PORTLAND—Most of the time, the powerhouse Cheverus field hockey team has its games locked up by halftime. Friday afternoon at Shea Field, the Stags, the reigning Class A state champion, didn’t have a single goal at the half and was getting all they could handle from the unheralded Sanford Spartans. But you can only hold Cheverus at bay for so long and 32 seconds into the second half, senior Zoey Radford broke the spell and broke the tie.
Sanford had its chances to answer, but thanks to a tremendous effort from a defensive unit and junior goalie Ellie Skolnekovich, who often aren’t forced to make the difference, the Stags managed to hold the Spartans off the board. Then, down the stretch, sophomores Sydney Brunelle and Caroline Rousseau added goals to put it away and Cheverus prevailed, 3-0. The Stags, who also got two assists from senior standout Lucy Johnson, improved to 5-0 on the season with their 51st consecutive regular season win and in the process, dropped Sanford to 3-1.
“It was anyone’s game today,” said Cheverus first-year coach Andrea Musante. “It’s good to be challenged. It’s important.
We learn more from being challenged like we were today.” The beat goes on Since the start of the 2021 season (which happened to coincide with the arrival of one Lucy Johnson), Cheverus has lost one game. One.
The 2022 Class A state final. The Stags avenged that setback in a thrilling 2-1 victory over Skowhegan and despite the departure of some standout players, including last year’s Miss Maine Field Hockey Lily Johnson, are viewed as the favorite again in 2024. And so far, haven’t disappointed.
After holding off host Biddeford in a battle in the opener, 2-0, Cheverus dominated visiting Scarborough in a playoff rematch ( 8-0 ), beat visiting Gorham (4-1) and Wednesday, won at Falmouth, 7-0. In quieter fashion, Sanford also got off to a fast start, beating Marshwood (6-1), then blanking Thornton Academy (7-0) and Bonny Eagle (4-0). A year ago, the Spartans came to Portland and played the Stags tougher than most teams, but Cheverus prevailed, 4-1.
Friday, on an overcast and chillier-than-lately 66-degree afternoon, Sanford hoped for its first victory over Cheverus in almost exactly six years (a 2-1 home win Sept. 21, 2018) and the Spartans gave the Stags fits at times, but Cheverus did just enough to earn another victory. Cheverus senior Lucy Johnson weaves through the Sanford defense during the Stags’ 3-0 victory Friday.
Hoffer photos. It was Sanford that came out on the attack and it nearly took the lead, but Skolnekovich denied sophomore Zoey McCann and senior Audrey Payeur (with her stick) and Payeur missed just wide with a rocket off a penalty corner. Junior defender Jordan Drouin then helped the Stags avoid disaster by making a defensive save on a shot from freshman Olivia Kezar.
Midway through the first quarter, Cheverus got its offense going, but Spartans senior goalie Megan Sheppard robbed Johnson on a corner, turned away a rebound bid from Brunelle, stopped shots from Johnson and Rousseau, then denied a backhander from Johnson to keep the game scoreless heading to the second period. There, the Stags continued to be stymied, as junior Joey Pompeo sent a long pass ahead to Johnson, whose backhanded shot was denied by Sheppard, a rush from Johnson was broken up by Payeur on a corner and Brunelle fired a long shot that was turned aside. Sanford earned a penalty corner as time expired and nearly took the lead, but a shot from freshman Hailey Payeur was turned away by a diving Skolnekovich, keeping the score 0-0.
“I take a lot of pride in making saves, but I feel it’s a team effort,” said Skolnekovich. “I have two defenders, Jordan and Anna KJ (junior Anna Kennedy-Jensen), who are awesome. Sometimes, they don’t get a lot of credit.
” “They’re great players,” said Radford, of Drouin, Kennedy-Jensen and Skolnekovich. “They don’t get as much recognition as they should. If they weren’t there, we’d have no back support at all.
” Despite holding a 9-4 edge in shots on frame and an 8-3 advantage in corners in the first half, Cheverus had no goals to show for it. That would change quickly when the third quarter commenced. Cheverus junior Joey Pompeo brings the ball up the field as Sanford freshman Hailey Payeur gives chase.
The Stags immediately went on the attack and 32 seconds in, Pompeo fed Radford for a blast that beat Sheppard to the far corner for a 1-0 lead. “We weren’t frustrated,” Radford said. “We kept it together.
We knew getting frustrated wouldn’t do us any good, so it was important to stay positive. It was a great pass from Joey. I heard someone yell behind me, ‘Corner.
’ I saw the open corner and shot it. It’s always nice to score when it’s close game like that.” “Our team is super-strong,” said Skolnekovich.
“I had faith we’d break through.” “That was a beautiful goal and it was right when we needed it,” Musante added. “Zoey’s a huge part of the team.
She’s a senior captain who has been in the program all four years. She’s one of those kids who shows up with a smile on her face and is a huge leadership presence.” After Johnson just missed on a couple of occasions, senior Samantha DeGeorge had a look on a corner, but Sheppard saved it and it was still anyone’s game, with the Stags clinging to a 1-0 lead, heading to the fourth period.
There, Cheverus finally got some breathing room, but not before a few scares. First, Sanford senior Ellie Davis got into the circle, but senior Lillian Magda knocked the ball away. After Drouin broke up a rush by Davis, the Spartans had a look on a corner, but Hailey Payeur couldn’t quite reach sophomore Paige Sevigny’s cross to the far post.
With 6:31 left, the Stags doubled their lead, as Johnson had a shot saved, but Brunelle put home the rebound to make it 2-0. A minute later, after a timeout, Sanford nearly got the goal back, but Skolnekovich robbed McCann on the doorstep. With 3:40 to go, the Spartans took their final corner and Audrey Payeur ripped a backhander that went just high and wide.
Then, with 2:02 remaining, Cheverus iced it, as Johnson, as only she can, took off a long rush down the left side with the defense helpless to stop her and after she got into the circle, Johnson crossed the ball to Rousseau, who only had to tap it in. “We have confidence and once we clicked, the goals started coming,” Musante said. Sanford couldn’t manage another shot and the Stags prevailed, 3-0.
“It’s really important to have these close games,” Radford said. “It keeps us humble and working hard.” “I think it’s great to get a game like this, super-fun,” said Skolnekovich.
“We love playing tight games. It was a great opportunity for us. We showed a lot of compete and we were really strong on the field.
” “We expected a game like that,” added Musante. “We saw Sanford at the SMAA Playday and as I recall, they were the team that gave us the hardest time that day.” Cheverus finished with a 14-6 shots advantage, a 12-5 edge in corners and got six critical saves from Skolnekovich.
“Our defenders and Ellie had an amazing game,” said Musante. “I feel so confident with them back there. They know how to work under pressure.
” Next up Sanford has two tough tests upcoming next week, at Gorham Tuesday and at home versus Falmouth Thursday. Cheverus, meanwhile, is on the road next week, going to Marshwood Tuesday and Thornton Academy Thursday. The Stags’ next serious test figures to come Oct.
2, when Biddeford pays a visit. “We’re coming along great,” Radford said. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a stronger bond.
It’s like we’re sisters out there. We just have to keep up the positivity and keep working hard and growing our game.” “We embrace the bulls-eye,” said Skolnekovich.
“We play as a team and we know we’re strong together. We just need to keep working hard and keep moving forward.” “The whole league is strong and we have a big target on our back,” Musante added.
“We won’t get to exhale this season. We just have to stay healthy and well-rested. There’s a lot of miles on our legs.
One of my focuses as a coach is preserving them.” Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors.
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