WATERBORO — As her Massabesic High field hockey team clung to a one-goal lead in the final minutes, Coach Michele Martin-Moore kept looking at the clock and wondering why it was moving so slowly.

“I think that clock was moving at half the rate it was supposed to,” she said.

No matter, the fifth-ranked Mustangs held on to defeat second-ranked Marshwood 2-1 Wednesday night in the Class A South championship game, earning their first field hockey regional title.

“Just an indescribable feeling,” said Morgan Pike, a senior defender for the Mustangs. “We made history.” Massabesic (13-3-1) will play defending state champ Skowhegan in the Class A title game at McMann Field in Bath on Saturday, time to be determined.

Marshwood finished 14-3, with two of those losses to the Mustangs, both times by a 2-1 score.

This game followed the script from the regular-season game, with Massabesic taking a 2-0 lead at the half, on goals by Jackie Bearse and Emma Rutledge, and holding off a furious Marshwood rally.

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“I’m trying to wrap my head around it,” said Lisa Truesdale, the Hawks’ coach.

“When we started the game it was almost like we were playing catch-up, instead of the game they normally play. Once they got settled we saw glimpses of them playing with the team sense we had.

“I’m certainly not disappointed. It’s sad to see it end, but that’s field hockey.”

Massabesic, which lost three of its last five regular-season games, controlled the first half thoroughly.

Bearse, who had the winner in overtime in the semifinals, scored off a penalty corner with 19:37 remaining in the half. Rutledge began the play with a hard hit off the insert and the ball deflected over to Bearse uncovered on the left. She didn’t miss, and it was 1-0.

Marshwood had some pressure late in the half, but Massabesic’s Lydia Wasina blocked a shot. Then Rutledge made it 2-0 when she unleashed a hard, low drive that made it through a scrum of players with just 2:40 left in the half.

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“The last few games she has really stepped it up,” said Martin-Moore. “I had a talk with her earlier this season and told her she didn’t have to be so unselfish. Keep the ball. You can do magic things yourself. The last few games she has, and it’s been instrumental.”

Rutledge smiled when told what Martin-Moore said. “It felt pretty good,” she said. “It was a team win.”

Marshwood controlled most of the second half, continually pushing the ball at the Mustangs’ defense. Hannah Costin scored with 19:31 left to pull the Hawks within 2-1. Massabesic’s Elizabeth Beals made a nice defensive play to blunt a Marshwood rush, but the ball rolled to Costin. She dribbled into the circle and drove a hard shot into the cage.

The Hawks had two great scoring chances in the final three minutes. First, Leah Glidden got past the Massabesic defense, but her reverse hit from the left rolled inches wide of the right post.

Then, with just under 2:00 left, the Hawks were awarded a corner. Elaine Bachelder inserted the ball to Costin, but her shot was just wide of the left post.

“We showed such guts at the end,” said Martin-Moore. “This team has each other’s backs.”


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