By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
The Caribou girls went into the season having to replace 11 players who had graduated from the 2012 team. So making it as far as the Eastern Maine Class B soccer semifinals has to be considered a huge accomplishment for the Viking girls.
Caribou’s season came to an end Saturday when the team dropped a 6-0 decision to No. 1 and undefeated Waterville.
 |
| Photo by Mark Haskell/Courier Publications Maddie Doucette of the Caribou Vikings tries to make a cutback against an Oceanside defender during last Tuesday’s playoff match in Thomaston. The Vikings won, 4-2. |
 |
| Photo by Mark Haskell/Courier Publications Sarah Doak of the Caribou Vikings tries to find a lane toward the goal during the quarterfinal playoff match against Oceanside played last Tuesday. Caribou won, 4-2. |
Lydia Roy scored three goals to lead the Panthers, which will now match up against Hermon in today’s regional champioship.
“They were very good and fast,” said Viking coach Todd Albert of Waterville.
Caribou went into the game short-handed as senior starter Delaney Williams missed the game after suffering an eye injury during practice the previous day and reserve Sarah Boyer had to sit after suffering a concussion in the quarterfinal win over Oceanside.
One of the Vikes’ key players, junior Sarah Doak, was injured early in the second half and could not continue.
Caribou was able to pull off a mini-upset earlier in the week when it downed Oceanside in a game played in Thomaston that featured the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds.
The Vikings scored early, with Bria Judd converting a Megan Thornton assist 1:23 in. However, Oceanside battled back to take the lead with a pair of goals prior to intermission.
In the second half, Caribou went on the offensive and the result was three unanswered goals. Judd netted her second, five minutes in on a breakaway, to tie the score.
Three minutes later, Doak scored off a Delaney Williams corner kick to give the Vikings the 3-2 advantage.
Another corner kick by Williams resulted in the final goal as an Oceanside player committed a handball foul in the penalty area and Doak knocked in the penalty kick with 17 minutes remaining to ice it.
“We dominated play in the second half, outsprinting them to the ball, winning 50-50 balls and keeping the ball on their end of the field most of the time,” Albert said.
Caribou ended its season with a record of 12-5, which bested last year’s victory total by three.
Albert was complimentary of the squad’s three seniors, Williams, Clara Collins and Sammy Camy, who he said “did a great job bringing the younger girls into the team play and laying out the expectations.”
Judd completed a phenomenal junior season by scoring 24 goals as a first-year varsity player. That total is also the single-season record at Caribou High School since soccer became a girls’ sport in 1983.
“We had girls step up and play whatever positions needed to help the team win,” said Albert. “The girls worked hard and I really enjoyed coaching this group. We showed growth throughout the season and hope to continue that next year.”
