Foxcroft tops Telstar for title

PORTLAND – The current class of Foxcroft Academy field hockey seniors have only been coached by Gene Philpot for four years.

Still, in Philpot’s 30th anniversary year, the Ponies wanted to give her something special. And Tuesday evening’s Class C state championship game was that – Foxcroft rallied early and broke two ties for a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Telstar of Bethel at Fitzpatrick Stadium.

“We had to do it for her. We just owed it to her,” said Jenn Gagnon, a senior captain who had two goals, including a key insurance score late in the second half. “We wanted it so much for her. She’s been with us for four years.”

Foxcroft (16-2) was making its first appearance in a state final since 1991, when the Ponies beat the Rebels 1-0. Telstar, which wraps up at 17-1, was trying for its first championship since 2004, when the Rebels beat Stearns of Millinocket 6-0.

Foxcroft’s win meant an Eastern Maine sweep of the state titles as Skowhegan and Waterville won the Class A and B crowns, respectively, in Monday’s games.

Sophomore Sabrina Sharrow scored two goals in the second half, including the actual game-winning goal to make it 3-2.

But it was Gagnon who finished off the Rebels, scoring off a pass from Kelsey Boss with 1 minute, 20 seconds left in the game. It gave the Ponies a two-goal cushion which was crucial as Telstar had started to put a lot of pressure on the Foxcroft defense.

“We knew it was over after that goal,” Gagnon said. “At least I did.”

Four of the Rebels’ five second half penalty corners came in the final four minutes of the period.

Boss assisted on the first goal of the second half, sending a pass to Sharrow at the left side of the cage for the tap-in just 1:56 after halftime. The Rebels tied it up later, but the Ponies gained momentum and had about five minutes on offense, sending passes into the circle with the midfield and defense keeping the ball out of Foxcroft’s half of the field.

“Intensity,” senior captain and fullback Danika Brown said of the dominating stretch. “We had to make sure we used the whole length of the field. … We went out, gave it all we had.”

Sharrow was again at the left post for her winner with 10:30 left in the second half. This time it was Kayla Clukey who sent the ball over to Sharrow for the goal.

“I just have to stand there and they always get it right to me,” Sharrow said.

The Ponies, who had a chance to practice on the artificial turf at the Weatherbee Complex in Hampden, felt they were able to adjust to the speedy surface at Fitzpatrick. Telstar coach Gail Wight said it took her team a bit longer.

“They didn’t keep their sticks on the ball like they should have at times,” she said. “You could tell [Foxcroft] practiced on turf. It’s a huge difference. It just reinforces the fact that you have to keep it on your stick. But [Telstar] had some shots … The shots were there [and] they had the corners.”

Bailey Davis scored both Telstar goals. The first came on a slapshot during a penalty corner with 15:15 left in the first half. Gagnon made a similar shot off an inserting pass from Molly Cyr during a corner to tie it with 10:19 remaining for a 1-1 halftime score.

Foxcroft senior goalie Renee Maheu, who is also a captain, made six saves on eight shots, while Telstar’s Brianna Douglas stopped five of seven Foxcroft shots.

There was a moment of silence before the game for Dorothy “Dee Dee” Palmer, a Telstar junior varsity goalie who died in a car accident in Canaan Saturday. The Telstar players each had a piece of black tape on the shoulder of their uniforms.