SOUTH PARIS – The penalty corner configuration that Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School employed to win Monday’s Eastern Class A field hockey preliminary playoff game probably contained more Xs and Os than any play the junior varsity football team was using on its adjacent field.
It was so complicated, in fact, that nobody wearing a white uniform or green jacket could quite recall who passed the ball to whom, and from where, or how.
All the Vikings know is that it worked.
Teira Durgin scored on an assist from Jaimee Brett, with no small secondary contribution from Tia Pratt, to push No. 7 Oxford Hills past No. 10 Edward Little, 1-0, at Gouin Athletic Complex.
Durgin scored only 1 minute, 23 seconds into overtime.
There’s no celebration time for the Vikings (8-7), who travel to second-seeded Gardiner for a quarterfinal game this afternoon,
Pratt, a junior and one of Oxford Hills’ hardest hitters, took the initial stroke and moved into position to take the shot, too.
Instead, Durgin wound up in prime position to re-direct the centering pass from Brett, who is the team’s lone senior.
“It was a give-and-go, right?” Durgin asked Brett.
The midfielder simply shrugged her shoulders. Both players laughed.
“We’re always confident with our corners, but I think this is only the second time we’ve scored with that specific one,” Brett said. “We needed that. We knew it was going to be close. It’s always close when we play them.”
There was decidedly less joy on the Edward Little sideline, where Red Eddies coach Greg Perkins disputed the call that led to the fateful corner.
The game-ending sequence began with another pinpoint pass from Pratt to Durgin, this one in transition. Durgin’s wild shot caromed over the end line, but not before an official ruled that it was illegally touched by an EL player.
“I hate to lose the game that way,” Perkins said. “I think we played a great game, but that’s a tough way to lose.”
Having experienced only one overtime game during the regular season, Oxford Hills decided to take advantage of the early opportunity and play its trump card.
“We’ve been practicing that play for a long time, and the kids executed it very well,” said Oxford Hills coach Cindy Goddard. “I know (the Red Eddies) weren’t happy with the call. Honestly, I couldn’t see it from here, and I’m on the winning side so of course I’m going to say it was the right call.”
Oxford Hills and EL (5-10) split their previous Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference games, but it was the Vikings who pushed the issue offensively in the third chapter of the season series.
Brett and Durgin each narrowly missed several opportunities at the doorstep in the second half. EL senior goalie Mary Martin (13 saves) was brilliant along with defenders Hannan Read, Elise Perkins, Karen Leary and Kate Woodward.
Oxford Hills freshman goalkeeper Aleksys Pike denied two EL shots on goal during regulation.
The Red Eddies overcame an 0-5 start to make the playoffs.
“It took a while for our team to gel, but we worked hard to get back here,” coach Perkins said. “It’s a disappointing way to end it. Hopefully (Oxford Hills) can go on and do something against Gardiner.”
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