STACYVILLE, Maine — The Katahdin boys and girls soccer teams have made great strides on the field this season.
Shaun McAvoy is back for his third season guiding the Katahdin girls squad and his team has set a goal of qualifying for the playoffs again this season. Last year, the Cougars lost to Ashland in the Class D North quarterfinal round.
Katahdin’s Bradley Hotham soars into the air to head the ball during a Sept. 27 boys soccer game. (Joseph Cyr)
The Cougars have a 5-4 record on the year as of Monday, with two of their four losses coming against Madawaska, one of the top programs in Class C.
Members of the Katahdin squad are: seniors Lindsay Drew, Hannah Kyllonen and Erin Lake; juniors Jordyn Gardner, Alexis Lane and Savannah O’Hara; sophomores Silvia Hartt and Emma McNally; freshmen Emily Beyer, Makayla Hartsgrove and Nikita Keim; and eighth graders Isabelle Brownlee, Charlotte Hartt, Autumn McGraw and Cassidy Rasoilo.
“We lost five seniors, our goalie and a few strong defensive players, however, I believe senior, Lyndsay Drew is one of the best sweepers in the league and I count on her to give 100 percent,” coach McAvoy said. “Erin Lake, our top scorer last year, returns to that role for one more year. My only other senior, Hannah Kyllonen broke her foot in the start of our first scrimmage last year and was out for the season. Hannah is a good athlete, a good team player, she loves the game and is ready to play.”
The team brought up four eighth-graders who are athletic and very coachable, according to the coach.
“Improving our defense and meshing together as a team is key to our success this year,” he said. “Preparing hard for each game is our mission.”
The Katahdin boys have played in a number of close, competitive games, but have a 1-8 record as of Monday.
Third-year coach Dylan Harris said he is optimistic the Cougars could improve on last year’s record of 3-9-2 and hopefully sneak into the playoffs.
“We have a good group of athletic juniors and lots of potential in the sophomore, freshmen, and eighth-grade groups,” Harris said. “The keys to us having a better season are improving upon some basics such as better communication, better possession of the ball, and more movement off the ball. I believe that if we improve on those areas this season, it will lead to more goals, which will lead to more wins.”
Members of the boys squad are: senior Evan Tapley; juniors Bryce Sinclair, Blake Howes, Garrett Hamm, Jacob Lane, Caleb Giles and Jeremiah Rodgerson; sophomores, Wesley Richardson, Jacob Fitzpatrick, Kadin McNally and Bradley Hotham; freshmen, Josiah Walker, Justin Hurlbert and Erick Cummings; and eighth-graders Kyle McNally and Grady Ritchie.
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- Hodgdon’s Emma Drew, left, tries to shield the ball from Katahdin’s Charlotte Hart during a Sept. 27 girls soccer game in Stacyville. Katahdin won 4-1. (Joseph Cyr)
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- Katahdin goalie Autumn McGraw, an eighth-grader, stops a point-blank shot from Hodgdon’s Lauren McGillicuddy during a Sept. 27 game in Stacyville. Katahdin won 4-1. (Joseph Cyr)
