Wednesday’s regional girls soccer final pitted the stingiest defensive team in the Class B North ranks, No. 1 Oceanside, against the division’s most potent offensive squad in No. 2 Hermon.
Each team lived up to its billing, but it was the Hawks who came out on top.
Chloe Raymond scored off a corner kick by Emi Higgins with approximately 16 minutes remaining, helping Hermon pull out a 1-0 victory at Pendleton Field in Thomaston to secure the regional title.
“It was a hard-fought game, but it was a lot of fun,” said coach M.J. Ball, whose Hawks (15-0-2) advance to Saturday’s state championship game against the South champ Greely of Cumberland Center (15-2), a 5-1 winner over York on Wednesday.
The Mariners of Rockland/Thomaston finished an outstanding season at 14-1-2.
“They’d given up three goals all year, we’d given up seven,” Ball said of the teams’ defensive prowess, while also pointing out that Hermon had racked up 63 goals to the Mariners’ 50 heading into the matchup.
The Hawks didn’t get a lot of scoring chances, but capitalized when they did when awarded their only corner kick of the contest.
“We’ve worked really hard on corners,” Ball said. “Emi Higgins took our corner and Chloe Raymond volleyed it right into the corner.”
Hermon managed only three shots on frame against Oceanside goalkeeper Kalyn Grover, while Hawks goalie Bryanne Crouse needed to make just two stops.
“It was a really physical battle, so a lot of midfield play back and forth, neither defense giving up many shots,” Ball said. “Neither back four would break down.”
Hermon has earned its third regional championship coming off a 2014 campaign during which the Hawks lost 1-0 to Waterville in double overtime in the Eastern Maine title game.