December 22, 2024
HIGH SCHOOL FIELD HOCKEY

Indians, Devils are East champions

MILLINOCKET – Maddie Dunakin scored off a Rachel Trafton assist with 25 minutes, 35 seconds left the second half to lift the No. 3 Central field hockey team to its second straight Eastern Maine Class C title with a 1-0 victory over No. 1 Stearns Wednesday.

The defending state champion Red Devils of Corinth, now 12-3-2, will face 16-0 Saint Dominic of Auburn, which beat Livermore Falls 1-0 in Wednesday’s Western Maine Class C final.

The state game will be played at 10 a.m. Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

Stearns beat Central twice in the regular season by a combined score of 5-3.

“The girls knew they hadn’t played their best games against Stearns,” Central coach Diane Rollins said. “The felt like they had a lot to prove.”

Rollins was especially pleased with the Devils’ defense.

Central’s Whitney Lord marked Stearns standout Amy Collinsworth in the second half while several Red Devils made sure to surround all-star Felicia Achorn.

Beth Dauphinee, who serves as the flyer during Central’s defensive corners, knocked the ball away from Achorn during at least two corners, Rollins added.

“Defense was definitely our strength today,” she said.

Central outshot Stearns 11-10.

“I think that Central played a really fast game,” said Stearns coach Lori Lincoln. “They played well.”

“The shots on goal and saves were pretty close [for both teams],” she added. “[But] they were able to put the ball in the goal.

Dunakin’s goal was her first of the postseason. The right wing scored after she brought the ball down the right side and crossed it to Trafton. Trafton couldn’t get a solid stick on the ball, but instead reversed it back to Dunakin, who shot it in from about seven yards out.

Trafton recorded the game-tying goal with no time left in Central’s 2005 state title win, a 2-1 victory over Telstar of Bethel.

Goalie Kara Voisine earned the shutout for 12-3-2 Central, blocking five of 10 shots. Deanna Michaud made seven saves on 11 shots for the Minutemen.

Voisine earned her first start since returning from a thigh injury.

Stearns wraps up its season with a 12-2-2 record.

“… We wish the Central team the best of luck,” Lincoln said.

Class A

Skowhegan 2, Oxford Hills 0

At Skowhegan, Bethany Sevey converted a penalty corner with 19:19 left in the second half to give the top-seeded Indians the only goal they would need en route to their sixth straight Eastern Maine title.

Skowhegan, now 17-0, outshot No. 2 Oxford Hills of South Paris 22-2.

The Vikings finish at 12-4-1.

Becca Ray gave Skowhegan some insurance with 1:47 left, scoring off a rebound on a goalmouth scramble. Megan Smith only had to make one save.

Alecsys Pike had 13 saves for the Vikings.


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