Broncs barely even old score with Ponies

DOVER-FOXCROFT – The Broncos and Ponies took the field Wednesday for their Eastern Maine Class B field hockey quarterfinal with identical 9-4-1 records – and an equal amount of moxie and motivation.

But after a second half that opened and closed with a goal from each team and two overtimes that decided nothing, the playoff pendulum finally swung in Hampden’s favor when junior Samantha Brann scored off a corner to lift the Broncos to a 2-1 victory over host Foxcroft Academy.

No. 5 Hampden travels to top-seeded Old Town for next Wednesday’s Class B semifinal.

Yet, from Hampden coach Ruth Fitzpatrick’s point of view, the deciding shot just about evened the score.

“In 1993 when we played them, the game went to 28 sets of corners,” Fitzpatrick said soon after Brann’s game winner off an Olivia Fitzpatrick assist on Hampden’s fifth penalty corner.

“We lost that game. And the last time we played Foxcroft this season, they won on a penalty corner. So tonight I feel like I got that Foxcroft monkey off my back.”

The Hampden coach of 19 years laughed and shrugged her shoulders with relief. While Brann and classmate Kaili Temple took care of the scoring for the Broncos and Fitzpatrick’s own daughter, Olivia, helped with a pair of assists, the game was a battle for the entire Hampden team against an evenly matched opponent.

When the game started, each team seemed as determined as the other to drive the ball downfield in the first half. And, while the second half opened with No. 4 Foxcroft’s offense taking control, Hampden responded late but with equal intensity.

It was only 36 seconds into the second half when Foxcroft left wing Heidi Churchill drove an uncontested shot across Hampden goalie Amy Hafford and into the right corner of the Broncos’ goal to put the Ponies up 1-0.

Churchill then virtually dominated the half on her own.

In fact, she continually threatened Hafford, who saved 11 of 12 shots. Even after Churchill was hit in the face by a Hampden fullback’s stick and left the field in pain, she returned five minutes later and continued to bring the ball within shooting range of Hampden’s goal.

But it was the Broncos’ Temple, who evened the score with 1:56 left in the second half by driving the ball past Foxcroft’s Hillary Steinke, who saved eight of 10 shots.

And the Broncos only maintained their intensity through two 10-minute overtimes and went to the deciding penalty corners. When Brann converted the Fitzpatrick assist into the winning goal, Ruth Fitzpatrick was relieved but not surprised.

“Sam is very fast. She’s a great track runner as well,” the Broncos coach said. “When we were down 1-0 with 1:30 to go, [Hampden] turned up their intensity. And they dug down deep to finish what they started.”