Bucksport girls thwarted by Maranacook in Class C title game

PRESQUE ISLE — A matchup of two teams each seeking an elusive state title did not go the Bucksport girls’ soccer team’s way.

Bucksport suffered a 5-0 loss to Maranacook in Saturday’s Class C championship game at Gehrig Johnson Athletic Complex in Presque Isle. The defeat was a tough end to a memorable season for the Golden Bucks, who entered the game undefeated after a dominant run through the Class C North field.

Class C South No. 3 seed Maranacook (16-1-1) had a golden chance just seven minutes into the game as senior Emily Harper cut inside and blasted a shot off the crossbar. The Black Bears then came close again with 25 minutes left in the opening half as Addie Watson turned and fired just wide of the net.

Seconds after Watson’s near-opener, though, Harper put Maranacook up 1-0 with a shot to the bottom-right corner. That would be the first of two first-half goals for the Black Bears, who would double their lead with 19:36 left in the opening frame as Grace Dwyer found the net on a free kick.

Bucksport (17-1), the top seed in Class C North, improved as the game went on and made a few pushes into the final third. Yet the Golden Bucks’ push for a goal opened things up for the Black Bears at the other end, and Maranacook capitalized with tallies from Addie Watson, Harper and Ella Schmidt to round out the win.

This story will be updated.

Mike Mandell is the sports editor at The Ellsworth American and Mount Desert Islander. He began working for The American in August 2016. You can reach him via email at [email protected]