Three first-half goals help PCHS boys defeat Penquis
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
MILO — Three goals in less than four minutes of game time would end up giving Piscataquis Community High School more than enough of an advantage to defeat regional rival Penquis Valley High School in a Class C East boys soccer game on Sept. 17.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
PIRATES SAIL PAST PATRIOTS — PCHS’ Cody White dribbles in the middle of a crowd of players from his team and from Penquis during a Sept. 17 Pirate 4-1 victory in Milo. The other five are, from left, Brandon Leavitt of PCHS and Penquis’ Trevor Lyford, Justin Valvo, Colton Larrabee and Clayton Preble.
Nearly 12 minutes into play, the ball was loose in front of the Patriot net when PCHS’ Nick Fortier got a foot on it and directed the soccer ball into the net to put the Pirates on the scoreboard at the 17:59-mark of the first half.
Sixty three seconds later Nate Burns of PCHS fired off a shot from the left side that found its mark to give his team a 2-0 advantage.
Several minutes after goal No. 2 Fortier dribbled down the right side of the field and he lofted the ball toward the Penquis goal. The ball landed inside the left post for the 3-0 advantage with 14:10 remaining in the opening half, enabling PCHS to score thrice in 3:49 and giving Fortier his second goal in the same span of time.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
GO GET IT — Brian Moulton of PCHS and Penquis’ Trevor Lyford race toward a loose ball near the sideline during the Sept. 17 contest in Milo.
In the final minute of the opening half, Penquis would get on the scoreboard and cut his squad’s deficit to 3-1. Cevonte Johnson broke away from the Pirate defense as he moved the ball down the right side of the field.
PCHS keeper Jeremy Bell came out to face Johnson, but the Patriots’ Colton Larrabee was streaking down the left side of the field. Johnson took advantage of the 2-on-1 situation by dishing the ball off to Larrabee, who then put it in net for the Penquis goal.
Little time elapsed after the break at the half for the Pirates to retain the three-goal lead. Amidst a number of players in front of the goal, Jose Palma flipped the ball to Burns and he scored for his second goal of the game and the fourth for his team.
Bell would make six saves on a dozen shots to help keep the opposition at just one goal. Early in the second half Penquis’ Trevor Lyford was awarded a penalty kick, and Lyford fired off a low shot toward the right corner of the net. Bell dove to his left and stretched to knock the ball away and keep the Patriot side of the scoreboard at one.
For Penquis, Dereck Thomas made a game-high 10 saves on 20 shots.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
A PAIR FOR THE PAIR — Nathan Burns of PCHS, looking to send the ball upfield, and teammate Nick Fortier each recorded two goals during a Sept. 17 game at Penquis.
PCHS improved to 3-1-1 with the win, while Penquis fell to 1-1-1. The two teams are scheduled to play again on Tuesday, Oct. 8 in Guilford. The Pirates defeated the Patriots on the boys’ pitch for the first time in nearly three years, when the 2010 team won in Milo in mid-October of that year.