PRESQUE ISLE — Richmond High School junior midfielder Meranda Martin took advantage of some rare breathing room to slot home the game-winner 10 minutes into the second half as the Bobcats were able to outlast the Ashland High School Hornets 1-0 to capture the Class D girls soccer state title Saturday at the Dr. Gehrig T. Johnson Athletic Complex.

The Hornets (17-1) saw their 35-game win streak come to an end a year after topping the Bobcats in last season’s state final. With the win, Richmond (15-1) captured its fourth gold ball in six years.

“Certainly a hard-fought battle,” Richmond head coach Troy Kendrick said.“That’s an extremely talented Ashland team — fast, well-skilled. We knew we were going to have to scratch for one to win.”

After a back-and-forth first half didn’t produce any changes to the score, Martin found herself free just above the 18-yard box after a scrum pushed Ashland sophomore goaltender Megan Cote out of position. Martin capitalized with a low shot to Cote’s left that would stand as the lone goal of the contest.

“There was no one around me,” Martin said. “There were a lot of players on the ground including the ‘keeper, so I just shot it and it found the net. There is no better feeling.”

“We had trouble at first with chasing them,” Bobcats senior striker Kelsea Anair said.“They have a little more team speed than we do, so we just needed to settle down and pass to feet, and that’s how we were able to score.”

Ashland would not go away quietly, however, turning away several Bobcat threats while continuing to pressure Richmond in the attacking third the rest of the way.

The Hornets’ best chances of the second half came within moments of each other, the first on a low cross from sophomore midfielder Morgan Doughty that found the foot of star sophomore forward Mackenzie Carter seven minutes into the half. Carter’s shot sailed high, however, preserving the scoreless tie.

The second chance came a minute later, this time on Carter’s partial fast-break opportunity that forced Richmond sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Tilton to leave her line to snuff out the threat.

“I thought we had some great chances in the second half. I thought we carried the play, but it wasn’t our night,” Ashland Peter Belskis said. “It was going to come down to one play here or there and they got the bounce.”

Anair, who is tied for the most goals scored in Richmond history with 104, produced the first threat of the second half four minutes in after hammering a shot off the crossbar that led to a scrum around the goalmouth before the Hornets were able to clear.

Anair would get a chance to add to Richmond’s 1-0 lead seven minutes after Martin’s goal, but her shot from just inside the 18-yard box sailed high and wide.

The three best chances of the first half came within the first 10 minutes.

The first came on a lofted shot from 35 yards out by Richmond freshman midfielder Caitlin Kendrick that found the crossbar before the Hornets defense could end the threat, the second on a skipped ball through the 6-yard box following a free kick from Ashland’s Doughty from the right side. Doughty produced the third chance as well, beating her defender down the right flank before firing a shot off the near post.

Richmond outshot Ashland 8-6, with a 4-2 edge in shots on goal.

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