Mt. Blue’s KK Daggett (20) battles for the ball with Mt. Ararat’s Islah Godo during a girls soccer game Tuesday in Farmington. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
FARMINGTON — On Tuesday night, the Mt. Blue girls soccer team — fueled by a strong second half — beat Mt. Ararat 3-0, to remain unbeaten at 8-0-0.
On paper, it would appear the Cougars — a veteran heavy team that carries 11 seniors — cruised to victory. But those in attendance at Caldwell Field witnessed two of the top teams in Class A North battle throughout the first half before Mt. Blue secured the victory. The Eagles — heavy with freshmen and sophomores — fell to 5-2-1.
The game represented two different teams with same end goal: To make a deep run in the A North playoffs.
Mt. Blue’s roster carries a group that has played with one another for years and it showed Tuesday night. The Cougars showed excellent ball movement, as well as strong passes and setups for shots. Mt. Blue’s first goal, from sophomore Alaya Smith, came off a well-placed corner kick from senior Meren Zeliger.
“It’s a pretty special group, we’ve taken it one game, one day at a time,” Mt. Blue head coach Griffin Conlogue said. “We focus on the game in front of us, no matter who the opponent is. The key thing about this team is there’s a lot of seniors out there; they’re mature, they’re dedicated to our team’s success.
“They know what it takes, and they’ve been together for so long and battle tested all along the way. It’s come together the right way at the right time.”
Mt. Ararat goalie Kaleigh Lennon (00) makes a save against Mt. Blue during a girls soccer game Tuesday in Farmington. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
At the heart of the Cougars’ success has been senior KK Daggett, who scored her 18th goal of the season. Daggett has scored in each of Mt. Blue’s eight games and is nearing the school’s single-season mark of 19 goals.
“I set myself a goal my freshman year, due to COVID, I wasn’t able to hit that goal. Now, I’m just playing for my parents,” said Daggett, who was emotional in her response. “They’re not here for me right now, so I’m just playing the best I can for them.”
Daggett lost both of her parents within the past year. Her mother, Collette, was found dead by a pond near her New Vineyard home in June 2021. About a year later — this past June — an arrest warrant on a murder charge was issued for Daggett’s father, Wilfred Daggett. While fleeing authorities on June 10 in New Vineyard, Wilfred Daggett died of a self-inflicted gun shot wound, according to Maine State Police.
“She’s the toughest kid I’ve ever met in my entire life,” Conlogue said. “She’s been through a lot in her life. Part of what she plays for is the team and her teammates. They’ve been together for so long and she’s so close with everyone on the team. She’s got girls out there that I’m sure she considers her sisters. She would just do anything to put the team first. When we’re having a rough practice, she’s the one who’s like, ‘girls, bring it in, we’ve got to get our heads in this one, we can’t waste the next two hours of practice.’ She’s kind of the heart of the team like that.”
Mt. Blue’s KK Daggett (20) breaks free from Mt. Ararat defenders during a girls soccer game Tuesday in Farmington. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
Mt. Ararat has shown promise for the remainder of the 2022 season and beyond. The Eagles’ top offensive threat has been forward Julianna Allen, who has shown the ability to find the back of the net on multiple occasions. She scored three goals for Mt. Ararat in a 4-1 victory over Skowhegan on Sept. 22. The Eagles also have a notable season-opening victory over Brewer, which is currently No. 3 in the A North standings.
“My youth doesn’t know any different (on who they’re playing),” Mt. Ararat head coach Chad Kirk said. “I start four freshmen, four sophomores and three seniors. We’re young and we’re getting it. We just need to start using the field correctly and getting wide first, so the ball does the work.”
Entering Wednesday, Mt. Blue sits second in Class A North, just behind No. 1 Brunswick (6-0-1). Mt. Ararat is fourth. While the teams won’t meet again in the regular season, they are well aware there’s a strong chance to play each other again, for higher stakes.
“They’re good, and I don’t want to come back (to Caldwell Field) if I don’t have to,” Kirk joked. “They capitalize when they need to.”
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