By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Alex Michaud scored a first-half goal and set up teammate Ben Nickerson for a couple more late in the second half, leading the Wildcat boys’ soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Gardiner in the preliminary round of the Eastern Maine Class B playoffs.
The win by the fourth-ranked Wildcats sets up a quarterfinal matchup this afternoon at 4 p.m. against the Old Town Coyotes, who are seeded fifth. Presque Isle and Old Town split their regular season matches, each winning on the other team’s home field.
“Old Town is a great team as they already showed when they beat us at home earlier this year,” said Wildcats’ third-year coach, Joe Greaves. “We have to keep them off the scoreboard. We gave up two goals against them last time and in the playoffs giving up two goals doesn’t bode well. We have to tighten up on defense and offensively we want to score early and often.”
Scoring early is exactly what PI did Saturday in its victory over No. 13 Gardiner. The Wildcats got a great chance 25 seconds into the game when Chase Norton drilled a shot that was saved, but three minutes later, Michaud took advantage of his chance. He got free and nailed a left-footed shot from 15 yards out over the head of Tiger goalkeeper Kenneth More and into the net for the 1-0 advantage.
“In these playoff games, it’s always important to score early and set the away team on their heels quickly,” Michaud said. “The first goal means a whole lot because it pumps everybody up and we’re ready to go.”
The game was played evenly for much of the remainder of the second half and a major portion of the second, but the Wildcats put it away when Michaud found Nickerson for a pair of goals 18 seconds apart in the latter stages of the match.
Meanwhile, Cody Lyford, PI’s senior goalkeeper, made a couple nifty athletic saves en route to his seventh shutout of the season.
“When you have a hot goalie, it makes a team. You can’t compete in the playoffs without someone like Cody,” Michaud said. “He’s as solid as a wall, has confidence and is a great leader.”
Greaves said the Wildcats certainly got a test from a Gardiner team he said was much better than their seed indicated.
“They were athletic and did a great job of hanging in there,” said the PI coach.
The Wildcats got some bad news when senior midfielder Devin Schinhofen went down with a knee injury eight minutes into the second half. Greaves said he will miss the remainder of the playoffs and noted that although his absence will create a huge void, he is hopeful the rest of the team rallies.
“Devin is our quarterback out there, but we are a close team and I know our boys will step up and play great for him,” Greaves said.
