Boys soccer squads are starting to get into a groove as the season reaches the midway point. After a slow start, the Southern Aroostook Warriors are now 3-3 on the season. Hodgdon suffered a tough loss to Van Buren, but is a solid 4-4. Houlton is coming off a lopsided win over Calais Saturday and a shutout victory over Lee Monday and is now 4-2-1 on the year. Katahdin and East Grand are both searching for their first wins on the season.
The following is a recap of games played through Monday.
Penobscot Valley 4, Katahdin 0 — At Stacyville Sept. 22, Grant Doane scored two goals and notched an assist to lead Howland by the Cougars.
Doane scored an unassisted goal with 31 minutes left in the first half and then set up Jarrett Priest’s goal at the 30-minute mark of the second half. Doane added an unassisted goal 11 minutes later and Grantham Kidon capped the scoring with an unassisted tally with 15:03 left in the game.
Jaeden Folster finished with 10 saves for the Howlers and Tanner Lane made 14 saves for the Cougars.
Fort Kent 3, Houlton 2 — At Houlton Thursday, a late-game surge fell short for the Shiretowners. Rallying from a 3-1 halftime deficit, Houlton’s Connor Grant scored an unassisted goal with eight minutes remaining to cut the lead to a one goal. Despite a flurry of attempts in the game’s waning minutes, Houlton could not produce the tying goal.
Ryan Chasse started off the scoring for Fort Kent after six minutes into the game off on an assist from Brandon Theriault. Houlton’s Abe Lorom answered, scoring unassisted on a rebound goal with 15 minutes left in the half.
Theriault scored two more goals — one unassisted and one from Joshua Soucy — in the first half in the last 10 minutes of the half.
Chris Daigle had 10 saves for Fort Kent while AJ Henderson had 15 saves for the Shires.
Southern Aroostook 7, East Grand 0 — At Danforth Friday, the Warriors notched their third win of the season. Nolan Altvater came out of goal after the first half to score two goals and two assists — one on a cross from the left side that was headed in by Jackson Mathers.
Mathers scored 4 goals in the win over the Vikings. Rob Lillis also scored on a direct kick 25 feet away. Josh Perrin had two assists and Steve Ratcliff had four saves on seven shots in the second half.
“I think we have found our niche on defense,” SACS coach David Day said. “We have become more patient and disciplined when opponents are attacking. We have gotten away from the ‘lunge’ and are now forcing teams to commit to where we will have help to pick up passing lanes and force teams to make tougher passes and shots. We also struggled winning goal kicks and throw-ins, but are now communicating better and working better as a team.
“After a slow start, we are now 3-3 and I am very pleased how this team has progressed,” Day added.
Hodgdon 3, Limestone/MSSM 7 — At Limestone Friday, playing a make-up game, Eagle Tobyyn Blatt scored four goals, including three in the first half, to spark Limestone/Maine School of Science and Mathematics to victory.
Blatt scored his first goal just 20 seconds into the game and the other two goals in a 2-minute, 15-second span. He added his fourth goal 76 seconds into the second half. Tyler Simmons chipped in with a goal and an assist for the Eagles while Tommy Pinette and Ahmed Beshir each added a goal. Alex Sprague and Davis Levesque each contributed an assist.
Jimmy Buzzell scored two goals for the Hawks and Wyatt Foster added one. Daden Palmer recorded an assist.
Hodgdon’s Blake Woods finished with 22 saves, while Matthew Pelkey had nine for LCS/MSSM.
Van Buren 6, Hodgdon 1 — At Hodgdon Friday, Matthew Burgess scored three goals for the hat trick as Van Buren cruised to the victory. Thomas Lajoie netted two goals and Joseph Canwell added a goal for the 3-8 Crusaders.
Daden Palmer scored the lone goal for 4-3 Hodgdon.
Katahdin 0, Bangor Christian 6 — At Bangor Saturday, Katahdin was unable to dent the net in the shutout loss. Individual game results were not reported by presstime.
Houlton 9, Calais 0 — At Calais Saturday, the Shires romped to a 9-0 shutout victory over the Blue Devils. Connor Grant led the scoring for the Shires with three goals and three assists. Jacob Worthley added two goals. Abe Lorom, Nathan Bouchard, Zach Fitzpatrick and Timothy Youngfellow also got on the board with a goal apiece.
Nolan Porter added an assist. Henderson had two saves for Houlton and the Calais keepers combined for 16 saves.
Shead 6, Hodgdon 3 — At Eastport Monday, Jimmy Buzzell’s two goals weren’t enough as the hosts Tigers claimed the win.
Hat tricks by Ryan Eylar and Drew Greenlaw kept Shead undefeated on the year. Greenlaw assisted on all three of Eylar’s goals.
Jordyn Merritt had a goal for the Hawks.
Houlton 2, Lee Academy 0 — At Houlton Monday, Connor Grant scored on a header off a cross from defender Isaiah Littleton to lift the Shiretowners to victory.
Grant set up Jacob Worthley on a short cross for the other Houlton goal and A.J. Henderson made five saves on 12 shots for the shutout.
Maurice Kopp had 10 saves on 23 shots for the visiting Pandas.
