WATERVILLE — The McNally Senior All-Star Field Hockey Game has always been close and competitive. Eventually, there was bound to be a game that wasn’t.

Saturday afternoon’s game at Colby College was well-played on both sides, but the East had far too much talent. East Most Valuable Player Kristy Bernatchez of Messalonskee scored an early goal and the East cruised to a 3-0 victory.

Additional Photos

AN ALL-STAR CAST: Recent Messalonskee High School graduate Kristy Bernatchez, playing for the East squad, tries to put a shot on the West's goalie Patty Smith of Gorham High School while being defended by Falmouth High School's Sarah Sparks, right, during the annual McNally Senior All-Star Field Hockey game on Saturday at Colby College in Waterville. Bernatchez plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this fall. Photo by Jeff Pouland

A SHOOTING ALL-STAR: Recent Skowhegan Area High School graduate Sarah Finnemore, playing for the East squad, puts a shot just wide of the West's goalie Patty Smith of Gorham High School during the annual McNally Senior All-Star Field Hockey game on Saturday at Colby College in Waterville. Finnemore plans to attend Harvard University this fall. Photo by Jeff Pouland

The East roster was so deep that its other two goals came from unexpected places. The West kept Skowhegan’s Makaela Michonski, John Bapst’s Elise Tilton, and Skowhegan’s Sarah Finnemore — three players who scored a combined 106 goals last fall — off the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, Foxcroft’s Monica Miles, who scored seven goals and had four assists as a senior, contributed a goal and an assist to the East’s win, while Winslow’s Jenn Poulin also had a goal.
Bernatchez, who was named Miss Maine Field Hockey last fall and will play at the University of North Carolina this season, dazzled with her stick-handling in the opening minutes. Her goal came on a penalty corner, when she faked out two defenders at the top of the circle and drove a sizzling shot into the left corner of the cage.

Miles added an unassisted goal with about 17 minutes left in the half for a 2-0 East lead at the break. Poulin’s goal came when she deflected in a hard outside shot by Miles.

“It was a corner,” Poulin said. “She just took a big hit, and I tipped it, and it went right in the corner.”

Former Belfast goalie Julia Ward, who is playing at Lehigh this fall, got the shutout for the East but didn’t have many chances to show her stuff. Gorham’s Patty Smith gave up two goals in the first half, but also made seven saves. Fryeburg’s Ellen Bacchiocchi had a couple nice offensive rushes down the right side in the first half for the West. Back Sarah Sparks of Falmouth was named the West’s MVP for her play in the backfield.

There was an emotional moment at halftime, as former University of Maine field hockey coach Terry Kix spoke to the crowd. Krista Chase, past president of the Maine Field Hockey Association, announced before the game that proceeds were going to the Maine Cancer Foundation in honor of Kix, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 stomach cancer in November.

The event raised $2,500 for the Maine Cancer Foundation. After MFHA president Katie Thompson thanked Kix for her service to Maine athletes and coaches, Kix spoke herself.

“I personally challenge every one of you to go out and touch someone’s life who has cancer,” Kix said. “Whether it’s bringing them a nice meal, writing them an inspirational note, (or) going and visiting. Because if you give a cancer patient hope, anything’s possible.

“I stand before you with not a good diagnosis, but because of a lot of love, a lot of great people, a lot of courage, and the will to live, anything is possible.”

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243
mdifilippo@mainetoday.com

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