Ponies get seventh win in eight games with shutout of John Bapst
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
DOVER-FOXCROFT — For much of the game between Foxcroft Academy and Class B John Bapst Memorial High School on the afternoon of Sept. 23 the Ponies kept the ball on the opposition’s side of the field.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TWO-FOR-TWO — Foxcroft Academy senior Fern Morrison, cutting in from the left corner in the opening half, would score in the both the first and second halves as the Ponies defeated John Bapst at home, 2-0, on Sept. 23. Foxcroft improved to 7-1 with the victory, and earned a sweep on the season against the Class B Crusaders.
Foxcroft limited the Crusaders to just a single shot on goal in each half while firing off 20 of the team’s own shots on goal and enjoyed a 12-1 edge in penalty corners. These lopsided statistics helped the Ponies earn a 2-0 victory, the team’s third in a row and seventh in eight contests over the first half-plus of the 2014 season.
Senior Fern Morrison would score the only needed goal less than four minutes after play began. Upon receiving the ball from senior Emma Tetlow, Morrison fired off a centering shot that found its mark out of reach of John Bapst senior goal keeper Karen Noble.
While the Ponies only got on the scoreboard once in the first 30-minute session, the team kept the pressure on the Crusaders. Helping the fact was eight penalty corners awarded to the home team, while the visitors did not have any such opportunities in the first half.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
WHACKING DAY — Sophomore Becca Anderson winds up to send the ball down the field.
Morrison scored an insurance goal during half No. 2. With 13:14 on the clock, junior Madison Fadley put the ball in play on a penalty corner from the right of the John Bapst goal. Senior Julia Annis received Fadley’s pass and she quickly fired off a shot on goal. Morrison was then able to redirect the ball in for her second and the Ponies’ second of the game at the 13:06-mark.
Foxcroft’s scoring output for the contest and in each half would match the scoring opportunities for John Bapst. In the first half junior Madison Chadbourne made a save on the only shot she faced. Sophomore Abigail Simpson played in goal in the second half and she also stopped the sole shot she saw as the two equally split the shutout and saw only a tenth of the shots on the goal as their counterpart across the field.
The Ponies earned a season sweep of John Bapst, which fell to 4-4 with the loss. On Sept. 8 the two teams played on the artificial turf of the Crusaders’ home field in Orono at the University of Maine. Foxcroft won that contest with another shutout, 1-0. John Bapst had won four of five games in between its two defeats at the hands of the Ponies.
Foxcroft is scheduled to play next with a trip to Millinocket to face Stearns High School (2-8 as of presstime) on Friday, Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. The game will be the lone meeting of the regular season between the two programs.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HAVING THE OPPOSITION CORNERED — Pony junior Madison Fadley ended up with a busy day as Foxcroft was awarded a dozen penalty corners against John Bapst, to only one for the opposition.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
STICKY SITUATION — Controlling a loose ball against John Bapst is Foxcroft senior Julia Annis, while teammates sophomore Becca Anderson (3) and senior Aliviah King (10) look on.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
AROUND SHE GOES — Senior Abigail Simmons heads upfield during the second half of Foxcroft’s 2-0 victory vs. John Bapst.
FIELD HOCKEY
Foxcroft 2,
John Bapst 0
JB 0 0 — 0
FA 1 1 — 2
First half: F — Morrison (Tetlow).
Second half: F — Morrison (Annis).
Saves: F — Chadbourne 1 and Simpson 1; JB — Noble 20.
Penalty corners: F — 12; JB — 1.
Records: F 7-1; JB 4-4.