Despite being one of the highest seeds each year in the tournament in Class D girls soccer, Penobscot Valley has found themselves often making the 2-plus hour bus trip to Presque Isle in the Regional Finals in recent years, a game typically played in their opponent’s back yard. PVHS met the challenge once again Wednesday night, defeating the #3 seeded Central Aroostook Lady Panthers 2-0 at the Gehrig T. Johnson Athletic Complex at Presque Isle Middle School.
This was the sixth straight year that Penobscot Valley has made it to the Regional Title Game since 2019 (there were no MPA playoffs in 2020 due to Covid), with five of them being held at this location against an Aroostook County Team. In that time, the Lady Howlers have a 4-1 record in regional finals, with their loss coming in 2021 (Wisdom 3-0) and their Championship Game wins in 2019 (2-1 over Central Aroostook), 2022 (1-0 over Ashland), 2023 (3-0 over Ashland), and now 2025.
The game was fairly even in the first half, with both teams having scoring opportunities, but with PVHS holding the shooting edge 11-5. They went into the break knotted up at 0-0. Then eleven minutes into the second half, the Lady Howlers were finally able to execute. Pressure on the Central Aroostook back line by the Howlers Rylee Moulton forced a defender to clear the ball off their own endline, resulting in a corner kick. Lila Cummings lined up the kick and sent a bending ball over the head of the keeper and toward the back corner. A Lady Panther attempted to head the ball out (it appeared to have crossed the line already) that ended up in the net for a 1-0 lead. As they’ve done many times this season, Penobscot Valley wasted no time following up a goal with another. Just 1:49 later, Casey Loring was the first to touch a Central Aroostook throw-in near the edge of the 18 yard line, and pushed the ball forward toward the goal. Moulton received it, went one on one with the goalie, and shot it with the outside of her foot into the nearside part of the net for the 2-0 lead and that score would hold.
Keeper Brooklynn Raymond and the defense of Eve McNally, Abby Farley, Charlotte Brochu, and Nicole Solomon helped secure the 12th shutout in their 16 games for PVHS this season. Raymond saved all six shots she faced, as the Lady Howlers improved to 12-2-2. Central Aroostook finishes their season with an 11-4-1 record. Goalkeeper Charlie Pierce made several big saves to keep her team within striking distance, as she turned away 17 of 21 shots.
With the victory, the Lady Howlers have won their fifth Regional Championship in six seasons, as they attempt to win their third straight State Title. They will face top seed and the undefeated Ashland Lady Hornets at 11:00 am on Saturday at Hermon High School in a battle of two of the premier programs over the past few decades. Ashland or PVHS has competed in the Class D State Championship in 8 the past 10 games since 2014
