Wildcat soccer teams turn in successful week
The Presque Isle varsity soccer teams posted some important victories last week to put themselves in good position entering the regular season home stretch.
The Wildcat boys bested No. 3 Ellsworth at home Monday, 1-0, to move into fourth place in the Class B North division. Presque Isle is now 7-5 entering its final two games – at Caribou Thursday and at Foxcroft Academy Saturday.
A top-four finish would mean avoiding a prelim game and hosting a quarterfinal.
PI won its most recent match thanks to a Josiah Morse goal with 3:36 left in regulation for the only goal of the game. Pat Cash made four saves on six shots for the shutout in goal, his fourth of the season.
The Wildcats tested Eagle goalkeeper Peyton Cole with 16 shots and he came up with eight saves.
Coach Joe Greaves’ Wildcats had two road games earlier in the week, falling to John Bapst Tuesday, 2-1, before bouncing back to defeat Old Town Saturday, 4-1. Ryle Mortland had PI’s goal against Bapst, while Griffin Guerrette scored twice and Morse and Randon Mortland each had a goal and an assist for the Wildcats against the Coyotes.
The Presque Isle girls are coming off a 3-0 week and hold the No. 6 position in the standings. The Wildcats, at 7-3-2, could move up to as high as fourth depending on match results in this final week of the regular season. The team plays at Caribou tonight and finishes up its slate Saturday on the road against Foxcroft Academy. Wins in both matches could propel PI into the top four.
Sophomore Madison Michaud had a big offensive showing in the three victories – 3-2 over John Bapst last Wednesday, 4-1 over Old Town Saturday and 9-0 over Ellsworth Monday. She tallied nine of the team’s 16 goals, including four in the most recent contest against the Eagles. In that game, Mackenzie Turner, Libby Moreau, Tori Koch, Charlotte Carrier and Grace Player also scored for PI. Savannah Rodriguez and Sydney Thompson each saw time in goal and combined for three saves.
Michaud scored all three goals in the victory against John Bapst played at the University of Maine at Orono last Wednesday. On Saturday, she scored twice and Moreau had the other goal. Rodriguez had a combined 21 saves in the two matches.
The Ashland girls and Fort Fairfield boys remain undefeated, as the Hornets beat LCS/MSSM Saturday by an 8-0 final and the Tigers upended LCS/MSSM Monday, 8-1. The two teams improved to 12-0 with a pair of games remaining for each.
The Hornets are in second place, just behind top-ranked and undefeated PVHS, after stopping the Eagles behind three goals each by Morgan Doughty and Mackenzie Carter. Kassandra Nelson and Danni Carter were the Hornets’ other goal scorers.
The FF boys secured their No. 1 ranking on the boys’ side after easing to the win Monday afternoon. Landon Kinney led the offensive charge with three goals, while Ryan Player added two and Grayden Griffeth, Isaac Cyr and Jonah Daigle one apiece.
The Tiger girls lost at home to LCS/MSSSM Monday, 5-1, to fall to 2-8-2 on the campaign.
The Ashland Hornet boys had their four-match winning streak snapped by losing to LCS/MSSM Saturday, 2-0. The Hornets had beaten the Eagles at home on Sept. 23, 7-1. Ashland is now 7-3-2 and in third place, behind Fort Fairfield and Bangor Christian.
The Ashland squads took on Central Aroostook Tuesday in Mars Hill, with plenty of Heal Points on the line for all four playoff-bound squads.
