HODGDON, Maine — A perfect fall afternoon set the stage for a pair of tightly-contested soccer games between Hodgdon and Katahdin Friday afternoon.
Both the Hodgdon boys and girls squads managed to come away with one-goal victories over the visiting Cougars. The Hawk boys won 3-2, while the girls were victorious 2-1 in overtime.
In the boys game, Katahdin struck first as Kyle McNally booted in a solo goal which proved to be the only score of the first half. In the second half, Hodgdon tallied three goals in the first six minutes thanks to strong efforts from Oisin Gardiner (2 goals) and Drew Duttweiler (1 goal). Both Hawk athletes also tallied assists.
Cougar Grady Ritchies pulled his team within a goal of tying with a solo goal.
Hodgdon goalies Duttweiler and Kameryn Matheson combined for three saves on six shots.
Katahdin goalkeeper Kalan Mann had 10 saves on 21 shots. Hodgdon improved to 5-3-1 on the season with the win, while Katahdin dropped to 3-3-1.
In the girls game, Hodgdon’s Delaney Little scored the game winning goal in overtime to lift Hodgdon to a 2-1 victory over Katahdin.
Little scored Hodgdon’s first goal with 16:02 to play in the first half, but Katahdin’s Makayla Hartsgrove tied the game at 1-1 with 1:44 remaining in regulation.
In goal for Katahdin, Nikita Keim had 12 saves on 24 shots and Hodgdon goalie Madison Smith had nine saves on 16 shots.
Hodgdon improved to 2-3-1 on the season, while Katahdin dropped to 2-5.