Bedard sparks Skowhegan by Gardiner 4-2> Indians capture Class A crown

GARDINER – Skowhegan’s most decorated field hockey player, Indian captain Tara Bedard, seemed to play an average role in her team’s 4-2 upset win over Gardiner in the Eastern Maine Class A finals – on paper, that is.

The Indian who has the school’s career goal-scoring record with 80 goals had two assists Monday while less-seasoned players did the scoring.

But make no mistake.

The cross Bedard sent from the right wing at full speed that went right to Sheleia Smithner for a goal got Skowhegan rolling in the first half. And Bedard’s role as Skowhegan’s expert sniper caused Gardiner’s defense to pursue her throughout the game, leaving other Indians room to shoot.

“She dragged the defense around beautifully,” Skowhegan coach Paula Doughty said. “She was a key factor. They marked her up tighter on the whole field. Other players stepped up. The girl who scored the last goal is just 14.”

Skowhegan advanced to Saturday’s state final against Bonny Eagle of West Buxton at 10 a.m. at Gorham High School.

Bedard’s pass to Smithner with 6 minutes, 17 seconds left in the first half helped equalize a Gardiner penalty stroke to tie it at 1-1. It also turned the momentum toward Skowhegan.

Less than two minutes later, Indian Danielle Waugh scored unassisted from near the top of the circle to make it 2-1.

Not even halftime could slow down the Indian rally as they came out strong.

Just 4:55 into the second, Waugh found an open Jen Merry at the right of the goal and passed to Merry, who scored the game-winner.

“More people follow Tara, it opens up more people, it gives us different people who can score,” Waugh said.

Bedard said she’s more than happy to go without a goal and garner so much attention on the field. Bedard only wanted to avenge Skowhegan’s 1-0 overtime loss to Gardiner that came early in the season.

When the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship game was canceled two weeks ago due to rain, that took away one chance for redemption. After Saturday’s EM final was postponed, Bedard could hardly wait for the chance to finally top the Tigers.

Then, when Gardiner was awarded a penalty stroke and Jillian LeClair jammed home the opening goal, Bedard’s intensity grew even more. The stroke was awarded because a defensive player raised her stick to prevent a goal, but Bedard said a Gardiner player also lifted a stick to hit the airborne ball.

“That was questionable,” Bedard said. “We were pumped up after they got that penalty stroke.”

Gardiner top forward-turned-halfback Bobbi Jo Lavoie was the player who got called to defensive duty at midfield to stop Bedard.

Lavoie got her chance to score – and did – when Skowhegan goalie Fawn Albert made a drop save on a penalty corner. Lavoie got around her and knocked in the ball with 4:30 left in the game to cut Skowhegan’s lead to 3-2.

But Lavoie said even if she had played a more offensive-style game, the Indians still would have won.

“It was hard to keep our head up,” Lavoie, the Tigers’ captain, said. “We’re a young team.”

The final goal suggested as much when Skowhegan freshman Robin Albert scored off Bedard’s second assist on a corner to make it 4-2 and secure the Skowhegan title.

“When we lost in overtime, I thought, `This happened for a reason,’ ” Doughty said. “When the KVAC was canceled, I thought it was for the best. If we had won that, today would have been a lot different.”

Gardiner, now 14-3-0, outshot Skowhegan 17-9, but Albert stopped 15 shots to help the Indians improve to 14-2-1.