From the get-go in early September right through the final regular-season games this week, nothing came easy for field hockey teams in the competitive Class A North division.

“It was a grind,” Mt. Blue coach Jody Harmon said.

The postseason should be no different.

Playoff fields were finalized Thursday and the fight for the Class A North title should be intriguing.

Messalonskee (14-0-0) earned the top seed and will host No. 8 Mt. Ararat (3-8-3) in the quarterfinals. No. 2 Skowhegan (12-2-0) — whose losses came to rival Messalonskee — will host No. 7 Hampden (6-7-1).

Cony (10-4-0) earned the No. 3 seed and hosts No. 6 Oxford Hills (6-6-2). No. 4 Mt. Blue — which pushed Skowhegan to overtime on Oct. 8 — will play fifth-seeded Edward Little (9-5-0) in a quarterfinal game Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Farmington.

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“It’s a whole new season now,” Harmon said. “It’s anyone’s game at this point. We’re excited to be a part of it. It’s going to be a great tournament.”

The Cougars sank the Red Eddies 6-0 on Oct. 1 at Thomas College, but Harmon said she expects a tough challenge Tuesday.

“They are a great team,” she said. “We’re going to have to come ready to go.”

Gardiner (12-2-0) and Winslow (10-3-1) earned the first and second seeds, respectively, in Class B North. The Tigers will play either No. 8 Camden Hills (7-7-0) or No. 9 John Bapst (3-10-1) in the quarterfinals. The Windjammers and Crusaders will play a prelim game Saturday.

The Black Raiders will play either No. 7 Nokomis (9-5-0) or No. 10 Oceanside (5-8-1) in a quarterfinal game Wednesday at 3 p.m.

“Our girls are excited to play Oceanside or Nokomis,” Winslow coach Mary Beth Bourgoin said. “We’re pretty fired up to play either one.”

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The Raiders will have a shot at redemption against either opponent — they lost a 3-2 decision to Nokomis and tied Oceanside 0-0 in the regular season.

“It’s going to be a good tournament,” Bourgoin said. “We can all beat each other.”

No. 4 Lawrence (11-3-0), which dropped to Class B this season, will host No. 5 Old Town (12-2-0).

In Class C North, No. 2 Maine Central Institute (10-4-0) will play No. 7 Boothbay (7-7-0) while No. 3 Mount View (9-5-0) will host No. 6 Stearns (8-6-0).

Winthrop (7-6-1), meanwhile, slipped to fifth in the final week of the season and faces a trip to Guilford and No. 4 Piscataquis (8-6-1) in a quarterfinal game Tuesday at a time to be announced.

“I told the girls to get ready for a long bus ride,” Winthrop coach Jess Merrill said. “It could be about a two hour ride, but we always seem to play better on the road so hopefully that continues.”

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Winthrop finished their regular season last Thursday and watched as Piscataquis jumped them into fourth. However, Merrill said the time off also provided a good scouting opportunity.

“We saw them on Monday (against top seed Dexter),” she said. “We have some stuff on them so that is good.”

Oak Hill (9-5-0) is the No. 3 seed in Class C South and will host No. 6 Sacopee Valley (8-6-0) in the quarterfinals.

Bill Stewart — 621-5618

bstewart@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @billstewartMTM


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