ORONO – Turns out Leavitt junior Brianna DeGone did not score the goal that put the Hornets into Saturday’s Class B field hockey final, as everyone believed.
But there was no doubt that DeGone was the person who delivered the state championship goal. With some clutch help from goalie Sierra Santamango (6 saves, 3 huge in the final two minutes), DeGone’s goal was the difference in Leavitt’s 1-0 win against defending champion Belfast.
“Emily Shaw scored the goal against York. We thought I was there to get the tip but we looked at the tape and I didn’t touch it. But I’ll take credit for this one,” DeGone said.
It was Leavitt’s first Class B field hockey state title since 1996.
DeGone’s goal came with 18:08 to play, when she took a short reverse-stick pass from inside a crowded circle and got a shot over the pads and under the stick of Belfast goalie Julia Ward.
“Like two days ago we were learning a new move on how to score and shooting off the back foot,” DeGone said. “So it’s a really new shot for me and it worked just like it was supposed to.”
Leavitt finished with a 15-3 record. Belfast ended 14-2-2.
“It’s a funny game. I know we out-cornered them (10-3) and I think we out-shot them,” Belfast Coach Allen Holmes said.
With two minutes to play, Belfast leading scorer Maddie Cummings had two shots off one penalty corner. Santamango saved both, then added a sprawling save on a Logan Blood sweep off an ensuing long hit.
Rumors swirled before the game that, regardless of its outcome, it would be the last for Belfast Coach Allen Holmes, 64, who concluded his 40th year as the Lions’ coach.
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