Carter breaks scoring mark
MARS HILL, Maine — Mackenzie Carter still has one regular-season game remaining this fall, plus the playoffs and all of next season, but the Ashland junior has already amassed some school scoring records that will be difficult to reach.
With four goals last Tuesday in a 6-2 victory over Central Aroostook, Carter broke the single-season goals record of 38 set by both her and Savannah Flint during the 2015 season. She also caught and surpassed Flint’s career mark of 98. After scoring two more in Friday’s home win over Hodgdon, Carter now has 43 goals this season and 103 for her career.
“It’s really amazing, and it means a lot,” said Carter. “It shows how hard I’ve worked, and now I’ve been rewarded for it.
“Plus my teammates really push me to get better, and I want to get better for them,” she added.
Against the Panthers, Carter scored three times in the first half, the first coming off an assist by senior sweeper back Cassidy Pelletier with 29:40 left and the next two unassisted at the 25:01 and 18:27 marks, respectively. Her fourth also was unassisted with 27:17 to play in the second half and gave Ashland an insurmountable three-goal lead.
“I like being the person that changes the game, and goal scoring is one of the best ways to do that,” Carter said.
Eighth-grader Willow Hall scored off senior Gabby Wortman’s assist and sophomore Kassandra Nelson converted a pass from Danni Carter, another eighth-grader, for Ashland’s other goals, both coming in the second half.
Central Aroostook (9-3 and in sixth place in the division) relied on its top offensive weapon, freshman Kate Levesque, for both of its goals. The first came courtesy of a cross by older sister Kassie Levesque, a junior, 2:41 into the second half to cut the Hornets’ lead to 3-1.
She later lofted a direct kick from 25 yards out over the arms of Hornet junior goalkeeper Megan Cote with 29:20 to play to make it 4-2.
With just under 17 minutes to play, Carter gave the goal scoring a rest and put on her goalie gloves, replacing starter Cote, who suffered a bloody nose. She was in for nearly seven minutes and did not have to face a shot.
Upon Cote’s return, Carter became an attacking midfielder for the remainder of the game.
“Wherever I can help is where I want to be,” Carter said. “If it’s up front, in the middle or in goal, it’s whatever helps the team.”
“This season she has shown a lot of growth and maturity, really understanding the game,” said Hornets coach Peter Belskis.
“After she gets her goals and the game has been decided, it’s all about making everyone else a little better,” he added.
Cote had four saves on seven Panther shots, while Central Aroostook’s Breann Bradbury, a freshman subbing for an injured Caitlyn Harris, had nine saves on 20 shots.
