Lions, ‘Cats perfect foes Skowhegan chases ‘A’ title; Central seeks ‘C’ crown

HAMPDEN – Win No. 18 in the Belfast field hockey team’s current three-year winning streak was a 2-1 victory over York in the 2004 Class B state title game.

Win No. 36? The Wildcats, again, in the 2005 state game, also a 2-1 score.

So it only seems fitting as the Lions are working on their third straight undefeated season that once again, they’ll have to go through York for a 54th straight victory and third state title in a row.

“We know that they’re going to be tough,” Belfast coach Allen Holmes said Thursday after a scrimmage against Eastern Maine Class C champ Central of Corinth on Hampden Academy’s turf field. “Third time around, same team, same score. We’ve been working hard and I’m sure they have been, too.”

Belfast, the Eastern Maine champ, and York, the Western Maine winner, will square off for the Class B crown again today at noon during field hockey state championship day at Portland’s artificial turf-surfaced Fitzpatrick Stadium.

The games start at 10 a.m. with Central (12-3-2) taking on St. Dominic of Lewiston (16-0).

Five-time defending Class A state champ Skowhegan (17-0) will face Gorham (15-1-1) at 2 p.m.

Both Belfast and York, which has 15 seniors back, are 17-0. York has never won a state title, while Belfast is seeking its sixth and is appearing in its 10th state game.

Goalie Brittany Barrett, forward Michaela Franey, midfielder Lauren Coupal are among the Wildcats’ key returnees. Carrie Rovnak, who scored the Wildcats’ goal in their loss to the Lions last year, graduated.

With so many York players back, Holmes said he’s made sure to watch the game tape from 2005.

Barrett has allowed just one goal in the playoffs while Coupal and Franey have combined for 11 of York’s 14 postseason goals.

“We’re just going to play our game of ball control and score often,” Holmes said. “I think it’s important to score first.”

Just as the Lions feel they know the Wildcats, Holmes knows the reverse is probably true, too. Belfast has worked on some different looks for penalty corners to throw off York.

“I’m sure they’ve done the same thing,” he said. “We’re hoping not to give them too many corners. They hit the ball hard. But if we’ve got the ball, they can’t hit it.”