The Skowhegan Indians may have lost two regular season games to Messalonskee of Oakland this season after winning 78 straight field hockey contests, but they won their 14th straight Eastern Maine Class A title Thursday night and will face Scarborough for the third consecutive year in the state final at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Skowhegan will be seeking its 13th state crown in the last 14 years in the first of three state finals at Thomas College in Waterville.
Skowhegan is 15-2 and Scarborough is 17-0.
The Class B game pits 15-1-1 Gardiner against 17-0 York at 1 p.m. with the Class C game between 15-0-1 Winslow and 14-2 Lisbon slated for 3 p.m.
The ‘A’ game will feature a matchup between two of the four Miss Maine Field Hockey finalists is Skowhegan’s Rylie Blanchet and Scarborough’s Maddy Dobecki.
Scarborough won all three of its playoff games 3-1 while Skowhegan posted three shutout victories.
“Every setback gave us an opportunity to grow and come together,” Skowhegan senior defender Tori Mullin said. “The two losses are behind us. We just focus on the next game.”
First-year coach Sharon Gallant, who replaced the legendary Moe McNally, guided Gardiner to its first EM title since it won the state in 2009.
York is playing in the state title game for the ninth time in 11 years but has won just one championship in that time, 2008.
Winslow coach Mary Beth Bourgoin said last year’s 1-0 loss to Foxcroft in the Eastern Maine final “wasn’t forgotten.
“It was a slow quiet driving force for our team,” Bourgoin said.
Winslow is seeking its first state title since it won the Class B crown in 2002. Lisbon claimed the crown in 2012.