The Ellsworth High School girls soccer team faced Hermon in last year’s Class B North championship game and emerged with a 3-2 victory.
That ended Hermon’s three-year reign as regional titleists.
It was Ellsworth’s first B North championship since the Eagles won back-to-back titles in 1998 and ‘99.
The teams will square off again on Tuesday, this time in the quarterfinals, at Hermon’s Pottle Field. Game time is 5 p.m.
Second seed Hermon is 12-2 but both losses came to Ellsworth, 4-2 in the season-opener and 3-1 on Oct. 2.
However, Ellsworth All-Class B North Regional midfielder Miah Coffin has been lost for the season due to injury. Coffin had two goals in the season-opener.
“It’s going to be a battle,” said Hermon coach M.J. Ball, whose Hawks will bring a seven-game winning streak into the game. “They have a lot of good players and they are well-organized. They play direct. They like to get the ball over the top so we have to be organized in the back.
“We’re going to have to move the ball, create chances and defend very well,” Ball added.
Forwards Madison Stewart and Natalie Tardie are Hermon’s leading goal scorers with 24 and 15, respectively, while midfielders Brooke Gallop and Payton Guerrette are the assist leaders with 14 and 9, respectively.
Ellsworth has been led by Lizzie Boles, Lily Bean, Kelsie Lambert and goalie Allie Bivens, who has played very well in place of veteran Jayden Sullivan, who has missed the entire season due to an injury.
Ellsworth is 3-0-1 in its last four games and hasn’t allowed a goal.
In the other Class B North matchups, No. 8 Gardiner (10-4-1) will travel to take on top seed Medomak Valley of Waldoboro (12-2); No. 5 John Bapst of Bangor (11-4) will visit No. 4 Winslow (10-3-1) and 11th seed Presque Isle (7-7-1) will travel to No. 3 Erskine Academy of South China (9-4-1).
In the Class A quarterfinals, the top-seeded and 13-1 Bangor High School Rams, led by 30-goal scorer Teagan Atherley and 23-goal producer Clara Oldenburg, will look for their 12th straight win when they entertain No. 8 Skowhegan (4-8-2) at 6 p.m. at Cameron Stadium on Tuesday.
Bangor is the defending A North champ.
The Brewer High School Witches, who have had a dramatic turnaround with their 8-5-1 record after going 3-9-2 a year ago, are the fifth seed and will travel to No. 4 Brunswick (8-5-1) for a 7 p.m. quarterfinal.
Also at 7 p.m. will be the game between No. 6 Hampden Academy (6-6-2) and No. 3 Mt. Ararat (10-4) in Topsham.
In a 3 p.m. contest, No. 2 Camden Hills (14-0) will host No. 7 Mt. Blue of Farmington (5-8-1).
In Class C North, No. 1 Fort Kent, the defending regional champ, will host No. 8 Mount View of Thorndike (4-8-2); No. 2 Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft (13-0-1) will entertain No. 7 Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield (1-11-2); No. 3 Bucksport (14-0) will await No. 6 Orono (6-7-1) and No. 4 Central of Corinth (8-6) will be home to take on No. 5 Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln (6-7-1).
Ashland (11-3) is the top seed in D North and will take on visiting Bangor Christian (5-8-1), the eighth seed; No. 2 Central Aroostook of Mars Hill (11-3) will await No. 7 Washburn (8-6); No. 3 Penobscot Valley of Howland, the defending state champ, will host 6-8 Madawaska, the sixth seed, and the 4 vs. 5 game will send Fort Fairfield (10-4) to Wisdom of St. Agatha (11-3).
Defending Eight-Person North king Penquis Valley of Milo (9-5) is the sixth seed and will travel to take on No. 3 Shead of Eastport (11-3). The other quarterfinals will send No. 7 Sumner of East Sullivan (11-3) to No. 2 Dexter (14-0); No. 5 Katahdin of Stacyville (10-3) to No. 4 George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill (11-2) and No. 9 Woodland (7-5-1) to top seed Hodgdon (10-2).
