We Are The Champions: MDI, Ashland, Madawaska> Trojans turn one goal into picture-perfect outcome vs. Fryeburg

FARMINGDALE – Mount Desert Island’s 1-0 victory over Fryeburg Saturday in the State Class B Schoolgirl Soccer Championship allowed the seniors to achieve a second goal they had been hoping to fulfill.

After MDI won the Eastern Maine Class B championship on Nov. 2, fullback Kate Cox said she and the other MDI seniors wanted their picture taken as state champs. The picture, she said, would hang on a wall outside the MDI gym with the school’s other state championship teams.

On Saturday, Cox got her wish. After MDI’s win at Hall-Dale High School, the Trojans took their trophy and gathered under a goal net for a group picture of the newly crowned Class B state champions.

“We’re going to be up there,” Cox said of the wall under which the team gathers with coach Greg Linscott to talk strategy before home games. “I can’t believe it.”

Cox and the MDI defense didn’t have much to do in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Trojan offense came out tough, getting off two close shots in the first two minutes and holding Fryeburg to the Raider half of the field.

Finally, with 4:46 gone in the half, left wing Emily Henry took a pass from right wing Alana Beard and drilled the ball past Fryeburg goalie Erica Perry for the game-winning goal.

“The goalie came out farther than I thought she would, and I was there to challenge,” Henry said. “I just beat her. For the goalie it was a really risky thing to do, and I just took advantage of that.”

Perry finished the game with four saves on 12 shots for 9-5-4 Fryeburg.

MDI’s midfield also took advantage of the Fryeburg defense, which allowed only 14 goals this fall, by chipping the ball over the heads of Raider fullback Harvest Ficker and sweeper Jenn Milla and relying on their speed up front to move the ball.

“We wanted to put it over their fullbacks so we could run onto it,” said forward Maija Kaldro. “Their defense was pretty tough. I didn’t have that much room, but I took advantage with my speed because I could go around them.”

Fryeburg coach John Atwood moved Milla into the midfield for more offense, but the Raiders’ best chance came with 6:17 left in the game when forward Kylie Card took a 20-foot direct kick to the right of the goal. The shot hooked toward the net, but goalie Lacey Richards grabbed the ball to stave off a tie.

“[Milla] provided a spark for a while,” Atwood said.

Richards was solid in goal for the 15-2 Trojans all afternoon, saving three of Fryeburg’s four shots on goal.

Henry said Linscott told his team that he wanted them to stay controlled in the title game. MDI’s ability to do that on Saturday may stem from the experience that six members of the soccer squad had on MDI’s 1997 state championship basketball team.

“Knowing how to win a state game makes a difference,” Linscott said. “Not all of those kids played a lot, but being part of it is a big thing. Everyone of them played quality minutes here. There’s no question in my mind that experience made the difference.”

Linscott had the added advantage of having watched the Western Maine Class B title contest last Monday after the game was postponed from Saturday.

“It helped a lot confidence-wise going into the game because the kids knew what [Fryeburg] could do,” he said. “Today the kids were able to play to their ability instead of worrying about what the other team was doing.”

“It’s an exciting feeling,” he added. “I’m right on top of the world. Hopefully I can come down and walk again.”