MADAWASKA – Soccer is king of high school sports in Madawaska, so perhaps it is fitting that the St. John Valley town can now claim the king of goal scorers in Maine schoolboy soccer — Ian Lee.

The senior striker scored two goals Friday as the Owls defeated Van Buren 5-1, bringing Lee’s career total to 109. The goals have been scored in 49 regular-season games plus six playoff games.

Bradley Wilcox, who played for Bangor Christian, held the record with 107 goals. Falmouth’s Roger Levesque is third on the all-time list with 106, according to the Maine Soccer Coaches Association.

“Up here we’ve only got so much time for each sport and soccer is the sport in town,” said Lee. “My name is going to be the next one kids will be chasing, and that’s kind of neat.”

His coach, Dean Gendreau said the state scoring record is a big deal. “Kids here don’t get recognized like others. Outside of the (Aroostook County), no one has probably heard of Ian Lee.”

Gendreau’s full-time job is Madawaska recreation director. He coached Lee in youth games and saw his skill at an early age.

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“Ian has that drive to succeed, in athletics and in school.,” he said. “He’s fast and skilled. He’s sees things that others do not.”

Lee says much of the skill came from kicking the ball around in the backyard with older brother John after his father built a wooden rebound wall years ago.

And Lee says his parents also taught them about the importance of hitting the books. In fact, Lee is uncertain about playing soccer in college because he wants to concentrate on academics.

“School comes first, it has always been that way with them,” said Gendreau.

The senior-laden Owls (7-0) feel if they are ever going to win a soccer state title, this is the year.

But first things first. In just a few days most of the focus in Madawaska shifts from soccer to the potato harvest. School shuts down for two weeks and the team has a 20-day layoff, as many in the community help farmers get the potato crop out of the ground.

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Lee says that for the first time he’s not working during the harvest this fall. Instead, he plans to go bird hunting in the mornings and practice soccer at night.

That, says Lee, “is paradise up here!” 

GIRLS’ SOCCER: Van Buren senior Parise Rossignol scored six goals in an 8-6 win over Limestone on Tuesday. She now has 103 goals to go along with her more than 1,500 basketball points. She is the daughter of Matt Rossignol, who scored over 2,000 points as a high school basketball player for Van Buren. 

FOOTBALL: Steven Davis had an opening night to remember. The Mt. View junior running back rushed 27 times for 368 yards and five touchdowns in a 39-14 win at Stearns.

 


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