HERMON – John Bapst High School freshman midfielder Quinn Bennett has become a thorn in the side of defending Class B North champ Ellsworth this season.
The highly-skilled Bennett scored two goals in a 4-2 win over Ellsworth last month and figured in both goals on Tuesday night to lead the Crusaders to a 2-0 victory at Pottle Field in Hermon.
Bennett’s deflected pass was converted into a goal by senior midfielder Jaquie Pangburn in the first half and Bennett scored with a free kick just outside the penalty area in the second half as the Crusaders improved to 8-2 with their fourth straight win.
Ellsworth fell to 6-3-1 and had its four-game unbeaten streak snapped (3-0-1).
It was an entertaining evenly-played affair between two legitimate Class B North contenders with the Crusaders being the more opportunistic of the two teams.
Ellsworth had a 16-13 edge in shot attempts and both goalkeepers, John Bapst junior Grace Bouchard and Ellsworth sophomore Sage Goeckel, wound up each making four saves.
Goeckel was filling in for starting goalie Jayden Sullivan and back-up Allie Bivins, who were both
sidelined due to injury.
Sullivan has been lost for the season as has Eagle midfielder Miah Coffin, an All-Class B North Regional selection last season.
Pangburn opened the scoring with 14:56 remaining in the first half when she burst down the left side and ran onto a pass from Bennett that had deflected to her off an Eagle defender.
“I had to focus and (think) finesse. I didn’t want to shoot for power, just for placement,” said Pangburn, who sent a well-placed low shot into the far corner from 10 yards out.
The Eagles had a golden opportunity to equalize eight minutes later when Lizzie Boles slid a perfect pass across to the onrushing Camryn Clough, who took the pass in stride and ripped a powerful shot that Bouchard deflected away with her hands for her best save of the night.
The Eagles came very close to tying it up in the first four minutes of the second half.
Standout junior midfielder Whitney Jordan shot from outside the penalty area but it just skipped wide of the far post and, two minutes later, Jordan sent Boles in alone on goal with a nifty pass but Boles’ one-touch shot went just inches wide of the far corner.
Later in the half, Bennett expanded the lead with her free kick from just outside the penalty area.
“I was trying to score and I saw their wall was over a little bit. So I went to the right more (with my shot) because their keeper was all the way to the left. I saw a little corner on the top right so I aimed there,” said Bennett, whose shot sailed over Goeckel’s head and just under the crossbar.
Ellsworth’s Kennedy Lambert had a free kick from a similar spot but it was a little too high.
After Goeckel had kept the Eagles within striking distance with a nice save off Pangburn, who was set up nicely by Claire Gaetani, Ellsworth’s Kelsie Lambert hit the post with an in-swinging corner kick.
The Eagles’ comeback hopes took a major hit with 16:42 left when the always-dangerous Boles was shaken up and had to leave the game. The All-Class B North Regional selection didn’t return.
The Crusaders were efficient closing out the game thanks to the tireless runs of striker Gaetani, a 2023 All-Class B North Regional pick, and the solid play of the fullback line of Sophia Fogg, Ella Williams, Reese Monnier and Emrys Murnik along with Maggie Robichaud.
“We definitely controlled the game more in regards to keeping possession and limiting their through balls and the things they like to do,” said John Bapst first-year coach Greg Bennett, who is the father of Quinn.
“We played great,” said Gaetani. “We played with composure and we came out with intensity and fire. We wanted it.”
“They’re the best team we’ve seen,” said Ellsworth coach Eric Terrill. “He has them well-organized. That’s the key. They do a good job of playing soccer. They knock the ball around pretty well.”
John Bapst will look to make it five wins in a row with a Thursday game at 6 at Hermon against a Hawks team that dealt the Crusaders their last loss on Sept. 25, 4-1.
Ellsworth entertains Old Town on Friday at 6.
