During their 2023 and 2024 State Championship runs, the Penobscot Valley girls soccer teams were relatively healthy once the playoffs started. The lone exception was playing without then sophomore Eve McNally during the Regional and State games in 2023. This years squad didn’t find themselves as fortunate, as they were riddled with the injury bug all year.
Included in that was senior captain (and 3 year starter) Savannah Durost (2nd team all conference), who broke her leg in a game against Fort Kent on September 29th, missing the final nine games including playoffs. That was also the last full game junior and top reserve defender Emma-Leigh Mailman played, as a knee injury kept her out the rest of the way. Abby Castonguay, a sophomore starter, injured her ankle in the third game of the season and missed the final 14 games.
But through it all the Lady Howlers persevered, rallying around each other along the way and willing their way to a 2-0 state championship day victory over number one seed and previously unbeaten Ashland. They did it by relying on both their star players as well as role players stepping up, both veterans and rookies.
For the state game on Saturday, the Howlers converted their goals in the same manner in which the Hornets are historically known for, on corner kicks. The first occurred just over two minutes into the contest, when senior captain Rylee Moulton sent it across the box. Teammate, and also senior captain Lila Cummings stretched out with her left foot to redirect the ball into the lower left corner of the net. Fittingly, the two All-Stars flipped roles in the second half, as a Cummings corner kick made its way to the box, where Moulton attacked and headed the airborne ball into the lower left corner as well. That was all the breathing room that PVHS would need.
The corner kick has been a huge part of the Penobscot Valley scoring success this year, as 15 of their 62 goals have come from it. Among the 15, Cummings scored directly off the kick itself by bending it in three times, and Moulton did it once. Other finishes from corner kicks this year came from Moulton (5), senior Lauren Veino (4), senior Parker Theriault (1), and Cummings (1).
Defenses rarely get the headlines, but in this state championship game, the Lady Howlers showed just how stingy they can be completing their 13th shutout of the season (in just 17 games) and only allowing nine goals on the season, and allowing only two teams all year to score on them (Fort Kent and Houlton). Junior goalkeeper and captain Brooklynn Raymond continues showing she is one of the best goalkeepers in the state, and she now has 36 shutouts in her three year career. That is just four shy of the school record held by standout Sami Ireland. Raymond is a two time All-Regional and PVC second team player.
Senior captain Eve McNally anchored the defense as usual, as she has done since cracking the lineup in the back line late during her freshman season. The center back did a great job of cleaning up Ashland attacks, and found herself in some fierce collisions all game long. First year starter and junior Abby Farley has had a great season, elevating her game in only her fourth year playing soccer. Sophomore Nicole Solomon had not started a single game on the back line for the team until the playoffs started, but she stepped up and played beyond her experience helping with the three playoff shutout wins. Solomon played most of the season as a reserve forward.
The midfield, which also rarely gets the recognition it deserves, is also a huge part of the Lady Howler success, constantly grinding and wearing down opponents. Cummings often gets the headlines due to her scoring (94 career goals) and her assists (74 career assists), and rightfully so. Lila is a 4-time All- Conference first team player, a four time Regional All-Star, a two time conference Player of the Year, a 2024 All-State player, and 2024 Class D Player of the year (2025 hasn’t been released yet). She is third on the schools scoring list (behind Lexi Ireland who has 124 and teammate Moulton), and is believed to be first in assists. Adding to the midfield strength on Saturday was sophomore Charlotte Brochu and freshman Paxtyn King, who both played a holding-midfield position to help offset the dangerous speedy and skill players for Ashland. The two of them took turns sticking to their assigned marks, while also being part of the teams offensive attacks. Senior Lauren Veino, who also had her share of accomplishments and recognition (2024 All-Conference first team and All- Regional) played the left mid, and did a great job of controlling the midfield, making attacking runs, and sending great passes forward. Veino’s counterpart on the right side, freshman Casey Loring, also played above her years and experience, using her blend of athleticism, speed, passing ability, and soccer IQ to put in yet another complete game. Freshman Lilly Hallett worked her tail off as usual, playing great and valuable minutes off the bench. Senior Addy Lyons also saw some time at midfield Saturday, who is another player who didn’t start playing soccer until high school.
Upfront, senior standout Moulton was the story again. Her blend of speed, skill, grit, toughness, and determination has propelled her to one of the most feared scorers in the league. Rylee is a three-time All-Regional player, a three-time All-PVC first team player, a PVC 2nd team player, and made the All-State team last year. She has an amazing 113 career goals, eclipsing the 100 mark in early October against Houlton. Senior Parker Theriault started off-set Moulton in the PVHS two-forward lineup, and as usual provided energy, speed, and a willingness to not back down to anyone despite her small stature. 8th-grader McKenna Ireland played a lot of minutes off the bench, as people got a glimpse of her speed and skill that will no doubt make her a formidable player in her four high school years.
Other members of the PVHS 2025 team included senior (and first year player) Carina Albu, junior Baileigh Leet, freshman Mel Pelletier, and 8th graders Julia LeBrun and Maren Lindsay. Sophomore Bella Fostun is the manager, and freshman Kaylyn Martin is the videographer. The coaching staff included Jeremy Durost, Lana Cummings, Jason Spencer, and Jason Neal.
Senior captains Cummings, Moulton, and Durost, who all played as 8th graders in 2021, finished their careers having been part of an unprecedented nine Championship Soccer matches. Losing to Wisdom in the Regional Championship in 2021, they then won four straight, including: a 1-0 win vs Ashland in 2022, a 2-1 comeback win vs Wisdom in 2023, a 3-0 win over Ashland in 2024, and a 2-0 win over Central Aroostook in 2025. State game results include a 8-0 loss to an unbelievable North Yarmouth Academy club in 2022, a win over St. Doms 1-0 in 2023, a win over Buckfield 2-0 in 2024, and this 2-0 victory over Ashland in 2025.
The season in some ways was a historic one for Penobscot Valley, as it was the school’s first “three-peat” in program history. Upon doing some research, it also appears that this is the first time in Girls Class D history that a team from the North has won three straight state titles, and it appears that no North team in Classes B or C has ever reached that accomplishment. Factoring in the success that the PVHS girls have had in other sports such as basketball and softball, this is a “one-for-the-ages” for a group of girls that are really special.
Photos are courtesy of Stacey Feldmus Photography
