By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
The No. 5 Southern Aroostook Warriors were upset by No. 12 Fort Fairfield, 2-1, in last Friday’s preliminary game played in Dyer Brook.
Jon Theriault scored both goals for Fort Fairfield in very similar fashion on headers from crosses by Ryan Player.
Theriault’s first goal came with 15:13 left in the first half on a corner kick and his second, 9:25 into the second half.
ALMOST — Jackson Mathers of Southern Aroostook tries to get to the ball as Fort Fairfield’s goalie Dalton Cassidy makes the sliding grab.
Southern Aroostook senior Cody Lassonde urged his team to be aggressive within the 18-yard line. Several times in the first half, the Warriors scrambled for the ball in front of Fort Fairfield’s net, but came away empty each time.
In the second half, the Warriors pushed for a goal and finally broke the net. Lassonde, who had been pressed heavily by Fort Fairfield defenders finally broke free long enough for the ball to set and for him to drill it into the net with 27:13 left in the game.
However, the Warriors, try as they might, could not recover from the early goals scored by Fort Fairfield.
“Hats off to them,” said Southern Aroostook coach Cliff Urquhart. “They took advantage of their chances and we did not. That is soccer.”
Urquhart felt the pace of the game favored Fort Fairfield.
“They slowed the game down as much as they could,” said Urquhart. “They got up early. It was too much for us to come back from. That’s how upsets happen.”
Warrior goalie Austin White made one save on four shot attempts, while Fort Fairfield’s Dalton Cassidy came up big between the poles, especially in the second half, with 14 saves on 18 shots faced.
“It was an especially tough loss,” explained Urquhart. “This was a talented group of seniors who had hopes of achieving more. I feel for them more than anything.”
The Warriors finish the season at 11-4.
