PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — It may end up going down in Presque Isle girls soccer history as “The Save.”
Seniors Emily Wheaton and Chrissy Skidgel run out with the plaque, as classmate Natalie Bates, left, and assistant coach Dillon Kingsbury watch during the post-game awards ceremony held last Wednesday. Presque Isle captured its first regional championship with a 1-0 victory over Hermon. (Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics)
Junior Savannah Rodriguez, the second-year starter in goal for the Wildcats, dove left to deflect Alex Allain’s penalty kick with 30 minutes to play in regulation. The play preserved a one-goal lead that would stand up as Presque Isle defeated Hermon Wednesday, 1-0, to capture the team’s first Class B regional title since 2011.
Second-seeded Presque Isle (14-3) moves on to the state finals, to be played Saturday at 5:30 p.m against the South champion at Deering High School in Portland. Cape Elizabeth plays Yarmouth for the South title on Thursday.
Hermon, which entered as the No. 9 team in the division, finished with a 13-4-1 record.
On a chilly night at the Johnson Athletic Conference, Rodriguez stood tall in the clutch. A few seconds after a hand ball was whistled on PI’s Clara Kohlbacher after the sophomore had attempted to clear the ball off the line on a corner kick, Rodriguez took a unique position near the right post.
When the official signaled for the kick to be taken, she shuffled laterally toward the middle and guessed correctly on Allain’s blast, diving and getting her hand on the ball to knock it across the goal line.
“The way their goalkeeper lined up, I think it kind of messed with [Allain’s] mind,” said Hermon coach MJ Ball. “She got into her psyche and it worked.”
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- Presque Isle’s Paige McHatten, right, fights for the ball at midfield against Hermon’s Alex Allain during the Class B North soccer finals playedWednesday in Presque Isle. (Courtesy/Dave Allen Graphics)
Rodriguez said it was something she and [assistant coach Dillon Kingsbury] had schemed throughout the week.
“I just start on one post and then go straight across and it’s really to mess with the shooter’s head,” she said. “It’s also about timing and counting seconds after the whistle is blown, all that plays into it.
“I didn’t even look at [Allain] before and didn’t know she was going that way … it was just a good guess,” added Rodriguez, who said her last save of a penalty kick came in the playoffs in 2015, also against Hermon.
Elizabeth Collins heads the ball during Presque Isle’s 1-0 victory over Hermon last Wednesday in the Class B North regional championship game played at the Johnson Athletic Complex. (Contributed photo/Dave Allen Graphics)
The Hawks were unable to muster a better scoring opportunity the rest of the way and Presque Isle held on to knock off its nemesis. Hermon had entered the match winners of four of the five previous post-season soccer meetings between the two schools, including each of the past two years.
“They’ve knocked me out of the playoffs in soccer, basketball and softball, so this makes it real special,” Rodriguez said.
Presque Isle’s goal came courtesy of its offensive star with 5:45 left in the first half. Madison Michaud took a pass from Libby Moreau, made a quick move against the defender toward the right at the top of the 18-yard line and ripped a shot inside the far post past the diving Megan Chamberlain.
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- Wildcat junior Madison Michaud drives a shot into the back of the net as Hermon defender Paige Plissey arrives too late to defend during Wednesday’s Class B North championship soccer match played in Presque Isle. It was the lone goal of the game as PI won, 1-0. (Courtesy/Dave Allen Graphics)
“She had a girl on her the whole time, but Maddie likes it when she’s guarded close because it allows her to get past the defender,” said Presque Isle coach Ralph Michaud.
“Our plan was to stop Maddie but she is a prolific scorer and if she gets in behind once, you’re in trouble,” Ball said. “We did a good job on her for about 35 minutes, but she got that one chance and that was it.”
Presque Isle’s Charlotte Carrier, right, boots the ball away from Hermon’s Olivia Nash during Wednesday’s Class B North championship soccer match played at the Johnson Athletic Complex in Presque Isle. (Courtesy/Dave Allen Graphics)
It was Michaud’s 34th goal of the season, which is a school record
Shots were 14-11 in favor of the Wildcats, with Rodriguez picking up eight saves, including two other diving stops of Allain shots during the first half. Hermon’s Chamberlain finished with six saves in the contest.
“I thought our defense was physically tough,” Michaud said. “Emily [Wheaton] and Charlotte [Carrier] did a good job of marking Allain and I told the girls even if she plays goalie you’ll need to mark her. They all did a great job.”
Six weeks ago, a championship was far from the Wildcats’ minds following a 2-1 loss at Fort Kent which saw the team’s record dip to 3-2. But Presque Isle has won 11 of 12 since as it prepares for its first trip to the state game in six years.
“I remember sitting behind [Fort Kent’s] kickboard after the game up there and it wasn’t a good feeling,” Michaud said, “but that proved to be a kick in the pants and really got us going.”
