SACO — Field hockey championship games are usually tight defensive matches, right?
Not so Tuesday night at frigid Hill Stadium. Abby Walker and Maggie Carbin each scored two goals as top-seeded Scarborough defeated No. 2 Massabesic 6-3 in the Western Class A field hockey final.
CLASS A STATE FINAL
WHO: Scarborough vs. Skowhegan
WHEN: Saturday (TBA)
WHERE: Yarmouth HS
Additional Photos
The Red Storm put all their turf skills on display against the Mustangs, making crisp passes on the frosty turf and accelerating to open spaces.
“They beat us to the ball,” said Massabesic Coach Michele Martin-Moore. “We just didn’t have the quick step that we normally do. The defensive end wasn’t as tight as it normally is, the midfield … playing on turf, you know.”
The Red Storm (16-0-1) will play Skowhegan in the state championship game Saturday at Yarmouth High. It’s a rematch of last year’s final, won by Skowhegan 3-0, and it will be the fourth time in six years the teams have met in the state title game. Skowhegan won two of the three previous matchups.
Scarborough Coach Kerry Mariello shook her head after the game. “Six-three,” she said. “Who would have thought?”
Probably nobody. But Scarborough has always been a team that pushes the tempo offensively. And that’s something the Red Storm definitely wanted to do against the Mustangs (14-3).
“We’re a turf team and they’re not, and those qualities can definitely make a difference in a game,” said Mariello. “The game is speed, it’s passing, it’s getting that ball as quickly up the field or accelerating where you want it to go. That has always been our philosophy: go, go, go. And hopefully get some corner calls or offensive shot opportunities, and hopefully somebody’s there to finalize it.”
Scarborough didn’t miss many of its chances. Walker scored on her second rush of the game down the right wing, her low shot skimming into the far corner with 22:07 left in the first half.
But it took the Mustangs just 23 seconds to tie it, as Emma Desrochers put in a rebound. Less then five minutes later, the Red Storm were back on top as Carbin stuck in the rebound of a Walker shot.
Carbin made it 3-1 with a great individual rush down the left wing, cutting in and then deking goalie Abby Greenfield to the ground before sliding the ball inside the near post.
“I saw a few options to pass but there were a few Massabesic players there, so I thought I’d go for it,” said Carbin. “I got around the goalie and tucked it right in.”
Walker scored a stunning goal early in the second half, whacking a pass from Kristen Murray out of midair into the net.
Both Carbin and Walker gave Massabesic credit for keeping things close. Scarborough’s Murray scored on a penalty stroke with 10:26 left, but the Mustangs scored less then two minutes later to make it a two-goal game again. Finally, Ashley Levesque scored on a rebound for the final margin.
“This was a fight,” said Walker. “We knew we had to keep going.”
Mike Lowe can be reached at 791-6422 or at:mlowe@pressherald.comTwitter: MikeLowePPH
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.