Central tops Foxcroft 4-3 in Ponies’ regular season home finale

By Stuart Hedstrom, Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — When the Foxcroft Academy and Central High School boys soccer teams played in Corinth on Sept. 21, the visiting Ponies won 2-1 in overtime. The rematch in Dover-Foxcroft during the morning of Saturday, Oct. 19 was also decided by a single goal. 

This time it was the Red Devils coming out on top as Central spoiled Foxcroft’s senior recognition game with a 4-3 victory in the match between teams looking to solidify positioning in the Class C North Heal Point standings shortly before the start of the postseason.

Central (the team improved to 7-6 after having dropped two of three games) got on the scoreboard first on a goal by freshman Gage Buzzard nearly 10 minutes in. 

Foxcroft (the Ponies are now 8-5 after having won two straight and four of five) would tie the game on a goal from junior Bechham Ade with junior Madi Sapakov assisting following a free kick by senior Terry Pham.

With just over 10 minutes left in the opening half Pham found the Central goal. After receiving a pass from senior Karson Vigue, Pham dribbled to find a preferred spot on the pitch and his shot from outside the box went in to put the Ponies ahead 2-1.

In the second half the Red Devils would record three straight goals to go from trailing 2-1 to leading 4-2 with goal No. 4 coming at the 7:35-mark. Buzzard would score his second goal of the day on the go-ahead play and he assisted on the first goal of the second half. Red Devil senior Nathan Cox also picked up a goal and an assist in the second 40-minute session.

With just under a minute remaining a Foxcroft free kick was booted toward the Central goal as the Ponies crashed the net. Junior Hayden Hanson got a foot on the loose ball and he sent it in to cut the deficit in half at 4-3 with 59 seconds on the clock. Foxcroft would have one more shot but Red Devil senior keeper Nicholas Masters made the save to preserve his team’s lead for the win.

Masters finished with five saves on 20 shots. Across the field Pony senior keeper Khoa Ho stopped a game-high nine shots with Central putting 19 total shots on goal.

Before the start of the game, the 12 Foxcroft seniors were recognized. These dozen players are Brian Daiyue, Nathan Durgin, Caden Fowles, Khoa Ho, Korby McCormick, Kael Niland, Jerry Nguyen, Terry Pham, Lochlainn Schriver, Minh Truong, Karson Vigue, and Parker Weymouth.

BOYS SOCCER

Central 4, Foxcroft 3

CEN 1 3 – 4

FOX 2 1 – 3

First: C — G. Buzzard; F — Ade (Sapakov); F — Pham (Vigue)

Second: C — Gregory (G. Buzzard); C — G. Buzzard (Cox); C — Cox (Pollock); F — Hanson

Saves: C Masters 5, F — Ho 9

Corner kicks: C 6, F 2

Records: C 7-6, F 8-5