PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — After a couple of seasons greatly affected by COVID-19, Presque Isle girls’ soccer coach Ralph Michaud is hoping for more normalcy this fall.
Last year’s Wildcats won just three games after many challenges, including enduring a nine-day stretch of being able to practice with only eight varsity players due to COVID quarantines.
“Then when everyone returned we had to play seven games in 11 days, which wasn’t conducive to anyone,” Michaud said. “That was after a year in which it was just an Aroostook County schedule with just 10 games played.”
The team did catch a tough break this summer when projected starting goalkeeper Kolbie Langley, a freshman, suffered an ACL injury during a basketball scrimmage that will sideline her this season. Still, Michaud likes his team’s makeup and is looking forward to the season, which begins with a road match against John Bapst in Bangor Sept. 3.
“We have been working hard to be a complete team and we feel we are very deep and can play several players at all our field positions,” said Michaud, who entering his 25th season is fifth all-time in the state in girls’ soccer coaching victories, including four regional championships.
Presque Isle has numerous returnees, including seniors Taylor Marston, Mia Casavant, Lindsey Himes, Olivia Kohlbacher, Abby Johnston, Jocelyn Gagnon and Taylor Doyen.
Gabby Caron and Bella Quirino are other seniors on the roster.
Adelaide Baser, Karlyn Gilmour, Jorja Maynard and Reagan Deschene are juniors who played on the varsity team last year, while classmate Reese McPherson has moved up from the JV ranks
Kacie Marston, Cassidy Carlisle, Olivia Locke and Sidney Tawfall are the sophomores with varsity experience, while Jayden Harvell is the new starting goalkeeper.
The freshmen contributors are Aubrey Ellsworth, Astra Laughton and McKayla Guerrette.
“It’ll be a challenge competing in the Penobscot Valley Conference as due to the challenges from the last two seasons, most of our team has not dealt with the extensive travel we do during the harvest break,” Michaud said.
“Plus the conference is loaded with talent and we also play Fort Kent, who is always a top contender in Class C,” he added.
Juniors Summer Sponberg and Ella Hall-Michaud and sophomore Evelyn O’Donnell are the managers and assistant Dillon Kingsbury coaches the defense and returns for his 12th season with the program.
