OLD TOWN, Maine —- Old Town High School junior forward Brooke Sulinski is getting healthy, and freshman forward Olivia King is adapting to high school field hockey.
That was bad news for the John Bapst Crusaders on Monday afternoon as Sulinski scored a pair of goals and King had a goal and three assists to lead the Coyotes to an impressive 4-0 triumph in an Eastern Maine Class B matchup.
Junior midfielder Alexis Rutherford added a goal and an assist for the 3-1 Coyotes, and Corinne Saucier made one save on four shots.
Samantha Cole finished with seven saves on 23 shots for 2-3 John Bapst of Bangor.
“This was the first solid game we’ve played all year,” said Old Town coach Jamie (Flagg) Emerson. “We came together as a team.”
“We played real well together,” said Sulinski, who has been slowed by a sprained ankle.
“My ankle is still a little sore, but I’m able to play, and I’m happy about that,” Sulinski added.
Old Town scored all four of its goals during a dominant first-half performance in which it outshot John Bapst 14-3.
Sulinski opened the scoring at the 28:15 mark off a pass from King, who was eight feet behind her and pushed the ball ahead to her.
Sulinski wasted no time sweeping the ball inside the far post to the right of Cole.
“I try to shoot to the corners,” said Sulinski.
King expanded the lead nine minutes later when she took a Rutherford pass and steered the ball past Cole.
“[Rutherford] sent it over, and I was in front,” King said.
King and Rutherford teamed up again on the third goal, which came with 10:41 remaining, only this time King was the provider and Rutherford was the finisher.
King’s pass from the right wing across the goalmouth was missed by a Coyote standing in the middle of the circle, but it found its way to the far post where Rutherford calmly directed it into the empty net.
Sulinski concluded the scoring with eight seconds left in the half after King was again able to free herself along the right side of the circle before flipping the ball across the goalmouth.
The ball deflected off a pair of John Bapst sticks before landing on the stick of Sulinski, who slotted it home from six yards out.
The Coyotes kept the Crusaders pinned in their own end for long stretches of the first half thanks to the play of Sulinski, King and standout midfielder Lauren Gasaway.
“Old Town came out really strong and played an incredible first half,” said John Bapst coach Liz Saucier. “They did a great job cutting to the ball. We were one step behind the entire first half. We played better in the second half, but it just wasn’t enough.”
“They were very fast cutting to the ball, and we didn’t do that as well,” said John Bapst senior tri-captain Shaylyn Cyr.
The energetic Gasaway controlled the midfield for the winners, winning a lot of balls and triggering the attack while also playing an important defensive role.
Madi Higgins’ long hits relieved the pressure for John Bapst and triggered some offensive forays, but the relentless and speedy Coyotes didn’t give the Crusaders much time or space on the ball.