Kelsea Anair got a taste of what winning a soccer state championship was like her freshman year. That made back-to-back 2-1 losses to end her sophomore and junior seasons in the state title game even more tough to take.

So when Richmond recaptured the Gold Ball from Ashland earlier this month — avenging last year’s overtime loss to the Hornets — Anair wasn’t letting it out of her sights. While some of her teammates celebrated on the bus back home that night, Anair stayed back in Presque Isle with her family — and the trophy.

Staff photo by Andy Molloy Richmond High School's Kelsea Anair is the Kennebec Journal Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

First team

F Kelsea Anair, Sr., Richmond

F Eryn Doiron, Sr., Mt. Blue

F Fotini Shanos, Sr., Waterville

M Sammy Grandahl, Sr., Monmouth

M Jordan Jabar, Jr., Waterville

M Ryleigh Lord, Sr., Mount View

M Madeline Wood, Jr., Madison

D Hannah Nadeau, Jr., Oak Hill

D Dani Sweet, Sr., Hall-Dale

D Audrey Temple, Sr., Nokomis

GK Mikayla Cameron, Sr., Monmouth

Second team

F Kayla Bess, Sr., Madison

F McKenna Brodeur, Jr., Messalonskee

F Haley Fletcher, Jr., Monmouth

M Autumn Acord, Sr., Richmond

M Sara Doughty, Fr., Winslow

M Emily Grandahl, So., Monmouth

M Austin Taylor, Jr., Nokomis

D Taylor McLaggan, Jr., Erskine

D Blayke Morin, Sr., Rangeley

D Lindsey Perkins, Sr., Maranacook

GK Autumn Sudsbury, Sr., Cony

Honorable mention: Carrabec: Bailey Atwood, Makayla Vicneire; Erskine: Kaylee Porter, Cassandra Ray, Michaela Sprague; Gardiner: Madyson Noyes; Hall-Dale: Lilly Ly, Signe Lynch, Mari Smith, Thea Sweet; Lawrence: Morgan Boudreau; Madison: Ashley Emery, Emily Oliver; MCI: Sydney Morton; Monmouth: Maddie Bumann, Sidney Wilson; Mt. Abram: Lindsay Huff; Mount View: Meri Picard; Oak Hill: Anna Dodge; Rangeley: Michaela Shorey; Richmond: Cassidy Harriman, Camryn Hurley, Meranda Martin, Kalah Patterson; Skowhegan: Tracey Swanson; Waterville: Gabi Martin, Cody Veilleux, Sophie Webb; Winslow: Maeghan Bernard

“It obviously meant a lot because we went there two times and didn’t win,” she said. “(Beating Ashland) was good sort of revenge for us.”

For her efforts in leading the Bobcats to the Class D state championship and as one of the most prolific goal scorers in the region, Anair is the Kennebec Journal Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

Anair was the key to Richmond’s ball-possession style. Few players on the pitch were stronger, more skilled or more poised with the ball at their feet.

Even though she averaged nearly two goals per game this year with 32, Richmond coach Troy Kendrick said she was just as valuable as a facilitator.

“She made such good decisions with the ball. She has a pretty high soccer IQ,” Kendrick said. “She was marked pretty closely most of the season but she was good at picking her spots to score and setting up other kids, too.”

Anair embraced being an enabler and tallied 12 assists on the season even though there was extra motivation if she chose to be selfish with the ball. She was rapidly approaching Danica Hurley’s school record for career goals, 104.

“She was pretty good about shutting that out and just playing hard,” Kendrick said. “We always talk about keeping your mind between the lines and don’t think about that stuff and she did that.”

The record was always in the back of her mind, but Anair always had her eyes on a bigger prize.

“I felt more pressure as a senior having my last shot at a state title,” she said. “I’m sure the seniors all felt the same way.”

As the Bobcats steamrolled through a 13-1 regular season — outscoring opponents 87-6 — a potential rematch with Ashland, which was doing the same in Northern D, loomed in the distance.

“Coach Kendrick always asked us, ‘what do you think Ashland is doing right now?’ and that kind of motivated us,” she said.

Anair reached the 100-goal mark with two goals in Richmond’s season finale win over Buckfield. She scored two more in the 4-0 regional semifinal win over Searsport, then two more in the regional final against Rangeley to tie Hurley.

In the state final, a cruel crossbar prevented her from making the record her own, but she didn’t hang her head. Martin scored the lone goal of the game and gave her the ultimate reward, another state title.

“That was good enough for me,” she said.

As she considered what going out on top meant to her, she reflected on the most important lesson she learned from her final season of high school soccer.

“Never give up, even if things aren’t going in your favor,” she said. “After the state game last year we had some regrets. We felt like we didn’t give it 110 percent. We talked before the game (this year), we don’t want to have any regrets. We want to give 110 percent.”

Even though she plans on being in college next year (to study international business and play soccer, either at Thomas College or Maine Maritime), Anair said she’ll be back to remind her former teammates to leave everything on the field.

“I’m going to come back and push people to do the same thing,” she said.

“She’s very dedicated, a very hard worker. She has a good, positive attitude,” Kendrick said. “She’s a great role model for younger kids. That’s the kind of attitude you want kids to have.”

Randy Whitehouse — 621-5638

rwhitehouse@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @RAWmaterial33

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