LIVERMORE FALLS – Three straight seasons’ worth of Western Class C semifinal field hockey victories and trips to the regional championship game haven’t cheapened the experience for Livermore Falls High School.

If you’re looking for canisters of green or gold silly string at a local department store in this area, you might as well plan on a Route 4 journey to Auburn or Farmington. Livermore Falls players, coaches and even a few spectators bathed in the stuff Saturday in celebration of the No. 2 Andies’ 7-2 ouster of the No. 6 Lisbon Greyhounds.

Whoever shopped for the party favors has a clever streak. Once the spraying was complete, players were offered a plate overflowing with chocolate candies: Andes (no ‘I’) mints, to be exact.

Don’t let the revelry fool you. Livermore Falls (16-1) won’t be satisfied unless it gets to repeat this celebration twice between now and next Saturday. The Andies travel Wednesday to meet undefeated St. Dom’s, with a journey to the state final at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on the line.

“The first year, we were just happy to be there. The second year, we thought it was our chance, and then Telstar beat us again,” said Livermore Falls senior co-captain Rachel Ventrella. “This time, the seniors know it’s our last chance and we really want it.”

Truthfully, Livermore Falls really wanted Telstar. In addition to knocking the Andies from the tournament in each of the last two autumns, the Rebels dished out Livermore Falls’ lone loss of this year.

Lisbon (10-6) landed the knockout blow on Livermore Falls’ behalf with a 3-1 quarterfinal win over Telstar. While Ventrella admitted that the Andies were slightly relieved to be rid of the Rebels, it took them a little while to get up a grudge for the Greyhounds.

Kelly Bourgoin scored the first of her two goals in the sixth minute to give Lisbon a 1-0 lead. Livermore Falls goalkeeper Sam Whiting made a majority of her 13 saves in the first five minutes of each half.

Once Marjorie DeBrosky landed the first leg of a natural hat trick with 12:15 remaining in the half, however, the Andies kicked into gear.

“We just needed that one to get us started,” said Livermore Falls coach Julia Parker.

DeBrosky’s score started a streak of six goals before the halftime horn. Ventrella assisted all three DeBrosky deliveries and added a pair of her own.

Helaina Lake also got into the act. Whitney McDaniel scored Livermore Falls’ last goal with 6:58 remaining.

Ventrella wasn’t surprised by the rapid-fire offense. Her team had breakfast at Parker’s house Saturday morning, and the only down side to the togetherness was that it left the Andies twiddling their thumbs for three hours.

Parker credited Sally and Greg Boivin and a devoted delegation of Livermore Falls supporters for making the hillside layout playable after Friday’s torrential rain.

“They were down here with sump pumps running water out of here at 10 o’clock last night and again at 6 o’clock this morning,” said the coach. “We owe it all to them.”


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