It will be round three for the Bangor and Camden Hills High School girls in the Class A North championship soccer game on Wednesday while Hermon and Presque Isle will meet for the sixth time in seven years in the Class B North playoffs.
In the Class C final, Dexter will be looking to upset a Houlton team that is hoping the third time will prove to be a charm after losing in the finals last year and in 2014.
And Penobscot Valley will seek to end Ashland’s three-year reign as Class D North titlists.
The Class A game between third seed Bangor (12-3-1) and top seed Camden Hills (15-0-1) will be played at 2:30 in Camden; second seed Presque Isle (13-3) will entertain No. 9 Hermon (13-3-1) in the B North final at 5; number two Dexter (12-4) will visit No. 1 Houlton (15-1) at 4 and Penobscot Valley of Howland (14-2) will await number two Ashland (15-1), the defending state D champion, at 2.
Camden Hills and Bangor have won the last two state Class A championships after beating each other on their home field in the regional final by 3-2 scores.
In both cases, the visitors rallied late to post the win.
“It’s a healthy rivalry,” said Camden Hills coach Meredith Messer. “The girls enjoy playing each other because they know it’s going to be a good match. Playing a good opponent brings out your best. You know you have to be at your best to win.
“It should be a fast-paced game. There should be good (scoring) opportunities at either end. I know Bangor is finally healthy for the most part. We’re excited to play them,” Messer added.
One of the intriguing matchups will involve highly-skilled game-changing midfielders Kassie Krul of Camden Hills, who is a junior, and Bangor sophomore Eliza Jansujwicz.
Bangor will also have to find a way to deal with Kristina Kelly, whose 37 goals on the season set a school record and gives her a school-record 69 for her career. Maddi Cormier and Libby Spekhardt and among Bangor’s top threats along with Jansujwicz.
The teams tied 2-2 in the regular season.
In Class B, Hermon has won the last four playoff meetings, three times in the semis including last year’s 2-1 triumph, along with the 2012 final (1-0). All but one has been decided by one goal. Presque Isle beat Hermon 2-0 in the 2011 finals.
The respective teams’ all-time leading scorers will be squaring off as Hermon senior midfielder Alex Allain has 106 career goals, including 26 this season, while Presque Isle junior striker Madison Michaud has 83 goals, 33 this season.
Both coaches know they will have to find a way to neutralize the two stars although neither one intends to assign one person to mark them throughout the game.
“Our back will always know where (Michaud) is,” said Hermon coach M.J. Ball. “We have to deny service to her.”
Michaud had all three goals in a 3-1 regular season win over Hermon.
PI coach Ralph Michaud asked “Is is possible to contain (Allain)?
“We can’t let her get great looks. She’s great with either foot and is also a very good passer,” said Michaud whose team will mark Allain on free kicks and corner kicks.
Michaud had three goals in the 4-0 win over Waterville in the semis and Allain had both goals in the 2-0 semifinal win over Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield.
Dexter coach Jody Grant and Penobscot Valley coach Ryan Reed have the pleasure of coaching their midfielder daughters this season.
Peyton Grant is a freshman for the Tigers while Lauren Reed is a junior for the Howlers.
Dexter last played in a state championship game in Class B in 1991 while Penobscot Valley has never played for a state title in soccer.
“Houlton is a good team. They have some very talented kids. Their kids up front put a lot of pressure on you. We’ll have our hands full. We’re going to have to be solid on defense,” said Grant who told his players “don’t be satisfied just going there and playing.”
Peyton Grant and fellow freshman Avery Herrick, scored in the 2-1 semifinal win over Central of Corinth.
Seniors Kolleen Bouchard and Mia Hanning will severely test Dexter’s back four.
Ashland beat PVHS in the 2014 regional title game.
“We know their fast up front and they like to attack you with different players,” said Ryan Reed whose team has been led by offensive catalysts Rylee Buck and Lexi Ireland along with midfielders Judy King and Lauren Reed and defender Leine McKechnie.
Ashland features Amber Chasse, Morgan Doughty and Shelby Stolze.
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