Four goals in the opening half help Dexter get past Penquis

DEXTER — When the boys soccer teams from Dexter Regional High School and Penquis Valley High School met for the first time in 2017, on Sept. 15 in Milo, the visiting Tigers earned a 4-0 victory over the team’s regional rival. During the rematch in Dexter nearly two weeks later on Sept. 28 Dexter equaled its Harris Field scoring output in the first half.

The four goals in the opening session and two second half goals by senior Matt Richards, who would finish with a hat trick, helped Dexter earn a 6-1 Class C North victory. The contest result improved the Tigers to 4-3-2, and ended a brief 0-2-1 winless skid since the victory at Penquis (which dropped to 0-9 on Thursday).

Sophomore Nate Richards got the Dexter scoring going nearly five minutes into play. Classmate Bud Sathtachotinum had the ball to the right of the Patriot goal and he passed to Richards, who quickly turned and put it in for the 1-0 advantage.

Exactly 14 minutes later Matt Richards broke loose down the middle of the field and he softly tapped the ball into the left side of the netting for what would turn out to be the game-winner and was the first of his three goals during the afternoon.

Juniors Trever Richards — on an assist by Matt Richards who had a hand in four of his team’s six goals — and Alex Aguila also found the net for Dexter in the first 28 minutes of play to put the team ahead 4-0.

Matt Richards would pick up his second goal at the 22:32-mark of the second half, as senior George Lewis gave him the ball on a cross from the left.

Twelve seconds later Penquis got on the scoreboard. From the far right corner of the box junior Derek Pearson booted the ball toward the Dexter goal and Pearson’s shot landed inside the left post out of reach of any Tigers.

Richards would complete his hat trick with 12:21 remaining on a crossing shot from the left, with Sathtachotinum picking up the assist.

Dexter freshman Brett Kusnierz made eight saves on 15 shots to help his team earn the victory. Patriot junior keeper Kenny Cail came up with six saves on 25 shots.

BOYS SOCCER
Dexter 6,
Penquis 1
PEN 0 1 | 1
DEX 4 2 | 6
First half: D — N. Richards
(Sathtachotinum)
D — M. Richards
D — T. Richards (M. Richards)
D — Aguila (M. Richards)
Second half: D — M. Richards
(Lewis)
P — Pearson
D — M. Richards
(Sathtachotinum)
Corner kicks: P — 0,
D — 6
Saves: P — Cail 6,
D — Kusnierz 8
Records: P — 0-9,
D — 4-3-2

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TRIO OF GOALS SCORED — Dexter senior Matt Richards and Penquis junior Jeremy Martin both eye the ball during a Sept. 28 contest in Dexter. Richards would score in the first half and pick both his team’s goals in the second half to help the Tigers earn a 6-1 victory.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS — Junior Derek Pearson, pictured with Dexter junior Jordan Hughes, would score on a long distance shot for Penquis during the second half of the Patriots’ Sept. 28 game at Dexter.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FOOT RACE — Penquis sophomore Nate Tucker and Dexter sophomore Nathan Richards, with Patriot senior Noah Zambrano trailing, run to the ball during the Sept. 28 contest. With the 6-1 victory, Dexter earned a season sweep of its regional rival having won 4-0 in Milo earlier in the month.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
BACK TO OFFENSE — Sophomore Camron Bailey receives a pass during the second half of the Sept. 28 game with Penquis at Dexter. Back on defense is Dexter junior Jordan Hughes (20), junior Trever Richards (11), senior Andrew Carlow (2) and freshman keeper Brett Kusnierz.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
ON THE RUN — Tiger junior Trever Richards looks to get away from Penquis junior Dylan Spencer (7) and senior Noah Zambrano (18).