PI girls field youngest team in Michaud’s tenure
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Ralph Michaud has been coaching the Wildcat girls’ soccer team for 18 years and never has he fielded a younger team than the one he has this season.
PI’s 18-player roster includes seven freshmen and four sophomores. Michaud had eight players, seven of them starters, to replace from last year’s team that finished second in the Eastern Maine Class B standings with an 11-2-1 record and advanced to the semis, losing to No. 3 Hermon at home, 3-1.
The graduation of Maine Soccer Coaches all-state player Hannah Graham and leading scorer Jordi Legassie will hurt, as will the loss of fellow starters Krystal Kingsbury, Macy Desmond, Erin Ackerson, Megan Seward, Emma Kinney and sub Megan McKnight.
However, there are some solid veterans coming back, including the player who is capable of keeping the Wildcats close in every game — senior goalkeeper Jillian Flynn. A three-year starter at the position, she made the MSC All-Eastern Maine Team in 2014 and was a PVC first team all-star.
Other seniors are talented midfielder Taylor Williams, along with the experienced trio of midfielder Regan Nelson, defender Olivia Hudson and wing Kerrigan LeBlanc.
Junior Tori Koch, who started as a back for the Wildcats last year after transferring from Washburn, is back, while classmate Grace Player makes the step up from junior varsity and will see time as a midfielder.
Four sophomores are on the team. Emily Wheaton started a year ago and Chrissy Skidgel split time between JVs and varsity. Mackenzie Turner and Natalie Bates are both first-year varsity players.
The deep freshmen group includes Madison Michaud, Eleanor St. Peter, Amelia Theriault, Molly Kingsbury, Elizabeth Collins, Grace Bemis and Savannah Rodriquez.
Michaud, a striker, led the team in scoring during summer scrimmages, while Kingsbury is the younger sister of Krystal, a four-year starter. Rodriquez will serve as Flynn’s backup in goal.
Junior Jillian Jandreau and sophomore Taylor Billings are the team’s managers and Dillon Kingsbury returns as the assistant coach.
Presque Isle opens the season at home against defending Eastern Maine Class C champion Fort Kent Thursday, with game time set for 5 p.m. The Wildcats will then be on the road for exhibition games at Brewer Friday and in Rockland against Oceanside Saturday.
