MCI over Foxcroft among regional field hockey championship contests

By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff

The Old Town High School field hockey team continued to provide Courtney Lanham with a memorable first season as the head coach.

Old Town used a late first-half goal from Logan Gardner — her first goal of the season — and an exceptional defensive performance to upset previously undefeated Lawrence of Fairfield 1-0 at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham on Wednesday, Nov. 3 to claim its first Class B North championship since 1988.

In the other regional championship games, Skowhegan had to rally past Oxford Hills 2-1 to earn its 20th consecutive Class A North regional championship and Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield beat Foxcroft Academy 2-0 for the C North crown.

MCI last played in a state game in 2017 in Class B and won it 5-0 over York. MCI had reached the C final in 2015 and 2016, winning in 2015.

In Saturday’s state championship games at Cony High in Augusta, Skowhegan will seek its 17th state title in 20 years when it takes on Cheverus of Portland in a game between a pair of 17-0 teams at 4 p.m.; Old Town, 14-3, will face Leavitt of Turner, 15-3, at noon; and MCI, 15-1, will meet 17-0 Winthrop at 2 p.m.

Lanham’s Coyotes thwarted 20 Lawrence penalty corners en route to their victory over Lawrence.

“I was really proud of my defense,” said Lanham, whose team has now won 13 of its last 14 games. “That’s the best we’ve played all season defensively. My girls really stepped it up on [Lawrence’s] penalty corners.”

A big part of that was the play of senior goalkeeper Chelsey Cote, she said.

“Chelsey stayed low and stayed focused,” said Lanham, whose penalty corner unit is comprised of Maddie Arsenault, Maddie Emerson, Sydney Loring and Abby Shorette.

Arsenault also picked up an assist on Gardner’s goal as her initial shot created a rebound that Gardner shoveled home.

Like Old Town, Leavitt also upset an undefeated team in B South as Eve Martineau had a goal and an assist and Keriah Marston had the game-winner in its 2-1 win over York, which had won the last seven regional championships.

In the C North final, Gracie Moore scored her 40th goal of the season after picking up an assist on Ella Bernier’s goal as MCI triumphed.

Bernier capitalized on a Moore rebound off a penalty corner and then Moore fired home a Trinity Leavitt rebound to give the Huskies an insurance goal.

Moore’s goal extended her school single season record total.

Winthop thumped Lisbon 8-1 in the C South final and will be playing in its fourth straight C state final, winning it in 2018.

Maddie Perkins’ three goals and three assists and two goals by Bella Littler paced the Ramblers.

Skowhegan spotted Oxford Hills a 1-0 lead on an Alison Slicer goal but Layla Conway tied it off a Norrie Tibbetts pass. Freshman Sydalia Savage won it with 3:52 remaining in regulation off a Samantha Thebarge rebound on the River Hawks’ 12th penalty corner of the game.

Cheverus advanced with a 2-1 win over Scarborough on a pair of Taylor Tory goals.