By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
Presque Isle and Caribou renew their soccer rivalry tonight with a 7 p.m. game in Caribou. It is the Wildcats’ first countable game, while the Vikings will be playing on their home field for the first time this season after having already recorded road victories over Madawaska and Fort Kent.
Caribou, the defending Eastern Maine Class B champion, has knocked the ‘Cats out of the playoffs in each of the last two years and has won four in a row in head-to-head battles. PI, however, has looked strong in the preseason and downed the Vikings in the finals of the annual Presque Isle Invitational Preseason Tournament held earlier this month.
“They are one of the better teams in our conference and have a lot of returning experience,” said Caribou coach Todd Albert of this year’s Wildcat squad. “We will have to play to the best of our ability as a team and we are capable of stepping up our game.”
Meanwhile, the local Class D schools continued their busy early-season schedules last week, with Washburn upping its mark to 5-0 with impressive victories over both Van Buren and Ashland.
Summaries of games played through Monday, Aug. 29 are as follows:
Van Buren 3, Fort Fairfield 1 – At Van Buren Saturday, the Crusaders handed the Tigers their first loss of the season behind goals from Chantal Rioux, Natasha Bourgoin and Haley Lizotte.
Rioux and Lizotte also picked up assists for VB, now 3-2 on the campaign.
Kacie York had the lone FF goal, which came unassisted. Tiger goalkeeper Katy Donovan recorded just two saves in the contest while facing 12 shots. The Tigers had won three in a row to start the season heading into the match, including a season-opening home victory over the Crusaders Aug. 15.
Easton 5, Limestone-MSSM 2 – Carla Halvorson had a hat trick as the Bears bested the Eagles in Limestone Saturday.
Cassandra Buck notched a pair of goals for Easton and Haley Ambrose saved nine of 23 shots for the win in goal.
Kennedi Smith had a goal and an assist for Limestone-MSSM, now 1-3. Jade McConnell scored the hosts’ other goal. Mariah Williams notched an assist and goalie Karen Page had 12 saves on the day while facing 23 shots.
Washburn 6, Ashland 2 – The Beavers fell behind early, but came back to defeat the Hornets at home Friday and stay perfect on the season at 5-0.
Ashland took an early 2-0 lead on goals by Anna Paradis and Kayla Cote before Washburn got on the scoreboard prior to intermission on a Kelsey Churchill goal from outside the 18-yard line.
“We got off to a slow start and the girls knew they had to pick up the tempo and do the little things as beating them to the ball,” said Washburn coach Marcie Barbarula.
Trailing 2-1 entering the second half, Beaver freshman Mackenzie Worcester tied the game off a Kennedy Churchill assist and Washburn went on to score four more unanswered goals, two by Worcester and one each by Kristi Sperrey and Carsyn Koch.
“After changing up the formation at halftime to give us more offensive opportunities, we were getting a lot more shots on goal and they started playing like I knew they could,” Barbarula added.
Maegan Fitzpatrick, Koch and Worcester had assists for the winners. Goalie Rayah Saucier faced just seven shots in the game and saved three of them.
Ashland goalkeeper Macie Bellanceau saved 15 of 34 shots. The Hornets took a 1-2 record into yesterday’s home game against Easton.
Fort Fairfield 5, Easton 2 – At Fort Fairfield Thursday, Halvorson put the Bears on the board first with a goal 4:40 into the match, but the hosts went on to score five unanswered goals to post the victory.
Lindsey Graves booted in the equalizer during the first half, with Emily Blaisdell recording the assist on the scoring play, before Blaisdell, Logan Bubar, Abbey Player and Kylie Plourde all tallied goals in the second half en route to the win.
Meghan Frank added a late goal for the Bears, which took a 3-2 mark into yesterday’s game at Ashland. Ambrose saved four of 14 shots in goal.
Donovan had three saves on nine shots in goal for the Tigers.
Caribou 1, Fort Kent 0 – The Vikings, who lost at Fort Kent last season, avenged that defeat last Wednesday by scoring the game’s only goal midway through the first half.
Delaney Williams converted Paige Small’s corner kick with 18:07 to play in the opening half as Caribou moved to 2-0 on the season.
“We were satisfied with the defense and glad to come out with another road win,” Albert said. The Vikings had won at Madawaska, 2-1, to begin the regular season Aug. 19.
“Fort Kent always plays hard and playing on the road is always a little more difficult,” the coach added. “We need to generate more on the offensive end, but that should improve as we gain more experience throughout the season.”
Morgan Swan recorded the shutout by saving nine of 12 shots in goal for Caribou. Her opposite, Alexa Pelletier, had 11 saves on 14 shots.
Washburn 7, Van Buren 1 – The Beavers crushed the Crusaders in a home game last Wednesday behind a lethal offensive attack and some solid defense on one of the top players in Aroostook County.
Koch had a hat trick, while Sperrey, Worcester, Mykayla Churchill and Caitlyn Roix added a goal apiece as Washburn rolled.
Parise Rossignol, a sophomore standout, scored an unassisted goal to provide Van Buren with its only offense.
Saucier turned away five of seven shots for the victors, while the Crusaders’ Ashlie Wilson was peppered with 39 shots and saved 17 of them.
“Our defense was the key,” Barbarula said. “Maegan Fitzpatrick and Kennedy Churchill doubled Rossignol and their role was to make sure she did not receive the ball and they did that by holding her to just four shots in the game. “It was a great confidence booster to beat last year’s Eastern Maine champs,” she added.
Limestone-MSSM 7, Hodgdon 0 – The Eagles displayed a strong offensive game last Tuesday, led by Amanda Allen’s three goals in the win at Hodgdon.
Smith had two goals for the Eagles, who won for the first time this season. Stephanie Leighton and Danielle Pelkey netted one each. Leighton, Williams and Ellyzabeth Bencievenga all picked up assists.
Page’s shutout in goal included eight saves on 10 shots.
Hodgdon’s Kimberly Levesque faced 53 shots and picked up 27 saves as the Hawks were making their regular season debut.
