Reed goals pace Belfast to victory Lions win 34th consecutive game

BELFAST – The first half was all about offense. In the second, the emphasis was on defense.

Either way, the No. 1 Belfast field hockey team showed why it hasn’t lost a game since the 2003 season and is now in line to repeat as the Eastern Maine Class B champion.

The Lions scored four first-half goals, including two from Brooke Reed, while goalie Liz Anderson held up after halftime in a 5-0 semifinal win over No. 4 Camden Hills Saturday at the high school field.

The win boosts 16-0 Belfast into its second straight regional title game. The Lions face No. 2 John Bapst of Bangor Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Belfast is 34-0 since losing in the semifinal round in 2003.

“It’s really special,” Reed said. “It’s kind of intense because we know everybody is gunning for us because we have such a long undefeated streak, but I think we have a really good chance.”

Camden Hills, which was making its first semifinal appearance since 1998, wrapped up its season at 8-7-1.

Saturday’s matchup was the second year in a row Belfast coach Allen Holmes has faced his daughter, Camden Hills coach Jan Holmes-Jackson, in the playoffs.

Holmes’ Lions jumped out quickly on Jackson’s Windjammers with Reed’s first goal almost four minutes into the game. Belfast made it 2-0 on a Skye Ellis score with 19:41 left, and got goals from Reed and Kelsey Jackson in the final 12 minutes of the half.

It was a huge turnaround from last Wednesday’s quarterfinal against Rockland, in which the Lions dominated the first half but were unable to score before halftime.

This time, Belfast outshot its opponent 11-2 and had seven penalty corners to Camden Hills’ three.

“It was nice to get the scores early,” Holmes said. “Against Rockland we had the same kind of pressure, but we didn’t put the balls in the goal.”

Five Belfast players figured in the scoring. Forward Britt Cummings, whom Jackson said the ‘Jammers were trying to mark tightly at the beginning of the game, added two assists.

“Any person on the field at any time can score, so it’s hard for teams to key on one person,” Reed said.

The Lions had a much quieter second half, even though Cummings did score on one of just three shots in the period.

The Windjammers had eight shots, six of which Anderson was able to save. Holmes has conceded that Anderson hasn’t been tested much this year, but she pulled through Saturday with seven saves overall.

“They came out really strong in the second half and we had to play a defensive game, which was really frustrating,” said Belfast captain Heather Read, who is a back. “Today, Lizzie stepped up very well. She did an awesome job.”

The Windjammers also had 11 corners to Belfast’s six.

“We were trying hard to score and had a lot of shots,” Jackson said. “The goalie’s really tough. … [In the first half] they were playing flawless for Belfast, I thought.”

Camden Hills goalie Dale Winsper made eight saves on 14 shots.