Dexter surges past rival Piscataquis Tigers win battle of unbeatens

DEXTER – For undefeated teams, there’s nothing sweeter than adding another win to your record.

And when the win comes against your rival, which was also undefeated coming into the game? Well, that’s just the tops.

It was, at least, for the Dexter boys soccer team. The Tigers scored three goals in the second half to break a tie and go on to a 4-2 victory over neighboring Piscataquis of Guilford on Thursday afternoon at the Jeff Parola Memorial Soccer Field.

Sweeper Dan Fournier, a senior captain for 5-0 Dexter, said he couldn’t recall if the teams had both been undefeated heading into their first meeting in previous seasons. But records don’t seem to matter.

“Every time it’s been close,” Fournier said. “We’ve always been town rivals. Every game’s been a great one between us and Guilford.”

The Pirates dropped to 3-1-1.

The game was close on the field, even if the Tigers would eventually have a two-goal edge. The first half ended in a tie after Piscataquis’ Andy Zimmerman headed in a goal to answer Dexter’s Dan Beatham (eight goals). All of the scoring was done in the first 11 minutes.

It took nearly 15 minutes of the second half, but junior right wing Ethan Woodman broke the tie and put the Tigers up for good.

Woodman was in place at the right post when his brother, senior Aaron Woodman, passed the ball over it him. Ethan Woodman tried to draw out PCHS goalie Ryan Martell, leaving the left side of the net open.

When Woodman got the ball from his brother, he kicked it to the left and it rolled in with 25 minutes, 14 seconds left in the game.

“I called [Aaron’s] name, set up, and watched the goalie cheat my way,” Ethan Woodman said. “All I did was not panic and put it into the left side of the goal. I didn’t even intend on shooting. I was going to lay it back so we could have a better shot but the left was wide open so I took it.”

Rick Stewart’s goal with 17:54 left eventually sealed it, and Ethan Woodman added his second goal late.

Piscataquis standout Roy Burdin scored with 52 seconds left.

Both Martell and Dexter goalie Chris Eastman played well as both teams got off hard-hit shots. Eastman, Fournier and the rest of the Tiger defense came up big with about nine minutes left when the Pirates got off a flurry of shots.

“We just barely knocked them out,” Fournier said. “[Stopper Tyler Clukey] managed to head one out just on the corner. It was crazy in there. It was some pretty tenacious offense.”

It was those kind of chances that had Pirates coach Rex Webb wondering what could have happened if one of those shots had gone in – and if the team can rebound for another meeting against the Tigers on Monday.

“They capitalized on their good opportunities and we almost did, too,” Webb said. “We had a chance to put them on the ropes. … Like I told the guys, you can’t let one game break your season. It’s a learning experience to see how you react.”

Martell stopped five of 19 shots, while Eastman made eight saves on 14 shots.