Lone goal gives GSA win

Quarterfinal action at Penquis with second overtime goal

By Stuart Hedstrom

Staff Writer

MILO — After over 100 minutes of game time neither Penquis Valley High School or George Stevens Academy could find the opposition’s goal in a Class C North quarterfinal on Oct. 27 at Harris Field, setting the stage for the dramatic. The visiting fifth-seeded Eagles of Blue Hill ended up with the game’s only goal just over halfway through the second overtime, ending the season for the No. 4 Patriots and spoiling the program’s first playoff berth since 2010 and first home postseason contest in at least a decade.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

HEADS-UP — Penquis Valley High School sophomore Jordan Prendergast and George Stevens Academy sophomore Dawn Hutchinson leap for the ball during a Class C North quarterfinal on Oct. 27 in Milo. The visiting Eagles had the only goal of the game just over halfway through the second overtime to win the 4-5 seeded matchup by a score of 1-0.

After the first seven and a half minutes of the second overtime had been played, George Stevens  junior Morgan Dauk got control of the ball at midfield as she then turned and dribbled down the right side of the pitch. Dauk passed to sophomore Elinor Haldane for a direct shot on goal that went in with almost exactly seven minutes left before penalty kicks would have been needed to break the 0-0 deadlock.

Patriot junior keeper Jordan Durant made a game-high 14 saves, while her counterpart across the field Eagle freshman Elisabeth MacArthur stopped nine shots for the shutout. George Stevens won its fourth game in a row to improve to 9-2-4  and advance to the regional semifinal round.

Before 2015, Penquis had gone several seasons without recording a victory. This season’s team not only ended the winless streak in early September, the squad finished above .500 with a record of 8-6-1. The Patriots had been ranked seventh in the Class C North Heal Point standings heading into the last game of the season vs. fellow AOS 43 school Penobscot Valley High School of Howland.

The Howlers, who finished second in the Class D North Heal Point standings, came to Milo with a perfect record of 13-0 but left with a 3-2 defeat as the Patriots handed the team its only loss of the season. The victory jumped Penquis from seventh place to fourth, enabling the team to skip the preliminary round and earn a home playoff contest. The game vs. George Stevens was the first in the postseason for the Patriots since the 2010 girls soccer team won its prelim and advanced to what were then the Class C East quarterfinals — falling at that year’s regional champion Fort Kent Community High School.

Patriot seniors are Alyssa Murano and Sha-Lynn Trafton.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

FLIPPING OUT — Freshman Cymeria Robshaw puts something extra on her throw-in during the first half of the Oct. 27 girls quarterfinal between Penquis and George Stevens.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

AIR BALL — Penquis freshman Megan Valvo and George Stevens junior Hannah Peasley watch as the ball falls back to Earth. The quarterfinal was the first postseason berth for the Patriots since 2010.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

MAKE  A RUN — Sophomore Selena Sibert brings the ball up field past George Stevens senior Gracie Hyland with Patriot sophomore Jordan Prendergast in pursuit.