LEWISTON — The Belfast field hockey team entered this season with a brand-new trophy already displayed at their school. From day one, the Lions set their sights on adding another championship to their collection.
“That was their goal all season, to be back here and to repeat,” said coach Jan Jackson. “We worked really hard for that as a team, and we did it.”
Jocelyn Valleau scored the game’s only goal off a corner in the third quarter, leading Belfast to complete an undefeated season with a 1-0 victory over Freeport in the Class B final Saturday evening at Lewiston High School.
“It means so much to us. This team, specifically, because we’ve all been playing with each other since we were little,” said midfielder Halle Tarbox, the KVAC Class B Player of the Year and one of 12 seniors on the Lions’ roster (18-0). “It’s just really nice to share this incredible moment with them.”
The feeling of victory was more relaxed than last year, when Belfast battled Yarmouth through overtimes and into corners before prevailing.
“It’s much more ease-into-it,” Valleau said. “It feels much better than the stressful overtime.”
Freeport (14-4), which also had 13 seniors, pressured early and late but couldn’t find the goal it needed for a shot at a second state title in three years.
“We played our game. I’m super proud of them,” said coach Marcia Wood. “I know they’re hurting, but I just wanted to get to this game.”
Belfast had to endure the graduation of Bre Shorey, who scored 44 goals last year and 128 for her career — third all-time in Maine history. But the veteran Lions continued their dominance, outscoring opponents 71-8 entering Saturday’s final.
“I think some people thought, ‘I don’t know who’s going to put the goals in,’” Jackson said. “But I said, ‘They’re all going to. They’re all going to do it.’”
After a scoreless first half, the breakthrough came in the third quarter. On Belfast’s 10th corner, Valleau set up Allison Friel, who passed it back down. Valleau then won a battle for the ball, eluded Freeport defensive ace Lizalyn Boudreau’s reach, and put a reverse shot into the goal for a 1-0 lead with 6:20 to go in the third.
“I’ve shot goals like that before in games,” Valleau said. “So I knew that if I was able to reverse it and just tip it in a little bit, I could get it in.”
Jackson praised Valleau’s skill set, which will carry her to Division II Franklin Pierce next year.
“She has amazing skills,” Jackson said. “She’s all field hockey, she’s amazing.”
Needing a goal, Freeport became more aggressive in the fourth quarter and spent most of the period in the Belfast end. The Falcons’ best chance came with just over 11 minutes left; Emily Groves and Liza Flower had back-to-back shots saved by Nikki Shorey, and Abby Cormier had a third shot that went just off the side of the net.
It was the final game for Freeport’s senior core, which reached three finals in four years.
“It put us on the map,” Wood said. “It got the love for the littles. We saw the youth kiddos in the stands today, and they get to see that and they get to say, ‘I want to do that someday.’ We’ve built a good thing here.”
https://www.sunjournal.com/2025/11/08/belfast-holds-off-freeport-to-defend-class-b-field-hockey-title/
