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From the campus of the Edward Little Red Eddies in Auburn, Maine.

I'm Dave Cheever along with Abigail Hassen and our field reporter, Quinn Byrd, as we have the class C state championship field hockey game between the Mighty Ramblers of Winthrop High School and the Foxcroft Academy Ponies.

And this, something's got to give.

There's one loss between these two teams, Abby.

And that went the Freeport Falcons who just lost here one to nothing in the Class B state championship game hold the only victory over Winthrop in this, in this season.

But you look across the way, Foxcroft hasn't lost at all.

- At all.

And a lot, a lot of goals that Foxcroft has scored this season.

- They have 141 goals and they gave up seven.

So you can tell which end of the field they were playing.

Yeah.

And both teams on the field, the lights are on.

The weather has held off and this is if, if form holes, we've had two fantastic field hockey games here already today.

We had a two to one game, the Chevr Stags beat the Mount Air Rad Eagles and we just had the one nothing game between Freeport and a game, a goal that scored in the first five minutes.

- Yeah.

- And they held on.

- Yeah.

- And it was just a, you know, a big win all the way around.

So Winthrop High School is here for the first time in a while.

In fact Winthrop and Foxcroft played a state championship game six years ago.

And Foxcroft prevailed in that one.

You can see the Oak Hill score, Boothbay and Spruce Mountain.

All three good teams.

- Yeah, they played Spruce Mountain four times this year, I believe, and they were barn burners each time.

I mean, fantastic, fantastic games.

And I'm sure that warmed them up and have them ready to go for today.

- Holly Cameron Daigle is in her first year coaching at Winthrop after 16 years at Coney and six years before that as a JV coach.

And she worked under Krista Chase, who was coaching Mount Arat earlier today.

Yep.

So it's a, you know, she's, she's been around the game and she has the extra pleasure of coaching her own daughter who's a freshman at Morenicook High School because it's a combined team.

Now here we go.

Foxcroft ponies.

You know, goals scored 8.3, goals allowed 0.0, 0.5.

And you see they just walked their way through the region.

- Yeah.

No one's scored a goal on them yet in the playoffs and I'm sure that the ramblers are ready to score on them quick and see what they give after that.

- Kylie Sally has done a great job.

She returned to her alma mater to coach.

And she has some extra special assistance of other Foxcroft Academy graduates who have stepped in to keep this program rolling going all the way down to the third grade, working with kids, introducing them to the game, bringing them up through.

That's how you keep a program quite healthy.

- Yeah, that really is where you see these high school programs be successful is when they have those youth programs.

Like there's a lot to be said for building it from the bottom and having those kids fall in love with it, especially when you get your high school kids involved.

It shows those young kids what they can aspire to and what it looks like.

- And the varsity team goes down and works with the kids.

- Yep.

- It's excellent.

- Very, very important.

- Keys to the game, Abby.

Foxcroft, you want to control the pace.

- Yeah.

- And they like to play fast and they like to spread the field and they need well they don't need much, but they will make their own room.

But if they can control the pace and force Winthrop to be chasing them, that's an advantage for the ponies.

- Yeah.

- They also have to maintain poise.

If they fall behind, which they have not had this year, if they happen to fall behind, that's going to be a challenge.

And Kylie Sally was saying that their practices against their second... We got the teams walking out.

The introduction's there.

Get back to the keys of the game in a minute.

Let's find out who these kids are.

- Get ready for a great game.

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Once again, good afternoon and welcome to Edward Little High School for the 2026 MBA Class C state championship game presented by Hammond Lumber Company.

Today's state championship contest features the visiting ramblers of Winthrop Mirana Cook and the home team, the ponies of Foxcroft Academy.

And now let's introduce both teams.

First, the team members from Winthrop Mirana Cook, a senior number 10, Ella Giles.

A senior number one, Chloe Moody.

A senior number 33, Maya Roclova.

A senior number 27, Katie Tims.

A senior injured Reese Shaw.

A junior number 16, Alana Ploort.

A sophomore number three, JC Clark.

A sophomore number 17, Lyra St.

Pierre.

A freshman number 23, Paige Brennan.

A freshman number two, Leah Clark.

And a freshman number 26, Malia White.

Now let's meet the starters from Winthrop Mirana Cook.

A senior number nine, Piper Clark.

A senior number 12, Gabby Janick.

A senior number six, Reagan Littlefield.

A senior number five, Kylie Nancer.

A junior number 32, Grace Folsom.

A junior number 24, Natalie Irwin.

A junior number 22, Evelyn Mortimer.

A junior number 19, Sophie Shuman.

A junior number 21, Alexis Smith.

A freshman number 15, Addie Daigle.

And the goalkeeper is a senior, number double zero, Sierra Harriman.

The head coach, Holly Daigle, assistant coaches Emily Dooling Hamilton, Nikki Hasenfus, and Emily Kempton.

Now let's meet the team members from Foxcroft Academy.

A senior number one, Cameron Coello.

A junior number three, Madison Sands.

A sophomore number four, Maddie Cofill.

A junior number seven, Kendall Killam.

A senior number 13, Ava Turner.

A sophomore number 14, Emma Crossman.

A freshman, number 15, Kinsley Hall.

A senior number 16, Julia Smith.

A freshman number 17, Bailey Ames.

A freshman, number 18, Isabelle Erlach Sanchez Cozar.

A freshman, number 21, Alice Hutchinson.

A sophomore number 22, Ella Ennis.

A freshman number 24, Soraya Martin.

A freshman number 27, Kennedy McKinney.

A sophomore number 28, Alodi Newell.

And a sophomore number 99, Lauren Caruso.

Now let's meet the starters from Foxcroft.

A junior, number two, Ella Hutchinson.

A junior number five, Ava Dunton.

A sophomore number six, Addie Rayfield.

A sophomore number eight, Lucy Bisson.

A freshman, number nine, Cadence Nelson.

A senior number 10, Jenna Hartford.

A senior number 11, Jaden Frigon.

A junior, number 12, Harlow Boulier.

A freshman number 19, Lila French.

A senior number 20, Payson Hall.

And a senior number 55, Lily Bisson.

The head coach, Kylie Hutchinson Salley, the assistant coach Megan Titus.

The officials for today's game are Rebecca Fletcher, Alyssa Bragdon and Shea Freeman.

On behalf of the NPA and Hammond Lumber Company, good luck to both teams.

- So there we have it.

And Abby, I got to tell you, both coaches have talked about their freshmen and we may be seeing some kids out here who have really good skills for being so young.

Back to the keys of the game.

Foxcroft has to trust their system.

They may see things today from Winthrop that they haven't seen in the rest of their schedule, but they will get out here today.

They have to trust in what they're doing.

And I'm pretty sure by now, Kylie has these kids trusting what they do.

- I was going to say, if it's an undefeated season, I would think that they're trusting it at this point.

- Yeah.

For Wintrop, do your job.

Don't try to do somebody else's job.

- Yeah.

- These kids are going to be flying around from Foxcroft.

They want to stay home.

They want to be mindful of, of where everybody is.

They have to have that metaphysics going and they have to use the field.

Go ahead, put the ball in play, make their opponent chase it, make them run it down and regroup.

And the other thing is stay warm.

Keep moving.

And if that means substituting in with some regularity, this game may not be decided until the last five, 10 minutes.

It may be that close.

And you want your kids to be as ready and have as much energy left as possible.

- Yeah, for sure.

You got to make sure that you're ready to go against this Foxcroft team and you got to make sure that, again, you stick with what got you here.

You don't want to switch it up now.

Got to the state game for a reason.

- Foxcroft will be in their customary maroon for their home uniforms and the black accents.

And of course the green and white of the Winthrop Ramblers who this year have four, four, maybe five kids from the neighboring Miranica Community School.

- I can imagine that both these teams are ready to go after watching two games before theirs and waiting all day to play.

- Rebecca Fletcher jogs her way to this side, quite an athlete and coach in her own right, and she gets a state game in Class C. We're ready to go.

Winthrop starts with the ball and we're going to recognize early on that the freshmen are going to be counted upon.

For those of you with a real good television sets at home, the out of bounds line is the Edward Little Maroon.

So don't go by the yellow, don't go by the white.

It's the maroon.

- Yeah, lots of lines on this field, so make sure you're looking at the right ones before you start yelling at your TV.

- Okay.

Ball will be on the 25 coming in, went off Wintrop.

Good contest for the ball.

Nice play.

- Yeah.

- And a little bit too much of the, of the reverse stick.

- Yeah.

When you use that reverse stick, often you see that it does pop up and so it's a bit of a risky bet, but if you hit it right, tend to go pretty good.

- Foxcroft ball and getting up slowly is Lila French.

Again, just a freshman.

And that's the violation and rambler ball.

- Another good early stand from rambler... From the ramblers.

Good to start tempo that way.

- That's the one where Sophie Schumann goes, "I should have had that."

- Those early jitters could come into play and then you settle in and get back to what got you here.

- Ball comes in the circle, goes off the foot.

Ava Dunton get the whistle, but they steal it right back.

Get it to the circle but not in.

Schumann tries to go to the outside.

They want to come to the left side, ball stays in bounds and we're going to get an interference call on Foxcroft.

Boom.

See the physical contact?

Really don't want to have that happen.

That's Payson Hall being called on the infraction.

Foxcroft back with the ball.

Nice play.

Heading up the field, Gabby Janick, excuse me, not Gabby down, Evelyn Watimer.

Goes beyond Evelyn.

Cadence Nelson.

We may say her name a lot here this afternoon.

Number nine, she has the ball here and tries to cross, doesn't work.

Ball pops up, goes back to the ponies.

- Yeah, you like to see Winthrop standing in front, making sure that they're getting any passes and then they toss an aerial in there and doesn't matter who's in front.

- And can't keep the ball in bounds.

With it.

Jayden Frigon comes all the way through.

Knocked back down, chasing it is Natalie Irwin.

The Winfred ball on the go.

- Yeah.

- Dribbles it out of bounds.

- It's definitely early, but I feel like there's a lot of good communication going on both sides.

- I think - That's where things start.

- A good opportunity for a back pass there.

Give herself some room.

Little bit of room, tries to hit by and can't keep it in bounds.

Foxcroft defense forcing them to that sideline.

Another runner.

Drive goes all the way through.

They need a ball.

- Really utilizing that left sideline.

They like to go to the left.

I'd like to see them switch it over on the right side.

- Rebecca Fletcher signaling where she wants the ball to be placed.

Foxcroft's not going to wait around.

- Yeah, unfortunately it doesn't look like we took that five yards.

- Well, more to the point that I think she was calling Ray's ball.

- Oh, did she?

- Yeah, because it's... Oh, kids have got to settle down here.

One of the adjustments you make on artificial surface is that ball is going to travel and travel faster.

And keep that in mind.

- Yeah, and the weather, you know, that plays a part too.

I saw a game the other day where kids are slipping and sliding all over the place because they're wearing those turf shoes instead of cleats.

Hopefully that doesn't happen here, but... - The rain is held off.

- Yeah.

- They work the double team and they say no, interference.

Back comes winter.

That stick obstruction.

We get that called every time.

Grace Folsom, player of the year in the conference.

Junior for the ramblers and very talented.

She will get a lot of attention and you'll see her do this.

She will trigger the play and see if she can find somebody in white.

Did that look like five yards to you?

We see it four shortened.

Defense is supposed to be five yards back before they can make a play off a free hit and... - Onward go the ponies.

- Okay, a regroup.

- Yeah.

- See how they do.

- That one worked out for the ramblers.

- There's stick obstruction there, but it... Settled the threshold of the call early so the kids understand what he is and is not being called.

So folks at home, they have this body contact and Rebecca's going to call a stick obstruction coming in.

Everybody has to be five yards away from the wall.

You shouldn't have to remind them at this part of the season.

- No.

Oh, great seal.

- Halfway through the first quarter, no score here.

Class C state championship game.

That's a whack.

It's going to be, again, another stick obstruction.

- And often on that backside, it gets called if you're trying to recover from behind.

Usually that's a pretty automatic call.

- When you see the chopping motion rather than the sweeping motion - - Right.

- Makes it a little easier.

And we also hit the stick contact.

- Yes.

- Good to have the mic on the phone, on the field.

In the circle, Foxtrot was the ball trying to get something working here offensively.

- Another good stand.

- Again, cleared out by Winthrop.

- Now it gives them time to reset.

Exactly.

- And - They get to where they want to be and make sure they've got everybody marked up.

- And as you point out in the keys to the game, they're used to scoring.

They're used to scoring often and quickly, making them regroup.

- Yeah.

- It's not like they can't.

- There she goes again.

- Cadence Nelson, a freshman, number nine.

Keep your eye on her.

She's the one with a blonde ponytail.

You recognize that.

- I was going to say it's hard not to keep your eye on her.

She's in the middle of everything it feels like for them.

- No connection on the pass.

Nice push by the ponies.

Intercepted, drop down, deep.

They may want to let it go, and they do.

Get a 16 yard hit here for the Winthrop Ramblers under six minutes to play first quarter, no score.

Skowhegan and Nokomis have already won in classes A and B, respectively.

- Chevers on that first game, but... - Oh, excuse me.

Chevers.

Wh did I say?

Scowhegan?

- They're usually in the conversation.

- That's projection.

- No this year though.

- No, no, no.

Chevers over Mount Era.

My bad.

But, you know, kudos to Mount Erat.

- Yeah.

- They beat Skowhegan at home and then beat him in the playoffs.

That's, that's something that hasn't happened.

- Yeah, that is no easy.

- A long time.

All right.

Pony's imbounding.

Flips ahead.

There's some room.

- A little bit of space.

- Draws a crowd.

- Boy, those ponies collapsed and really, pretty quick, caught her right at the 50.

- Mortimer is one of their scorers.

Irwin, watching the play defensively.

There she is again.

Haydens Nelson.

- Nelson just dribbling through people.

- And umpire spots an infraction in the circle, turns the ball around.

Folsom sends it up left side.

- Nice ball.

- And I don't know how many times they're going to try this and realize it hasn't worked.

- I mean - - All tipped ahead and out of bounds.

It's going to be a winthrop side in.

- Foxcraft has really cut off that left sideline, which seems to be the way that the ramblers want to go.

But again, we've talked about it where you want to stick to your game plan because you might wear them down and things might slip as the game goes on as far as your defense goes.

But I mean, they're really cutting that sideline off tough right now.

- And it could be.

They want to keep the ball away from Nelson.

- Certainly.

I mean - - She certainly... She knows what to do with it.

That was... And notice how that, you know - - Nice pass.

Oh, a nice ball.

- Tipped aside.

- Just wide.

- Jenna Hartford almost had it on goal.

- Right between her legs and... That's a great look though.

I mean, getting a little momentum going for the ponies.

Now they get another side in.

- Gabby Janet can't keep it in.

Ponies get the ball.

Coming down to the two and a half minute mark in the first quarter.

Frigon gets it in stolen away.

Nice play by Kylie Manser.

She can't get it beyond the 45.

- Yeah, that defense is right at the 50 for the ponies, ready to meet them each time.

It seems like they get a little momentum going.

- Fulsome.

Nice aerial.

- Guy, don't go.

Yeah, gonna bring that back.

Little bit too far forward.

- In the circle.

Drawing a crowd.

All still alive and seeing stick obstruction.

- Another kind of sigh of relief for Winthrop.

- Alexis Smith had reached in and she got her stick whack.

Gambler, ball minute and a half to go and counting.

Not much to choose so far.

Although to be fair, Foxcroft has spent an awful lot of time in the offensive end of the field.

- Yeah, it hasn't gotten past that 50 much, but again, credit to Foxcroft for keeping it down there and their defense for stepping up when Winthrop is trying to break loose.

- The clock you see in the upper left is the accurate time.

- Ah, first corner of the - Upbreak.

- Upbreak.

Almost a little soccer touch in the circle.

We get the masks on and we'll play this thing out, so you have a little bit of time.

Keep your eye on number nine if you can.

You can see her there with her back to a second one in from the left.

- You're Winthrop and you can get this out.

This is a great momentum kind of push going into the second quarter.

- There's the drive.

Wow.

Little strong side post and ball was tipped up and over.

- A really nice look.

I mean, you're not asking for much more than that if you're the ponies.

- Ava Dunton's going, "I could have had it."

That's it.

The end of the first quarter of play here and the Class C state championship game.

We'll be back for quarter number two at Everettville High School after this timeout.

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Thank you.

- Welcome back to Edward Little High School.

Wow.

A lot to choose from there, Abigail.

- I'll tell you what to talk about, what to talk about.

- Well, you know, it speaks to the level of, of talent on both these teams.

They rely on their defense and the offense is right now not able to keep pace because no shots on goal, no goals.

We had, we had one corner and the, the shot on the corner went up and over.

- Yeah.

- You know, it's not a lot to choose from.

- If you're Winthrop, you have to be really happy with that quarter because again, the ball stayed mostly in the ponies kind of half of the... Field and without a lot of looks on offense, you did a really nice job standing on defense.

- Well, both teams come as advertised.

Foxcroft likes to press the attack and they certainly were doing plenty of that.

And we're going to see as we go, the real iron of these two teams will start bringing their A games into this as it comes down to decision time.

- Yeah.

And I think the other question is which team falters first or gets tired first and kind of makes that first mistake and does it cost them?

They're both playing really high level field hockey right now and who can kind of hang on?

- Nice play.

Keeping Natalie Irwin away from the ball.

Foxcroft gets it back.

Still looking for some help with it.

Ava Dunton, Dunton plays it back.

Gee, I'm shocked.

They drop it back.

- They do like to reset and again, switching those fields gets them making the defense move so hopefully they can find some gaps before.

- But Nelson is your trigger.

If number nine and Maroon is your trigger, that's not a bad decision to make.

- No.

No, no, no.

- She doesn't get too, too frantic.

- And again - - And she draws some defense.

- You don't always see that with freshmen.

I mean, that is, to have that type of poise and again, have your team kind of look into you, that's very, very impressive.

- Well, Coach Sally was saying, you know, it becomes readily apparent how many of these kids have been playing field hockey for a while.

And they have not just the talent, but the skill development to do the kinds of things we're seeing out here.

Grace Folsom's a junior, you know, good size, good speed, good skills, and obviously has the trust of Holly Daigle.

Pony ball, far sideline.

You can see the girls.

They got those long coats.

It's a little chilly facing the wind.

It's not like it's brutally cold out there, but if you're not moving, this is why we said we want to stay warm.

You have to sub in.

You'd like to have some kids, their muscles haven't cooled off.

- I can tell you, it's nice where I'm sitting right now.

No complaints.

- Look at this.

She's... And not wait around.

That's a smart play.

- Yes.

It's a nice ball.

- You sleep.

- Hey, and there's our second corner.

- You sleep on Cadence Nelson and she's going to, she's going to make you pay.

- Sure.

- Jenna Hartford will do the insert for the ponies.

- This is always interesting when they insert on the same side as the official.

It puts you in a different position, but I never like being on that side.

- Yeah.

Well, that was one of the changes this year and not as much fun as you think.

- No.

Yeah, that's coming out.

- You saw the hack and you heard it.

- Oh yeah.

Yeah, that's again, another great stand.

- Great - Job.

- Ball tipped up.

Nice play by Jenna Hartford.

It's going to be Winter Hall though.

- All right, let's see if we can get it moving out on their side of the field.

- And they're stacking.

You're running the picket line of the ponies trying to come down that left side.

- Yeah.

Really like that left side.

Look how much space is on the right side of the field.

- And there may be a reason for that too.

I think these coaches, they may say they haven't seen a lot of the other team, but they know where the challenges are.

- Sure.

Nice knockdown.

Out and moving.

It's a nice ball.

- And the cross.

Coming in on Rayfield.

Rayfield gives it back to French.

Another one of those precocious freshmen.

And now those of you who have a field hockey stick at home, go ahead and try that.

- Make sure you're not near any windows or anything.

- She made good contact.

Clearly, that's something she's done before.

Very comfortable.

Just a little bit wide.

Back they come, on the run, this dangerous play here.

Dunton crosses and gets the crown.

- I like that hold, seeing if we get something, get a shot off.

It is tough when you, I mean, stop the play.

You never want to stop the offense's momentum.

And - That was a great call.

- From a year ago, another one of the changes that we see is on a penalty corner, the defensive team has these masks.

They almost look like scuba masks.

Just one of these things, try to keep people safe.

- Yep.

Number one priority.

That's just a little too high coming in.

- A little bit of a change up there as Cadence Nelson was the inserter.

Last time they had the corner, she was at the top of the circle.

Oh, getting a little bit under it.

- Yeah.

- Lila French.

- Probably no complaints from Winthrop, seeing that one coming in hot.

Oh, that's nice.

See if we can cross it.

- Cross, there it is.

And there's the win.

- Another.

We did many stats that first quarter and now it seems like all of a sudden we're getting all kinds of pointers.

- You settling in.

Maybe, maybe a little less nervous.

Okay.

Each team has five, six, seven variations on their penalty corner.

Even here, they change it up.

- See what they got going on here.

- This time the inserter was Addie Rayfield.

- Shocker.

- Nelson.

Drives it.

Kick out save.

Nice play.

- Really nice save.

- Sierra Harriman wants that save percentage going up.

She saved over 85% of the shots on goal this year for Wintrop and she stayed composed in that sequence.

- Yeah, over the season she's only allowed 13 goals.

- Well, good call there.

- All right.

Tell me why, Dave.

- Okay, somebody has to be in the circle for the attacking team and touch the ball.

The smartest thing the ramblers did was, no, don't touch it.

Just let it go.

- Nobody touch it.

Don't even look at it.

- And it's a 16 yard hit.

Ooh, nice play there and knock the ball away from danger.

Again, this is what the ramblers have to do, knowing how relentless the ponies are on the attack.

Inbounding the ball, Jayden Fragon takes a look, drops it to the end line.

There comes the cross.

A lot of busy going on and you got to get another corner.

- Paying off for all that pressure they're putting on.

See if they can connect on this one.

- What did you see on that?

Was that third party?

- I think it was third party, yeah.

So for those who don't know - - Here we go.

- Ball has to come out of the circle and then you can score.

But if it doesn't come out, again, they can just let it go in and no goal.

At this level of state championship field hockey though, I would think that we all know, but I do love to clarify for those who don't.

And they're running out.

Yeah, these rambler fans to the left of us are real happy about that stop.

I said it to you at the beginning of the broadcast, both of these groups have traveled really well.

Like there is not a lot of seats open here.

- Below us.

Far side, you got your choice, but good luck getting it.

All right, here we go again.

Cadence Nelson.

She's the trigger person for the pony's offense and their security blanket on their defense as a freshman.

Here we go.

Up the right side.

- Out to her.

- Hey, guess who we found?

Nelson sends it across.

They restart it.

Harlow Boulier.

That's a nice piece of work.

Lila French, yet another freshman, sends it in.

No.

And because she's tripped up.

- Love to see a little sportsmanship there.

It's a nice little dribble there.

Get her into space.This - Is Piper Clark maybe.

Took her down, but at this point anyway, there didn't seem to be any hostility toward it.

It just happened.

Top of the circle.

Back to Nelson.

Nelson.

- Yeah.

And it's a nice save.

- Not cleared comes to Nelson again.

Knocks it in and another corner.

- Another corner.

- Tell you what, this kid's impressive.

- Yeah.

Holy smokes.

Nice little turn.

That one.

Let's go.

- So you hear Rebecca Fletcher - - Yes.

- Telling the ponies, "Hey, don't delay this.

Let's go.

You guys know what you're doing.".

On the inbound, Addie Rayfield.

Back to Rayfield.

Kept in and now out wide.

It'll be a 16 yard hit for the Winthrop Ramblers.

No score here.

4-10 to go and counting second quarter.

Class C state championship game.

Piper Clark.

One of the Winthrop Rambler captains.

Stick obstruction.

That comes Folsom.

- Found Nelson's stick.

Now the ponies do, neither team really is wasting much time getting going on those self starts.

But the defense... Well, everybody does have to be five.

So if that doesn't happen, usually they reset.

- Drive.

- Nice ball.

- Recepted by the ramblers into the circle.

Nice work for our side.

Stays in.

Ooh.

Here comes the danger.

- Oh boy.

Great use of that stick.

- That held whistle by Fletcher.

- Everything.

- Back come the ramblers.

- Oh.

- Nelson holds up her hand saying, "Didn't, didn't mean it."

Folsom comes down the sideline and then let it come out.

No, she's gonna wait.

Nice smart play by Nelson still with a ball on her stick.

Tipped ahead.

- Boy, again, like you cannot overstate how good she is for them and espe - again, as a freshman, just the stick skill she has and the comfortability and the poise, like she really is something.

- All knocked down.

Mortimer trying to find some room, runs into a quartet of ponies.

- Wanna keep that ball down here if you're in white.

- This is Lila French.

- Into open space.

- She's, she's playing full field, number 19 in the room as a freshman.

Again, a lot of skill with it.

Graceland Folsom.

All intercepted, nice play by Dunton.

- A lot of marine jerseys in front of that white jersey had the ball.

- Ramblers are having a tough time finding open space.

- Yeah, that pony defense, I mean, it is, it's dynamite.

And they haven't had to do much of it yet.

- Knock the ball ahead and Flexer says it's just outside the circle.

Drop the ball back so the ball goes the five yards.

Knocked ahead by Boolier.

See the clock ticking down.

- I was going to say, tick, tick, tick.

- Yep.

Oh.

See a windup like that, Wayfield.

Couldn't keep it down, - But another one of those reverse sticks.

So not a bad look.

Again, on goal.

- Back comes Rayfield, loses it to Folsom.

And just outside the circle.

- 10 seconds.

Ah, another break.

- I don't think anybody was five yards back on that one.

- No.

- But she put it right into play and we've reached the halftimes.

- Just like that.

- Scoreless game in the class C state championship between the ponies of Foxcroft Academy and the ramblers of Winthrop Moreno Cook.

We've got guests coming at the half and we'll have stats and we'll keep this game in perspective as this is yet another outstanding example of high school field hockey in the state of Maine.

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- You look at the... It's a fog, not quite a mist yet, and not a rain, but we're in Auburn, Maine on the campus of Edward Little High School, and this is the state class C field hockey championship between Foxcroft Academy and Winthrop Miranicuk.

And a well-played first half, Abby.

- Really well-played half.

You know, I mean, Winthrop is doing everything they need to do in those four saves.

I mean, it just feels obviously with the Foxcroft stats, they are just firing on goal, but Winthrop is making some really good stands.

- Yeah, but they have not penetrated the circle yet.

- No.

- On the other end of the field.

And you're going to live out there dangerously for a while and you hope you can hang on.

But Foxcroft is as advertised.

They attack, attack, attack, and particularly, they are well-served by their youth.

- Yeah, they really are.

And those seven corners, you know, those at some point are going to pay off.

And you just... I mean, if you're Winthrop, you just have to keep making those tough stands.

- Well, we are at the half, and it's always fun to find some people around here who care about the game perhaps as much as we do, Abigail.

And Quinn Bird is with a couple of them now.

- Thanks, guys.

And today I'm here with a Foxcroft parent.

Go ahead and introduce yourself.

- My name is Brandon Hall.

- And who are you cheering on for today?

- My daughter, Payson Hall, and my daughter Kinsley Hall, and the rest of the ponies.

- How does it feel rooting on both of your daughters and them playing on the same team?

- One's a freshman, one's a senior, so it's the first year, and I absolutely love it.

- And how does it feel that the first year they're on the same team, they go all the way to state finals?

- Well, I mean, they're studs, of course, you know, that's bound to happen when you have that caliber athlete on the team, you know?

- Spoken like a true parent.

What kind of commitment have you seen from this group throughout the season?

- Not just this season.

It starts in the off season.

All summer, they're practicing, they're running, the captains get everybody involved.

They do a lot of fundraising, not only for the team, but also for a lot of local charities and special causes too.

- And what are your thoughts on the game so far?

What do you want to see from your ponies?

- I'd like to see it finish a corner.

It'd be real nice.

I've been very impressed with their ability to keep it on the offensive side of the field.

Second it crosses that mid-midfield markets right back on offense there pretty shortly after.

But yeah, I think it capitalized on a couple of corners.

I'd be a lot less stressed right now.

- Thank you.

Back to you guys.

- Thank you, Quinn.

Hey, we could get him a job with us.

- I was going to say some observations.

- Spot on.

And yeah, if they convert on one of those corners, I think he was listening to you, Abigail.

- For sure.

Well, and I knew number 20 looked familiar, so Payson, I actually had at hoop camp.

I work out in CASCO at hoop camp during the summer.

Payson was one of our campers years and years ago, and I couldn't believe it because she's grown so much, but it's nice to see multi-sport athletes.

You love to see a multi-sport athlete.

- Well, and when I was talking with Coach Sally earlier this week, she was saying much, as he was saying, yeah, there were captains practices, but the captains really didn't have to call them because the girls congregated anyway.

They wanted to stick in their hands.

They wanted to be hitting the ball around.

They, they stayed active throughout the summer.

I don't know if they took much time off, if any, but you get that kind of dedication and you see the results of what they're out there doing now.

They really, they, they played a, a real good game of field hockey.

- Yeah, they certainly do.

And we just saw the ramblers kind of talking it over at halftime and there was some animation from those coaches, making sure that they they're getting the message of what we need to do going forward to - - Well, you know, we'd like to have you down on our end of the field, you know, maybe put some pressure on their goalie who so far has not had to do a whole lot.

When you, when you look at how active Foxcroft has kept the winter goalie Sierra Harriman's done a great job.

And we're scoreless.

So that's a testimony to both clubs, and it's, it is probably fitting that as you could take a look at the crowd here, thinned out a little bit after, after the first two, two games, one goal games each.

We're at the half.

We're at the Class C state championship game.

It's darkening here.

It's misting up.

It's going to be a great time.

Don't go away, folks.

We'll have the third quarter for you in just a minute.

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- There you see the Winter Crambler as they're coming onto the field, getting set for quarter number three here, scoreless at the half of the State Class C State Championship.

You know, whether you miss the live action or maybe you want to re-watch every championship moment, and there have been some real good moments today, Maine Public Television has it covered.

Catch complete replays of all three of the state final championships tomorrow, Sunday, beginning at 6:00 AM and running through the morning.

Visit mainpublic.org for more information.

Class A will be at six, class B will be at eight, and then this class C game will be replayed beginning at 10:00 tomorrow morning.

- What a perfect way to enjoy your coffee.

- Yeah, well - - Sounds fantastic.

- We're in a cathedral type setting, so we'll, we'll pretend there's a religion to it.

So here we are, 30 minutes of regulation period, hockey to go here.

- Looks like that wind is picking up a bit.

- Well, that's just because you're seeing it better and it looks like it's getting a little moister.

- Is moister a word?

Moister.

I'm not entirely sure.

- Yeah, we know.

Ariel, to begin the third quarter, Foxcroft with the ball, but recovered by Winthrop.

Saved in pounds.

Nice play.

- That is a quick corner.

- Piper Clark committed the infraction in the circle, didn't mean to.

- Back in the masks.

Seems as though the pony's got the message about like, "You got to be ready to go."

- Yeah.

And there's the insert, and sure enough, Cadence Nelson.

- Absolute rocket coming in.

- Oh, ball too high.

Again, they, they like taking that big swing.

- And another reverse stick.

That has become really, really popular in what?

The last... I don't know.

- Well, Grace Folsom saw that thing whizz by her head.

They go, "Oh, I don't know.

I didn't need that.

She's awake now."

And stick obstruction.

- Coming in for the ponies.

- Just outside the circle.

- That position's tough when you're right outside the circle because it still has to go five or you have to pass to a teammate before it can go in.

So even though it feels like you're right on top of it, you got to travel.

- Oh, they want to take it up where the infraction occurred, saying the ball was hit too high.

With it, Piper Clark, this time right sideline.

- Like to see the right sideline.

And off on a tear.

- Break through a little bit and recovering other ponies.

Nice play.

Jayden Fergum in the center.

Natalie Irwin tries to get away, doesn't work.

Back come the ponies.

And hack and hack and hack.

It'll be Winthrop ball inbounding.

Oh, Nancy steps back Folsom, comes in to do the long hit.

See if she can get it down the field and ball's knocked aside.

Tough break there.

Lucy Bisson, pony sophomore, wanted to go up the field with it.

Went a little bit, a little bit wide.

- Ambler's in the circle.

Yeah.

- Obstruction there.

Ball sent away, but recovered by the Ramblers.

Oh, tough play by Reagan Littlefield.

She lost the ponies.

Dunton with it.

Commits the stick and fracture.

She has to stay away a little bit on the free hit.

Nice play.

Knock it aside by Alexis Smith.

- I stop.

- And it'll be a 16 yard hit for the ramblers.

- I don't know how often I see a goalie using their glove, but Winthrop's goalie has made lots of, lots of saves with that glove.

Look - At it, knock it down.

- And not afraid to throw that hand up.

- On the chase.

Folsom's going where she wants.

She has a chance.

Back we come with Lila French.

- And just outside.

- French goes to the end line.

State construction.

Tough break there for the ponies.

- It's a great stop by nine.

Right place, right time.

It's all you need.

- Ball dropped to the end line into the circle.

Crossing.

And again, smart play by the ramblers.

- Yeah, - Get the ball out of trouble.

Forced opponents to regroup, which they've done.

And this time it's going to be a 25 yard hit coming in since the ball was knocked out of bounds.

- You can hear Winthrop matching up.

You can hear them calling out numbers.

That communication really does kind of make sure that you're not missing anybody.

- Tough break there for Kylie Manser.

And we got another penalty corner.

And as you said, Abby, you know, you keep doing this.

Yeah.

Tempting fate at some point.

- Yeah.

Got to wonder.

I mean - - Look at the stack here.

This is a... - Sorry.

- Not a bad idea here.

- Yeah, audacity to tie your shoe.

- Well, you know.

Okay.

- Where are we going?

- Yeah.

If you're, if you're the Winthrop ramblers, who's the danger person here?

Where's that ball going and how fast?

All right, here we go.

Oh, and ball knocked out of bounce.

Somebody needed to be on the weak side post, but that ball was flying.

- Yeah, that thing was coming in hot.

And again, Winthrop with a 16 yard hit, seeing if they can get it into the space.

- That was a well conceived, even though she bumbled it a little bit.

She got a good look at... - And knew she did too.

- Folsom.

- Ooh.

- Ava Dunton set it up and they just couldn't keep it in.

Hartford knocked it out of bounds.

Ramblers try it again.

Again, intercepted.

- Does feel like the ponies just keep knocking on the door.

It's just a matter of time it feels like until they blow it down, but credit to Winthrop.

They just keep making stops.

- Sophie Schumann standing strong there, but committed the obstruction.

Back come the ponies.

Nice play by Dunton.

- That was a really nice settle.

- This is sending it into the crowd.

Dunton putting a lot of pressure in the circle for the ponies.

- That was one of the first kind of shots that was on the ground.

Kick save.

- Harriman's probably going, "Hey, that one's too easy."

- Just wondering why she didn't have to use her hands.

- Coming back with it.

Payson Hall, proud Papa in the stands.

There's the circle.

Smart play by Hartford.

She knocked the ball off the shin of Gracelyn Folsom.

- Yeah, and it started with Payson Hall taking that step to where the pass was coming from and anticipating where it was going to come from.

And by shooting that gap, she gave her team an opportunity to get it in the circle.

I mean - - Hey, change up again this time.

- Much more spread out.

- Nelson's putting the ball in play.

- Making that flyer chase the ball around a bit.

- Ramblers are not finding much room to maneuver when they start trying to clear the ball over the 50.

- It's great stick-to-itiveness over there.

- Five yard violation.

She came in and played too quickly on the free hit.

Going to do it again.

Piper Clark at the 40 takes a look.

Coming up the right side.

No, goes to the side.

- Right on the side.

- Sending it to the crowd.

Doesn't seem like the... The choice is going to help much.

- Ladies, let's go.

It's an absolute rip.

- Ball stays in.

- Oh, it's a nice stop.

- Find some help.

Clark with it.

Stolen back.

- A couple times that's happened to Winthrop where they're trying to put a little muscle into it and it just seems to slip and, you know, Foxcroft is there waiting to take it off their stick.

Just not getting the strong hits they wanted a couple of times.

- Substitution for the Ramblers, Ella Giles is in.

Number 10.

- Yeah, I'm sure she was thrilled to go in.

Yeah.

But to lose that jacket probably is a little bit challenging.

At least until she starts running around.

- I was going to say, spend some, spend some energy here.

She's the one out there without the, without the long sleeves.

Has it, has it there and physical contact was enough to warrant the whistle.

Back come the ponies.

Under five minutes to play, third quarter.

And it'll be a free hit again for Foxcroft.

Ball went off the heel.

- Yeah, that verse tick coming in.

You can see that rain falling a little bit harder and I'm wondering how that's going to play in here and see if it's going to kind of make things messy and, you know, see if we'll get a lost ball here or there.

See if it's going to break for someone.

Yeah.

- Very pretty.

- Very pretty, especially from inside.

Shout out to our cameramen out there.

They're doing such, such great work.

- The ponies on the attack again.

- Ooh, tried to cross that one.

- Nice effort.

- Just a little bit too close, too high.

- All right, French.

- Lots of white jerseys looking to pick a pass.

- Here we go.

Dunton tries to get in the circle.

- Another corner.

- Nice play by Dunton getting a ball in and traffic in the circle.

They commit the infraction, another corner here.

Coming down to the two minute mark, third quarter, no score.

Foxcroft and Winthrop and there you see, if you can pick it up if your resolution on your television is good, it's raining.

- It is raining.

Again, another spread out formation, so I'll be curious to see.

Swing in at his great stop.

Ah, there it is.

- That may be Rayfield.

- Now Foxcroft likes that.

We are shaking up here.

- I, I think it's a little bit of a slip.

- Ah, figure that rim come into play.

That is a really nice goal.

And probably a breath, a sigh of relief for Fox Crofield waiting and waiting and waiting on those corners.

One, you know, paid off.

But if you're Winthrop, you cannot, I mean, you got to keep doing what you were doing and keep making those defensive stands and hopefully get it down to your end.

There's a lot of game left.

- Addie Daigle's checking out.

We got a sub in the middle.

- Again, a really, really nice goal.

- Addie Rayfield, sophomore, number six.

Closest game that opponents have had all year was the regional final with Dexter was the one nothing game.

- Yeah.

- This game is now one nothing.

And pressure's going to start to build here as we're down under two minutes to go in the third quarter.

And we first, the first umbrella is out.

- Tells me all I need to know.

Yeah, it is often like you wonder when that first goal goes in, is it going to be kind of a fire under Winthrop or is it going to kind of open the floodgates and let Foxcroft play a little bit looser and find a couple more goals?

- And she didn't mean to knock it out of bounds, but that looked like the first two minutes of the game where things were maybe pressing a little bit much.

- Yeah.

- Nice play coming up the field.

- Here comes Winthrop.

- Folsom.

I heard that.

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

- I was going to say.

- Folsom knock on Sportsmanship.

- Great sportsmanship.

- Okay, 46 seconds to go.

Folsom's going to try to get in and maybe get a quarter.

- Oh, great tackle.

- Nice expensive play.

Long way to run.

- Off go the ponies.

Time ticking.

I mean, if you're Foxcroft, obviously you're not in any big rush, but wouldn't be the worst thing if they got it in the circle.

- They're willing to play out the quarter.

- It'll let the stick down for sure.

- If somebody were to hit it into the circle, that would be... Pretty sure they've done that before too.

We reached the end of three quarters of play at the state championship Class C field hockey game.

The Foxcroft Academy ponies lead it one to nothing over the winter ramblers.

We'll be back for the final 15 minutes after this time up.

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Not a bad time of year to be thinking about, "Hmm, got an extra couple of bucks here.

Why don't I help something worthwhile, like seeing these kids out here working hard."

- Yeah, that... I mean, about time that the pony struck, and I'm sure, again, they've been waiting on that corner to go through and just, again, that sigh of relief that you get with a little bit of breathing room with that one goal.

And again, this is somewhere that Foxcroft is comfortable, having a lead, playing up.

- Well, we're seeing some pretty good skills out here with those kids.

- Yeah.

I, you know, you feel for the rambler goalie because she's just been playing great.

She's playing stellar and just last line of defense.

Having that go in must have been tough, but - - Well, she was screened on it.

There was plenty of traffic in front.

I'm not sure she saw it.

Okay, here we go.

15 minutes to play in regulation.

One nothing game.

Foxcroft for the lead, Winthrop with the ball, now Foxcroft with the ball.

Winthrop trying to find some room.

Gabby Janet.

- It's a nice poke.

- Piper Clark gets the ball ahead.

Mortimer, Mortimer.

Dribbles through traffic, draws a crowd, stick obstruction, stays Winthrop ball.

- Just need a little bit of space.

- Piper Clark says, "All right, we're going to send more people on the attack."

The ball goes out of bounds.

- Yeah, tough break.

- Well, you know, maybe she didn't have a good target to her left, but there was a lot of room to the left.

- Yes.

- See, she does it again.

Clark to inbound.

And not high enough.

- Yeah.

- But too high.

So they, they regard it as a danger and back to Foxcroft.

Cadence Nelson.

I was going to say - - And - They're going to call her back.

But you know what?

I'm not sure they needed to.

That was, that was within range.

- Yeah, she's off to the races.

When she gets it, she's just trying to go, go, go.

And again, with that self start, you do want to let them use it as long as it's within reason.

- But she and French have had some good coaching.

- All right.

Yep.

All right.

- Nice play.

Tried to keep it going defensively.

- It's a good point.

- Crossing attempt, no good.

- You know?

Good feet up.

- You see the skills being demonstrated here by freshmen.

It is quite remarkable.

Little hack on the play by Kylie Manser.

It's one goal game.

- There's still plenty of time, you know, but you def - again, like their time is ticking and you're in the fourth quarter and each kind of minute that goes, you start to get a little bit tighter, a little bit tighter.

And with those kind of waning chances, start to, hopefully not, but you can start to second guess.

- All right.

Notice how they maintain their spacing, move the ball nicely.

Ball come up, came up a little higher.

Ella Hutchinson had the right idea, just a little bit off in the execution.

- Yeah, if you're Winthrop right now, I mean, there's no need to rush just yet, but you definitely want to be moving with purpose and picking up the pace a little bit.

- Right Folsom - - Boy stretch.

- Is, is running through a team picture of the ponies.

She had five girls playing defense on her and she tried to get the ball up the field.

Can she spot somebody open?

Not really.

With it.

- Little bit of open space.

- Eagle.

That's what I had and it's hit by Nelson.

Hits Nelson on the back of the leg, so it remains Winthrop ball.

Try that aerial a little more.

That gets a good bounce to it.

Physical obstruction on the far side.

Nelson was able to sell it.

All she had to do is come in and try to make a play on the ball rather than just concede the possession to Winthrop.

Smart play.

We've had three games here today.

Every one of them, classic nail biter.

- Yes.

- Yeah.

One goal games.

- And correct me if I'm wrong, all of the teams that played today were one seeds.

- Yeah, Winthrop was a one seed.

Foxgress was a one seed.

- Freeport was the two.

Excuse me.

Freeport was the two.

Thank goodness I have people to correct me.

My goodness.

False information, nothing worse.

- Well, I hadn't gotten to that.

I was trying to, I was trying to recall.

I said, geez, I think I... And that brings up yet another one of those.

It's amazing how the heel points somehow are held up over time.

- Yep.

- Nice play.

All set across by Hartford scores.

Jenna Hartford set that play up with a cross.

- There's that reverse stick.

Really nice.

There's nothing enough.

Addie Rayfield.

- You know, both goals in this game have been scored by Addie Rayfield, but that one you really got, that crossing pass was outstanding.

- Yeah, an absolutely beautiful shot.

I mean, geez, there's not a lot you can do about that.

Winthrop going with the timeout, I think a great play right now where all of a sudden you're down 2-0, nine minutes and seven seconds left in the game.

It's a great time to settle your crits back in and get the purpose with what we're going to kind of play this last nine minutes.

- Yeah, that pass went so well.

And there wasn't much Harriman could do on that.

- Oh.

Again, a beautiful backend shot.

Credit where credits due.

- Well, might be able to bring this up now.

The record in field hockey in Maine is 144 goals scored in the season.

Coming into this game, Dover Foxcroft, Foxcroft Academy at 141.

They now have 143.

I'm not sure that Winston wants to give up another goal, but if there's an incentive on the part of the ponies, the idea that they could tie the state all-time record for the number of goals scored in a single season.

- That would be pretty cool.

- It's cool.

It doesn't mean a whole lot more than that, but it also gives you a pretty good idea, not just the level of competition they played against, but the skill they've demonstrated in... They're not in control of their schedule.

They've played everybody that they can.

A couple of non-conference games and everybody in their conference has seen the ponies and been vanquished.

- Yes.

Undefeated season on the line for the ponies and they're up 2-0.

- Nice pass by Nelson.

Good crossing attempt.

French was there.

Oh, they walked away from it.

She might have been able to have it, but maintained spacing with it.

Moving in, Hartford tries to center the ball again, doesn't work.

Reach in and nice play.

Hutchinson forces the ball to go out of bounds off winter.

- Among the many reasons the ponies are so impressive is they're not subbing much.

So these kids are midway through the fourth quarter of a state championship game and they're still quick on their feet, step into the ball.

They're really, again, still pushing pace, which is really impressive.

- Well, the goal scorer is Addie Rayfield.

She's a sophomore.

Nelson is a freshman.

French is a freshman.

- They've got youth on their side.

- Yeah, well... I think it means you might be able to forecast that they'd be in this championship game again sometime in the next three years.

- One would think.

- Yeah.

And Kylie Sally was saying, and much as Holly Daigle was saying, how much fun it's been to have these kids because they, they get along.

I'm sure that in your travels, you've had teams where, you know, things didn't go as well as you though, but to maintain, you know, team discipline, maintain team camaraderie, established team camaraderie, and that's happened.

It's happened over the last, you know, 12 months as these guys have continued to practice together, you know, train together.

- Right.

And like the Hall's father was saying that they play all the time.

You know, when you get that cohesion and you get that togetherness and going through those hard times of like the getting in shape and all of the kind of trials and tribulations of the season really does, I mean, result in cohesion and a team that enjoys being together and playing together.

- Evelyn Morter just had a nice rush up field.

Ball's taken back and pushed back up field briefly in the circle.

- Rambler's looking for a strike of their own.

- Ball goes over the end line, not benefit of a touch by anybody in maroon.

So it's going to be a pony ball and too high.

This represents a good opportunity.

Grayson, Grayson Folsom's calling for the ball and, and look at the defensive setup by the ponies.

- That is not a bad ball.

Coming out.

- Fletcher was right there.

Rebecca saw it.

I'm turning the next one around.

- Oh.

And Nelson wants to push.

- And you just heard Rebecca Fletcher tell Caden Nelson if, if she didn't wait for the ball to stop again, she was going to turn the call around and good held whistle.

Opportunity for Winthrop.

Ew, knocked off the play.

- Great hustle on both sides.

Stick obstruction.

- And we talked about the key to the game to stay poised.

Ponies have certainly done that.

- Winthrop trying to get another push.

Time ticking down.

- French draws the attention.

Four minutes and a couple of seconds.

Smart play, dropping it back.

No hurry.

- Yeah, Winthrop's got to come up and play you and then again, you stretch him out and then you find the gaps to kind of send the ball up into the circle.

I mean, Winthrop has no choice but to come up and play.

- Still, Foxcroft ball.

Two goal elite coming down to three and a half minutes to play in the fourth quarter.

- Nice ball into the middle of the field.

- Finding some help with it.

Coming forward.

Irwin.

- Lot of white jerseys coming up.

- Tough break there.

Mortimer was reaching in, got called for the stick obstruction.

Folsom gets it back, finds Mortimer.

She's going to try to send it.

- Yeah, you got to cross it.

Teammates over there.

- And gee, Cadence Nelson right there.

- Imagine that.

- Gets the ball out of trouble for the ponies.

- Yeah, cleared nicely into space on that sideline.

- You know.

Kind of precocious play there on the part of number nine.

Good skills, doesn't seem to get rattled at all.

- Two goal lead can sometimes help that.

- Winter ball, far side.

Coming down, two minute mark.

- Credit to Winthrop.

They keep trying to, trying to push, trying to push it up up to their circle.

- And they tried to work the left side in the first half.

They tried to work the right side in this half.

They want Folsom to be the, the trigger person, but she's drawn a lot of attention.

Nice pass.

Chloe Moody, number one, is in the game for Winter.

She drew the stick obstruction call and the ball is out of bounds.

It's going to come back to the 25.

He said, "Do not wait.

Folsom."

Has to go to five yards.

Find some help.

That's pretty close to third party obstruction.

Not called.

We're under a minute.

With it.

Dunton.

- Nice save.

Fantastic.

Save.

Wow.

- Another one.

- 35 seconds left.

- Sierra Harriman's had a heck of a game.

- Really, really has.

- She's not going to prevail here, but she has been busy, busy, busy.

They'd like to get one too high.

The ball will go back over.

- Can't think that the ponies would be rushing to - - No, no hurry.

- Get that going.

- Foxcroft crowd below us is happy.

Three, two, one.

Your state champions are the ponies of Foxcroft Academy.

An undefeated season, unscored upon, again, as they made their way through an incredible season.

They didn't get the, the school scoring record, but I don't think that really matters.

- No, no.

- 143 is 143 and that's an awful lot of scoring.

Congratulations to the ponies.

May get a chance to talk to a couple of them as we go, as we have the awards being handed out here shortly.

- Yeah, you can see the rain coming down, but that is not going to stop this party.

- That bus ride home.

- Dave, you ever consider putting glitter in your hair?

I think it'd look nice.

- Yeah.

Well, I did last week for Halloween.

It didn't go over well.

- Ugh, and the flip side of it, always that heartbreak, you know?

I mean, you can say fantastic season.

They had two losses.

One was to a state runner up and one was to the state champ, but that does not make you feel any better right now, that's for sure.

- Holly Daigle feels particularly emotional about the six kids she's going to say goodbye to.

She has seniors on the team and, and it's tough because this is the last time they're going to put that uniform on and it's a loss.

- Yeah.

- But boy does she have some kids coming back.

- I mean - - That tells you what you need to know.

- It tells you exactly what you need to know.

- And those nine saves that Sierra Harriman made pretty impressive game and goal for that kid.

- Absolutely, Stellar.

- And you look at the number of corners, as you pointed out, Abigail, you know, at some point, you know, you keep doing this, somebody's going to score.

- Yeah.

And you know, I mean, for a Foxcroft team who is scoring, you know, 11, 12 goals in a lot of their games this season, 11 shots period.

- Yeah.

- It's pretty good.

Pretty good.

Again, doesn't help with the loss, but something to hang your hat on.

- Yeah.

A good night for the Foxcroft Academy ponies.

Sort of what they were hoping for, certainly.

- Sure.

- Maybe what they expected, but a, you know, a strong performance by the Winthrop Ramblers.

- That'll be a fun bus ride home.

- Maybe not.

- Maybe not.

- That one will be.

- That one right there.

- So congratulations, Chevra Staggs.

Congratulations, Nokomis Warriors.

Congratulations to Foxcroft Ponies, your state champions on this state championship Saturday in field hockey in the state of Maine.

We're going to have the awards momentarily as the kids are going to come out and well played.

Here comes the handshake line.

Display of sportsmanship by both clubs.

And I think they got a week off before they start bouncing a basketball, right?

- Yes.

- They got a week off?

- About a week off.

And for those who play basketball, I can say it is always warm in the gym.

Never have to worry about the weather.

- The only time it rains is when the fire extinguisher comes on.

- Emily Duling Hamilton, Nikki Hasenfus, and Emily Kempton to the table for the presentation and assistance with the Runners Up Awards and medals.

We will be presenting by grade, beginning with freshmen.

Number 23, Paige Brennan.

Number two, Leah Clark.

Number 15, Addie Daigle.

Number 26, Malia White.

Sophomores.

Number three, JC Clark.

Number 17, Lyra St.

Pierre.

Juniors.

Number 32, Grace Folsom.

Number 24, Natalie Irwin.

Number 22, Evelyn Bortimer.

Number 16, Alana Ploor.

Number 19, Sophie Shuman.

Number 21, Alexis Smith.

Seniors, injured did not play Reese Shaw.

Number nine, Piper Clark.

Number 10, Ella Giles.

Number 00, Sierra Harriman.

Number 12, Gabby Janick.

Number six, Regan Littlefield.

Number five, Kylie Manser.

Number one, Chloe Moody.

Number 33, Maya Roclova.

Number 27, Katie Tims.

At this time, I would call the Withrop Mirandicook captains Piper Clark, Grace Folsom, Regan Littlefield, and Evelyn Mortimer and ask them to please come forward.

On behalf of the Maine Principles Association and Hammond Lumber Company, we are pleased to present this plaque as the runners up in the 2026 Class C Field Hockey State Championship, the Winthrop Miranda Cook Ramblers.

Congratulations.

At this time, I would now call Foxcroft head coach Kylie Hutchinson-Sally and Assistant Coach Megan Titus forward for the presentation of the championship medals and the championship trophy.

Once again, we will be recognized the team members starting with freshmen.

Number nine, Cadence Nelson.

Number 15, Kinsley Hall.

Number 17, Bailey Ames.

Number 18, Isabelle Erlach Sanchez Cozar.

Number 19, Lila French.

Number 21, Alice Hutchinson.

Number 24, Soraya Martin.

Number 27, Kennedy McKinney.

We move on to sophomores.

Number four, Maddie Cofill.

Number six, Addie Rayfield.

Number eight, Lucy Bisson.

Number 14, Emma Crossman.

Number 22, Ella Anis.

Number 28, Elodi Newell.

Number 99, Lauren Caruso.

Now for juniors, number two, Ella Hutchinson.

Number three, Madison Sands.

Number five, Ava Dunton.

Number seven, Kendall Killam.

Number 12, Harlow Boulier.

Seniors, number one, Cameron Coelo.

Number 10, Jenna Hartford.

Number 11, Jayden Frigon.

Number 13, Ava Turner.

Number 16, Julia Smith.

Number 20, Payson Hall.

And number 55, Lily Bisson.

At this time, with the captains from Foxcroft Academy, please come forward.

On behalf of the Maine Principles Association and Hammond Lumber Company, it is our pleasure to present this championship trophy for the 2026 NPAC Field Hockey State Championship to the ponies of Foxcroft Academy.

Congratulations on behalf of the Maine Principles Association and Hammond Lumber Company, along with the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.

Remember, in order to celebrate your achievements, you have to get home safely.

- And it's going to be a fun ride home for the state champions, Foxcroft Academy Ponies and Girls Class C field hockey.

We're going to talk to a couple of them and a coach, but any luck at all when we return to Edward Little High School after this timeout.

- Championship weekend on Maine Public is made possible by... - Hammond Lumber Company, a family-owned independent lumber and building material supplier with 34 locations across Maine and New Hampshire.

- A Maine based bank with 12 branches statewide.

Scow Hegan Savings is dedicated to helping you with your personal and business banking needs, branch locations, and more information at scowheagan.com.

- Coastal Auto Parts, selling NAPA Auto Parts since 1981, owned and operated by a Maine family and proud to support student athletes.

- And by viewers like you.

Thank you.

- Welcome back.

That little grouping you see down there, that's Quinn Bird with somebody who's pretty happy.

Quinn.

- Thanks guys.

Coach, what does it mean for you to defend the class C state championship title?

- I mean, it's a first at our school, so it's great to just set a record and it meant a lot to the girls and to start my career off this way is great.

- And throughout the game, you could hear the cheers and the cowbells and the crowd.

How did that push the team forward throughout this matchup?

- Well, they get so much support from the community, parents, they're all great, so it means a lot to the girls and it really hypes them up.

- How has this group grown since winning last year?

- I mean, great.

We've gained two... We gained a big class of freshmen and two of them were on the field today, so it's just a great start to another, another round of players.

- Thanks, coach.

Back to you guys.

- Well, she had freshmen today.

She has some eighth graders who are going to move in who will be playing next year.

This is a group that we may see them again over the next couple of years here on Maine Public Television.

Thank you for joining us and for anybody who wants to see a replay of this, start at six o'clock tomorrow morning with the Class A game, followed by the Class B game and at 10 o'clock, the Class C game.

Two-nothing win for the Foxcroft Ponies over the Winthrop Ramblers.

For Abigail Hassan, I'm Dave Cheever.

Thank you for joining us on Maine Public Sports.