Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield sophomore forward Addi Williams has been surprised by her recent scoring spree.
Williams has scored six of MCI’s nine playoff goals and now has 10 goals in her last four games as the Huskies enter Saturday’s 4 p.m. Class C state championship against Oak Hill of Sabattus at the University of Maine’s Morse Field in Alfond Stadium.
MCI, 13-4, and Oak Hill, 12-5, will both be appearing in their first state championship game.
In the noon opener, Skowhegan will look for its 13th Class A state championship in 15 years against Thornton Academy of Saco, which will make its first appearance in a state final. Both teams are 15-2.
In the Class B game at 2 p.m., there will be a rare meeting between two defending state champs.
Winslow, 13-3-1, won the “C” title a year ago before jumping up to “B” this season, while 17-0 York is the defending “B” titlist and is riding a 35-game winning streak.
Williams called her scoring outburst “crazy.”
“I didn’t expect it. My teammates have been setting me up. They’ve been looking for me and I’ve been in the right place,” she said.
“Addi works really hard, especially the past few weeks,” said MCI coach Nancy Hughes. “She has worked on her positioning in the circle and getting her feet right. She’s been getting lower and we’ve worked on her hand-eye [coordination].”
For Hughes, the title quest is a family affair, as husband Greg and daughter Meghan are among her assistant coaches and daughter Allison is a midfielder on the team.
“It’s nice,” said Hughes, who noted that most of her players play field hockey year-round and they have “bonded really well.”
She also said her team’s “speed and quickness” have been integral parts of their success.
MCI has three seniors in the back led by the highly-skilled Taylor Hall; the midfield features offensive-minded Emily McAlpine and Madisyn Hartley and, up front, Williams, Kali Doiron and Victoria Friend have been outstanding. Mikayla Carr is the goalie.
Oak Hill hasn’t allowed a goal in the playoffs behind defenders Brooke Surette and Lexi Fuller.
Coach Mary Beth Bourgoin said her Winslow Black Raiders have worked “incredibly hard all season long” to capture the regional title and feels for her team to be successful Saturday, it has to “avoid coming out flat, go on the attack and be aware of York’s dangerous players, not just one player [Lily Posternak].”
Goalkeeper and Miss Maine Field Hockey finalist Delaney Wood and versatile classmates Ciera Poulin, Jessica Greeley and Miranda Gagne have been the catalysts for Winslow.
York has scored 80 goals behind dynamic junior Posternak, who has verbally committed to attend Duke University.
Skowhegan proved to be a prototypical opportunist in its 2-1 overtime win over previously unbeaten Messalonskee of Oakland, being outshot 28-4.
But the brilliant 11-save goalkeeping of Leah Kruse kept the Indians in the game, and she will be tested by a Thornton Academy team featuring its all time-leading scorer in Libby Pomerleau along with Taylor Ouellette and Miss Maine Field Hockey finalist Grace Pickering.
Midfielder Haley Thebarge had a goal, an assist and a defensive save against Messalonskee. Seniors Brooke Michonski, Lauren LeBlanc and freshmen Maliea Kelso and Lizzie York have been key performers for Skowhegan. York had the game-winner against Messalonskee.