Richmond’s Lila Viselli, left, and Buckfield’s Lailey Laughton go after the ball during Thursday’s game in Richmond. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
RICHMOND — The Class D South semifinals proved to be a mixed bag for Richmond High School soccer on Thursday afternoon.
Down 1-0 at halftime, the Richmond boys scored five unanswered goals in the second half — three from Ben Fournier — to beat Islesboro 5-1. The No. 1 Bobcats advanced to the regional final on Tuesday in Gardiner.
“It’s awesome,” Fournier said. “(My) first time ever (to regionals), Let’s go do it.
Earlier in the afternoon, No. 3 Buckfield beat No. 2 Richmond 1-0 in a D South girls semifinal. Brittany Carrier scored the lone goal for the Bucks (10-5-0) with 9:43 remaining in the second half, a perfectly placed kick that sailed past goalkeeper Autumn Lane and into the corner of the net.
“It was weird,” Carrier said. “I think I got a pass from someone; I just shot the ball and it just rolled into the corner (of the net). I just couldn’t think. It was just instant (joy).”
Buckfield will meet No. 1 St. Dominic (11-3-1) in the D South final on Tuesday. Richmond finished 8-6-0.
“I thought we played well enough to win, really,” Richmond girls head coach Troy Kendrick said. “I thought we controlled big chunks of the game, controlled (the ball). It just seemed that we had trouble finishing. And you’ve got to have that killer instinct. Someone just has to step up and bury one (goal), like (Buckfield) did.”
Buckfield’s Mya Austin, left, and Richmond’s Aubrey Swift battle for the ball in the corner during Thursday’s game in Richmond. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
In the boys game, Islesboro took a 1-0 lead into halftime thanks to a goal by Matt Britton. But the Bobcats responded quickly in the second half. Fournier’s first goal of the game tied it 1-1. Kenny Meachem quickly followed with a goal for a 2-1 lead. It was all Richmond from there, as Fournier added two more goals. Zaden Steele added the Bobcats’ final goal with less than two minutes to play.
“We just needed to pick it up (in the second half), make small passes, don’t just boot (the ball) because their keeper is good,” Fournier said. “We just made passes across and put it in net. … (The three goals) was nice, but it was (the work) before the play that happened. My teammates got me the ball and I put it in the net. It’s thanks to them, more than me.”
No. 5 Islesboro finished 9-6-1.
“I thought they played brilliantly in the second half. I wasn’t too impressed with the first half,” Richmond boys head coach Peter Gardner said. “I don’t know if they were nervous or what it was… When they listen — and they do, most of the time — they really are capable of doing a really good job.”
Buckfield’s Lillian Sharples, left, tries to stop Richmond’s Eden Balduf during Thursday’s game in Richmond. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
In the girls game, Richmond had multiple scoring chances, and outshot the Bucks 13-4. But it was Buckfield that took advantage of its opportunities, when Carrier scored her goal late in the second half.
“It feels amazing (to go to regionals),” Carrier said. “We worked for it and it’s definitely well earned. We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game and we’d have to go all 80 minutes, as hard as we could, because (we knew) they’d be coming for us. We were ready.”
The game proved to be yet another battle between the teams. Buckfield won all three meetings with Richmond this season, including a 2-1 overtime victory on Oct. 16.
“To go through Richmond to get (to regionals), it’s a lot of respect to Richmond,” Buckfield head coach Larry Thornton said. “(Richmond) is the gold standard of soccer in Class D. It always has been. Our girls this year have stepped up. Three times we’ve beaten them, and it means a lot to beat them. They’re the best.”
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