PRESQUE ISLE – On an evening in which the Presque Isle soccer teams dedicated their new artificial turf field, the Wildcat girls wanted to put their season-opening game away early.

Kayla Legassie’s goal almost seven minutes into Tuesday night’s matchup against Fort Kent nearly stood up, but it took a game-winning score from Shantelle Cyr for Presque Isle to put away the Warriors.

Cyr’s second-half goal broke a tie and lifted the Wildcats to a 2-1 win at the Johnson Athletic Complex, which was installed this summer and is the only artificial turf field north of Orono in the state.

In addition to the festivities of a pregame ceremony in front of their fans, the Presque Isle girls were also looking to earn some payback for a 2-1 loss at home to Fort Kent last year in their final game of the 2006 regular season.

So when the Warriors (1-2) came back and tied the game Tuesday, Presque Isle wasn’t ready to give up.

“You can never underestimate Fort Kent. They’re always going to give us a good rivalry,” said PI midfielder Sarah Porter. “Coming into this game we knew we’d have to give it our all and even if they made a comeback the game wasn’t over. There was always time left for us to come back.”

Cyr, who left the game after hyperextending her left knee in the first half, got some treatment from a trainer and was back for the second half. She was in good position for the winner, which she scored with 29 minutes, 20 seconds left in the game.

“[The ball] was just coming across the 18 and I just kicked it in,” said Cyr, who was in the left side of the penalty area when she settled the ball and shot it past Fort Kent goalie Elizabeth Morneault. “The goalie couldn’t get to it. … We were just so pumped for this.”

Legassie gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead almost seven minutes into the game when she drilled a shot from the left side of the goal into the far back corner of the net.

Fort Kent did test the Wildcat defense early. Taylor Boucher slammed the rebound of a corner kick hard into the arms of PI goalie Allisen Donovan about six minutes into the first half, and Shannon Martin later booted a ball from midfield that took a few tricky bounces before Donovan was able to corral the save.

Presque Isle defenders shut down Fort Kent’s front line early as Wildcat fullbacks Caitlyn Esancy and Amber Griffin had tight marks on speedy Warrior forwards Emily Pelletier and Nicole Chasse, respectively.

But they couldn’t keep Fort Kent’s front line down for long. Pelletier tied the game 5:32 in the second half off a pass from midfielder Marissa Albert, a play which Warrior coach Kevin St. Jarre said was helped along by the field’s turf surface.

“The surface actually helps quite a bit,” St. Jarre said. “We’re a passing team and we put a lot of emphasis on making the run. In that case, it was an outlet pass to the wing, Emily made the run that she always makes, the ball was there and she put it in. … We’re proud of this result. [Presque Isle] is an excellent team.”

Fort Kent was able to get off a corner kick in the final minute, but Chasse’s shot hit the side of the net. Presque Isle’s Alyssa Huston and Legassie worked to clear the ball in the closing seconds.

Although the Warriors had a 12-10 edge in shots, the Wildcats won a lot of second-half balls to control the pace.

“Our defense is very good at heading,” Cyr said. “Coach [Ralph Michaud] puts a lot of emphasis on heading it. He said, if we head the ball we’re going to win the game.”

Morneault stopped five shots, while Donovan and Kelsey Park combined for four saves.

Before the game, both the Presque Isle girls and boys teams participated in a ceremony with longtime SAD 1 superintendent of schools Dr. Gehrig T. Johnson, after whom the complex is named, along with community leaders, representatives from the SAD 1 board, and sponsors who contributed to the turf project.

JV: Presque Isle 2-0