Belfast blanks Bapst for title Scoring balance lifts Lions to win

NORTHPORT – Sophomore Briana Curry allowed herself a moment to reflect on the fact that in her first year as a varsity player, she came off the bench to score a goal in Thursday’s Eastern Mane Class B field hockey final.

But then she remembered how No. 1 Belfast got to the regional title game in the first place – and what helped it win its second straight crown.

“All the girls work well together and everyone works as a team,” Curry said.

Indeed, four different Lions recorded a goal and the Belfast defense continued its shutout streak in a 4-0 victory over No. 2 John Bapst of Bangor at the Point Lookout field.

Belfast, now 35-0 over the last two seasons and 17-0 this year, will defend its 2004 state title at 10 a.m. Saturday when the Lions face the Western Maine champion at Portland’s Fitzpatrick Stadium.

The EM title is the 10th for 33-year coach Allen Holmes.

John Bapst wraps up its season with a 14-3 record.

The Crusaders did a good job of holding the Lions scoreless for most of the first half by eliminating Belfast’s second-chance shots, especially on penalty corners. It took a while, but Belfast’s Kelsey Jackson broke through when she converted a penalty stroke with 3:30 left in the first half.

Jackson said Holmes told her to shoot right, which she did. The ball bounced off the foot of John Bapst goalie Hillary Laferriere and into the cage.

“I usually go left but Coach wanted me to go right because of what we scouted from the goalie,” Jackson said. “So I had my spot on the right corner.”

Although Jackson’s goal was the winner, Curry scored with 1:19 left, about 21/2 minutes after entering the game as a substitute. She tapped in a rebound during a scramble after a penalty corner, Belfast’s 10th of the half. Britt Cummings had the initial shot.

John Bapst had neither a corner nor a shot on goal before halftime.

With a 2-0 lead, the Lions packed in their defense. That meant the Crusaders had an easier time moving the ball through the midfield in the second half. Bapst recorded all three of its shots on goal after halftime.

But Belfast’s backs stopped Bapst’s speedy front line from breaking loose. Lion defender Heather Read managed to get a stick on two Ashley Freeman breakaways.

“There was such a big space between our offense and our defense so [Bapst] was getting a lot of long hits,” said Belfast goalie Lizzy Anderson, who had three saves and has not allowed a goal since Oct. 4. “So we pushed a few defensive players up to stop that and it helped a lot.”

At the same time, the Crusaders also limited the Lions’ breakaway chances.

“We tried to keep them from having breakaways,” said Bapst midfielder Marcie Scofield. “That was our goal. … We’re not too disappointed.”

Belfast scored twice in the second half. Cummings redirected a Skye Ellis shot for a 3-0 lead with 13:35 left, and Jillian Ross rounded out the scoring about six minutes later.

“They came out strong so once we got that third goal it shut them down,” Jackson said.

Laferriere made six saves on 15 shots.