11/06/2007
enlarge
Staff photo by Jim EvansSkowhegan Area High School field hockey coach Paula Doughty came into this season with just four starters back from last year's 18-0 team. But rebuilding on such a solid foundation more often than not leads to another solid structure.
With Monday's 2-0 win against Sanford in the Class A state championship game at Fitzpatrick Stadium, Skowhegan can get to building an addition on the trophy case.
"Last year we lost everybody. We only had four kids back and I knew this was going to be a rebuilding year," Doughty said. "I knew we had a lot of hardworking kids. ... I'm tickled to death. I'm more excited tonight than I've been in a long time."
It was the seventh consecutive state title and 10th since 1991 for Skowhegan, which ends the season with a 17-1-0 record. For Western Maine winner Sanford, also 17-1-0, it was the first loss of the season. Sanford also lost to Skowhegan in the 2001 state championship, in the game that started Skowhegan's run of titles.
"We thought if we worked hard, we'd be able to pull through," said Skowhegan senior forward Samantha Gifford, who scored the Indians' first goal with 11 minutes, 9 seconds left in the first half. Gifford took a pass from Mallory Hancock and fell as she slipped the ball past Sanford goalie Cortny Burby.
Skowhegan's second goal came off a penalty corner with 1:53 to play in the first half. Gifford inserted the ball to Melissa Hancock, who scored with a shot from the top of the circle.
"We practiced all sorts of different (penalty corners)," Gifford said. "We've been practicing all season, and (Hancock) hit it perfectly."
Skowhegan outshot Sanford 5-0 in the first half and kept the play predominately in the Sanford defensive zone.
"The first half, I mean, I've never seen any of my teams play like they did in the first half. They were amazing," Doughty said.
Slow starts have been a problem for Sanford all season, coach Diana Walker said, and she knew that could be a problem against the Indians.
"They were beating us to the ball. We were one-timing it a bit too much. We weren't following up on our shots. That's been a problem or a situation all season," Walker said. "It's taken us five or 10 minutes to get going, and we said if this happens against Skowhegan, it's going to be really hard to come back at them."
Sanford was finally able to sustain offensive pressure over the last 15 minutes of the game. The Redskins still only put two shots on net and Skowhegan was able to preserve the shutout. Sanford didn't take a penalty corner until there were under two minutes to play, and although the Redskins had two penalty corners in the final minute, they were unable to get a shot on net.
"We put the pressure on them toward the end of the game, but unfortunately it was a little bit too late," Walker said.
Sophomore Megan Hancock made two saves for the win, but team defense was Skowhegan's key.
"We mark up on everybody. Even the forwards come back and mark," Melissa Hancock said. "We don't pay attention to one person, because anybody can put it in the net."
Burby finished with eight saves for Sanford.
Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Reader comments
Sort by: Oldest first | Newest First
You must be a registered user of MaineToday.com to post a comment. Register or log in.