Kassie Farley of the Washburn Beavers looks to get a shot off as Fort Fairfield’s Alli White comes in from behind to try to defend during the Aug. 15 varsity soccer match played in Fort Fairfield. (Kevin Sjoberg)
FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — They took different paths as the Washburn girls needed overtime and the Fort Fairfield boys thoroughly dominated, but both squads picked up their first varsity soccer victories of the season Tuesday, Aug. 15.
The Beaver girls evened their record at 1-1 when Sam Churchill scored off a Madison Miller assist with 2:30 to go in the second overtime period, giving them a 6-5 victory over the Fort Fairfield girls in a back-and-forth affair.
The match was tied on five occasions in regulation before Churchill’s late heroics. She came in to play center midfield in place of junior Kassie Farley, who was shaken up after colliding with Fort Fairfield freshman goalkeeper Shantelle Simon and did not return.
Jared Harvey (23) leaps high as he scores Fort Fairfield’s fifth goal off an Isaac Cyr cross in front of the net during the Aug. 15 match. Washburn’s Edwin McLaughlin (8) and Fort Fairfield’s Jesse Helstrom (10) are also in on the play. The host Tigers went on to shut out Washburn, 10-0. (Kevin Sjoberg)
Kassie Farley scored twice, the first coming on a penalty kick, while freshmen Kyli Farley, Miller and junior Sam White netted a goal apiece for the Beavers. Kassie Farley and Miller also each picked up assists.
Kennedy Bencivenga, a freshman who transferred from Limestone, scored four of the five goals for the Fort Fairfield Tigers, who were playing their first game of the season. Bencivenga’s final tally came with 2:22 left and forced overtime. Tiger senior Kayla Tisdale, who ended up with two assists, scored the team’s other goal on a header off an assist from freshman Kourtney West, another Eagle transfer.
To open the season, the Beavers had lost to Central Aroostook, 4-2, on Aug. 11.
Fort Fairfield’s Colin Goshorn (20) pulls up as Washburn’s Josh Jackson makes a save during the match in Fort Fairfield Aug. 15. (Kevin Sjoberg)
“This was a huge win,” said Washburn coach Marcie Barbarula. “We are a young team and I feel that it boosted their confidence. They are starting to mesh and are working well together.”
In the boys’ match, the Tigers scored five goals in each half despite having many players in different positions on the field throughout the game in their 10-0 victory over Washburn.
Alex Sprague, a transfer from LCS/MSSM, opened the scoring just 1:26 into the first half, while Isaac Cyr and Colby Langner followed with goals over the next four minutes. Dylan Jandreau and Jared Harvey capped off the opening half with goals.
The Tigers’ Dawson Watson rips a shot as the Beavers’ Shawn Helton watches during the Aug. 15 varsity soccer match in Fort Fairfield. (Kevin Sjoberg)
Early in the second half, Jandreau and Jonah Daigle tallied 41 seconds apart, while Sprague added his second goal before Grayden Griffeth and Colin Goshorn closed out the scoring for last year’s Class D North region runners-up.
Cyr assisted on a pair of goals for the Tigers, who outshot the Beavers, 23-2, in their season opener. Malcolm Langner picked up the shutout in goal for Fort Fairfield.
“I was pleased with how our younger guys were able to step in and play possession style soccer, which is what our team strives for,” said Tiger coach John Ala. “We were able to get the younger guys valuable time, which helps the team build depth. Our scoring was balanced and our defense was solid.”
Coach Ben Goodwin’s Beavers fell to 0-2 and have been outscored by a 27-0 margin over their first two matches.
