Camaraderie fuels Ponies’ title run Foxcroft to face Telstar for state crown

DOVER-FOXCROFT – Spaghetti dinners. Bonfires. Karaoke nights.

Little did the members of the Foxcroft Academy field hockey team know it, but all the team bonding they did this fall has helped them survive a wrinkle at the end of the season.

The postponement of all three state championship games last Saturday due to weather meant the Ponies had to spend an extra week of practice together while waiting for Saturday’s rescheduled noon matchup against Western Maine champion Telstar of Bethel.

So it’s a good thing they get along so well.

“We came together as friends and that’s what hasn’t worked in the past,” said midfielder Jenn Gagnon, one of three senior captains along with fullback Danika Brown and goalie Renee Maheu. “We’ve all been able to have that special bond.”

Although the 15-2 Ponies wanted to play last weekend, this Saturday may work out better for them. The Foxcroft football team played Dexter last weekend, but the football team’s semifinal playoff game against Rockland is being held this Friday night.

Foxcroft wasn’t able to schedule a scrimmage against some of the other teams around the state still involved in state titles games, such as Class A Skowhegan and Class B finalists Waterville and Maranacook of Readfield. Instead, the Ponies are spending the week working on the basics, perfecting their plays, and adding a few new twists.

Last week they had a chance to practice on the artificial turf at the Weatherbee Complex in Hampden, and the two schools arranged for another afternoon practice there Thursday. The goal is to simulate the surface of Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, where Saturday’s state games will be played.

“It’s fast. It’s wicked fast,” Brown said. “We have a really thick field as it is, so for us moving from a thick field to a turf is a big change. But I think we have enough speed and skill to do well on it.”

One element the Ponies have worked on this week is penalty stroking. Stroker Taylor Dow, a junior midfielder, has made some adjustments that paid off in the Eastern Maine final, in which she put in a penalty stroke for the win.

“During the regular season any strokes we had, and we didn’t get many, we didn’t score on,” said longtime coach Gene Philpot. “And then the stroker kind of made a self-discovery at practice one day and figured out on her own how she can put that stroke in. Ever since then she’s been unstoppable. It’s something with her technique that’s allowed her to get more spin on the ball. Now we’re trying to spend a little more time on that.”

Not only are the Ponies more comfortable in stroke situations, but overtime play has been good for them, too. That’s because the overtime system calls for 7-on-7 play instead of 11-on-11, which spreads out the field and players.

“We seem to have had over the season multiple shots on goal but we haven’t always been able to get it in,” Philpot said. When we go 7-on-7 we’ve won every OT we’ve been in. And we’ve been in several. You have more space with less players and that’s helped us put the ball in the cage.”

Foxcroft’s scoring has been spread out this year, too. While Gagnon leads the team with 11 goals, Kelsey Boss is second with nine goals, followed by Sabrina Sharrow (six), Kayla Clukey (five), and four others with at least two goals apiece. Clukey and Gagnon each has seven assists, and four others have at least two assists each.

On the defensive side, Maheu has backstopped eight shutouts and allowed just eight goals.

“[Brown] and [sweeper] Rebekah Flanders save me,” Maheu said. “Whenever I’m in a pinch, they’re always right there. We’re solid. We know where we are all the time and the communication is the key.”

Courtney Withee and Wendy Qui also have been key defensive players, Maheu and Brown added.

Aside from the postponement, Foxcroft has had a memorable season in many ways as the team moved from Class B to Class C this fall.

Not only did the Ponies go 12-2 during the regular season, but they earned the No. 1 seed in Eastern Maine, bettering No. 2 Mattanawcook of Lincoln, which handed Foxcroft its only regular-season losses.

The Ponies also like their impending matchup against Telstar. They’ve got history on their side – Foxcroft won a 1991 Class C state final against Telstar by a 1-0 score.

There was a milestone reached this season, too. Philpot became one of few field hockey coaches in the state to reach her 300th win, which she did in a 2-1 double-overtime victory over two-time defending Class C state champion Central of Corinth on Sept. 22.

“It’s never been important to me,” said Philpot, who is in her 30th season. “When I started coaching I never thought I’d do it for so long, but I love it so I just kind of stayed with it.”

Although Philpot doesn’t like to talk about her own accomplishments – she’d rather focus on her players – the Ponies are proud of their coach.

“She’s intense but she’s compassionate, and she cares about everyone, every player,” Brown said.

“She has so much passion for this sport,” Maheu added.

As do the Foxcroft team members have for each other.

“I don’t think we’ll ever get sick of each other,” Brown said. “Our team is so strong.”