DEXTER — The first goal of the season for Houlton High School junior Nolan Porter turned out to be the most important of the season for the Shiretowners as he scored the game-winner in his team’s 3-2 Class C North quarterfinal victory over the Dexter Tigers at the Jeffrey S. Parola Memorial Soccer Field on Friday.
With its fourth consecutive victory, Houlton (8-6-1) will travel to play No. 1 Fort Kent Community High School (12-1-2) in a 4 p.m. Monday semifinal match, with Tuesday as a rain date.
No. 4 Dexter finished its season with a 7-6-2 record.
After a pair of Dexter goals tied the game at 2-2, Houlton was awarded a throw-in at the Dexter end of the field with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. Senior Nick Perfitt heaved the ball in from the right endline toward the Tiger goal as players from both teams converged in front of the goal. The pass went through the crowd and Porter made contact by the left post.
“It was just coming across and I got very lucky,” Porter said. “I was trying to get it with my legs but it hit me in the stomach. The goalie bobbled it and it went in.”
“I kept telling my guys that the best defense is a good offense,” Houlton head coach Caleb Byron said as the Shiretowners built a 2-0 lead in the opening half behind a pair of goals from sophomore Keegan Gentle. “I would have felt a little better if we kept it in their end a little longer.”
With 14:18 left to play before the end of the first half, Dexter sophomore Bud Sathtachotinun launched a shot from outside the box that landed under the crossbar over the reach of a leaping Houlton senior goalkeeper Anthony Henderson to put the Tigers on the scoreboard at 2-1.
With 16 minutes to go in the second half, Sathtachotinun bent a free kick to the left and senior Matthew Richards ran at the goal to head the ball in and tie the game 2-2.
“It was just missed opportunities,” Dexter head coach Andrew Bermudez said about the loss.
He said Dexter had opportunities, including a 6-0 corner-kick advantage in the second half, but the team was unable to take the lead after overcoming the two-goal deficit.
Henderson finished with six saves for Houlton. Dexter freshman Brett Kusnierz stopped five shots.
