, 1-0. The winning goal came courtesy of Taylor Williams off a Logan Caron throw-in with 38 seconds left in double overtime. It was the first loss of the season for Fort Kent, which had beaten PI Aug. 21. The Wildcats fell to Old Town Saturday, 1-0.
The Ashland boys have rebounded from a slow start by going 3-0-1 over their final four matches. Coach Mark Stanley said preseason injuries, the weather and other things out of the team’s control led to the sluggish beginning, but the team has rallied lately, including Thursday’s 5-0 home win over Washburn.
“Now that we have all our players healthy and a bit of experience under our belts, the boys are starting to perform much better,” Stanley said. “They are aggressively winning the ball, defending confidently and attacking with lots of pace.”
Cody Blair, who picked up his second consecutive hat trick in the victory over the Beavers, has once again emerged as a big threat, scoring 12 goals already this year. Stanley added that the experience provided by Mark Chasse, Tyler Chasse, Nicholas Belanger, Aaron Sturgeon and Michael Cook have helped “solidify us defensively and through the midfield.”
The Central Aroostook girls are another team that has picked it up after some early struggles. After beginning the year with an 0-3 record, the Panthers have bounced back by going 4-2 over their last six matches.
CA had a tough schedule early and has had a chance to get players back from injury which coach Joe Levesque said “kept us from getting into a good flow and to make any adjustments.”
Marissa Anthony is back healthy and has reestablished herself as a defensive leader, while Molly Anthony and Karli Levesque have increased their scoring as of late. Levesque added that midfielders Mollie Garrison, Shannon Scully and Sam Kearney have done a great job getting them the ball.
“It’s been a total team effort,” Levesque said.
The Panthers downed Katahdin Thursday, 7-1, marking their top offensive performance of the fall. On Monday, CA was beaten by Fort Fairfield, 5-0.
