This week’s Hall-Dale-St. Dom’s boys’ soccer showdown may have just been the first meeting between two of Western C’s top teams. The Bulldogs and Saints battled to a 1-1 tie in their only regular season meeting.
“We’ll see them again in the Mountain Valley Conference championship game and we’ll probably see them in the playoffs,” said Hall-Dale coach Andy Haskell.
Hall-Dale took a quick lead in the tie but St. Dom’s produced the equalizer late in the first half. Despite great chances for both teams, neither could break the stalemate.
“I really wish I could have sat up (on the hill) and watched the game because it was a great game,” said St. Dom’s coach Marty Bressler.
The teams appear assured of meeting in the MVC championship game. That is scheduled for Wednesday night, Oct. 17 at Wiscasset. The girls’ game will precede it.
Hall-Dale and St. Dom’s could also meet up in the postseason, depending on how the pairings end up.
Waynflete and North Yarmouth Academy are likely contenders as well.
“It was a fair result,” said Bressler of the 1-1 tie. “Everybody talks about Waynflete and NYA. I feel like Hall-Dale and St. Dom’s really can (contend) as well. They play clean. We play clean. They’re very skilled. We try to be skilled.”
Setting a standard
One of the factors in the success of the St. Dom’s golf team this fall has been senior Zack DeBlois. He was the only returning varsity player for the Saints this year.
DeBlois was undefeated during the season and averaged less than 38 for nine holes. His 70 in the qualifying last week topped all golfers.
Coach Kevin Cullen says that one reason his team was motivated was to send DeBlois out a winner. St. Dom’s lost six seniors last year but still managed to extend their streak to 82 straight wins and an MVC title.
“He’s been a tremendous leader to all the people on this team,” said St. Dom’s coach Kevin Cullen. “Even to the kids that aren’t on varsity, he’s worked with them on the range, the putting green, the golf course. He’s trying to walk them through what he’s trying to do. I think everybody would say that one of the reasons that we’ve been as good as we’ve been is Zach. He’s set a standard.”
Greyhounds continue to howl
A week ago, it looked like the Lisbon Greyhounds just might lose their first girls’ soccer game.
No such luck for Oak Hill last Saturday.
The Raiders were leading 1-0 in the first half, but Lisbon found a way to get back in the game when Kayla Angelico slipped in a pair of unassisted goals in the second half. Teammate Kailyn Hill scored to give the Raiders a 3-1 victory to insure that Lisbon would remain undefeated.
In another come-from-behind effort, the Greyhounds twice rallied from one-goal deficits Saturday to edge Monmouth, 3-2.
MVC holds the power
If Winthrop, Lisbon and Spruce Mountain are going to meet each other in field hockey again this season, it’s either going to be a conference title game that has no bearing on the standings, or in the Class C teams’ case, in a state title game.
That all three continue to lead or closely trail the leaders in their respective divisions is a testament to the strength of the Mountain Valley Conference.
“People ask us, ‘Why do you play in the MVC when you’re Class B?'” Spruce Mountain co-coach Jane DiPompo said. “But the competition is just awesome. I’ll take teams like this and put that right up against any Class B team.”
Winthrop is second in Eastern C and will likely finish there this week. Spruce Mountain is fifth in a tough-as-nails Western B draw that includes top teams from three different conferences, and Lisbon is a close second in Western C behind perennial contender and defending state champion NYA.
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