SHS boys soccer team heads to state title game
SHS boys soccer team heads to state title game
Girls come up short in regional final
By Emory Rounds
Special to the Leader
Monday’s boys and girls soccer games for Scarborough High School were both close and ultimately only one team would survive the afternoon.
The margin of victory and defeat for each team in the Western Class A championships came down to just one goal – and for the boys it would mean topping an upset-minded seventh seeded Westbrook (11-4-3) team on a second half rebound kick by freshman Buddy Reid. For the girls it would mean the end of the season, as their own playoff run was closed out on a wind-lifted shot from forty yards out by Gorham’s (16-0-1) Molly Folan that just slipped under the top bar, out of reach for goalie Brittany Kane.
The win sends the number one ranked Scarborough boys (16-0-1) to a 1 p.m. state championship game on Nov. 4 at Windham High School, where they will face Bangor.
“This was a great game for both sides,” said Scarborough head coach Mark Diaz. “There was plenty of action and Westbrook came to play. The crowd here at home helped us a lot today. They kept us going, especially early in the second half.”
Westbrook had their chances early. With a little over 10 minutes remaining in the first half, the Blue Blazes’ Travis Rand cut a swath through Scarborough’s defenders, only to lift his shot just over the Scarborough net. Six minutes later, a yellow card penalty against Scarborough’s Cody Powers led to Brian Cooke lining up for a direct kick. Cooke’s shot blasted through Scarborough’s line of defenders, but was stopped by goalie Adam Blanchard. The Red Storm held on until the half and when time ran out there was still no score.
“They had two quality opportunities,” Diaz said. “We made a couple of mistakes and they almost capitalized.”
Despite coming out strong early in the second half, Scarborough still struggled with penetrating against a tough Westbrook defense that had already upset Kennebunk and Gorham in the playoffs.
Things finally broke with exactly 17 minutes left, when Cody Powers pushed the ball in tight with the net and Westbrook goalie Galen Perkins attempted to fall on it. Perkins could not quite cover the ball up and when it popped loose Reid was there, kicking a high, fast shot into the high part of the net. Reid’s goal would be all the boys needed, as Westbrook almost immediately began to fade following the shot and could not answer.
“We had good run up to the net and everyone was passing the ball,” Reid said. “I was fortunate enough to be there and put I it in. It feels great. We had a tough time getting started. Being able to go back to the state title game for a second straight year just means that we have some strong coaching and good players and good depth. That’s what you need to go more than once.”
Earlier in the afternoon, Scarborough’s (12-3-1) girls were not so lucky. The last vestiges of the howling winds that had plagued the area all weekend were still present and blowing from left to right, the gusts were strong enough to make playing against the wind difficult.
In the first half, both teams struggled to get out of midfield. The big break for the Red Storm came at 19:16 remaining, when sophomore Alex Pastore beat Gorham keeper Luci Pike with a low shot for what appeared to be the go-ahead score. Instead, the shot was called back because Pastore was offside. The Red Storm would never get closer to a lead.
“I just wanted to get out of the first half,” said Gorham head coach Jeanne Zarrilli. “We didn’t play well, Scarborough played an air-ball game, and with the wind behind them we were caught flat. We were miskicking and I just couldn’t wait for the half to end. Scarborough was causing us a lot of problems.”
The Rams came out in the second half on the attack. Shots by Nicole Robitaille at 37:35 and Kelsey Wilson at 37:05 were both snatched away on diving saves by Kane, who played brilliantly throughout the game for the Storm. Gorham continued to press the ball deep into Scarborough territory and at 34:38 Folan banged an outside shot from right to left near the sideline that was picked up by the wind and seemed to just lazily chip into the upper left hand corner of the Scarborough net for the 1-0 lead.
“I am pretty good at long kicks,” Folan said. “I just took some chances. They have a great goalie and after the first half when we had the wind against us, we were able to push through and play our game.”
The Red Storm had its own opportunities to bounce back. Back-to-back corners by Kate Pemberton at 20:52 and 20:20 were both batted aside by Gorham’s defense even though they landed right in front of the net. A minute later, and outside kick by Caitlin LeBorgne that was eerily similar to Folan’s goal just glanced the top of the Gorham net and bounced harmlessly overhead. Ultimately, Scarborough couldn’t beat down the Rams’ resolute defense and Folan’s lone score held up.
“Our game plan was to keep this game as close as we could,” said Scarborough head coach Mike Farley. “We knew that our chances of winning would go up the longer we kept it close. Eventually we got beat on a shot from 40 yards away. That’s the breaks sometimes. This team has beat us twice this year on some very good shots. Sometimes soccer is like that – you get one bad break and that’s the difference in the game.”
Girls come up short in regional final
By Emory Rounds
Special to the Leader
Monday’s boys and girls soccer games for Scarborough High School were both close and ultimately only one team would survive the afternoon.
The margin of victory and defeat for each team in the Western Class A championships came down to just one goal – and for the boys it would mean topping an upset-minded seventh seeded Westbrook (11-4-3) team on a second half rebound kick by freshman Buddy Reid. For the girls it would mean the end of the season, as their own playoff run was closed out on a wind-lifted shot from forty yards out by Gorham’s (16-0-1) Molly Folan that just slipped under the top bar, out of reach for goalie Brittany Kane.
The win sends the number one ranked Scarborough boys (16-0-1) to a 1 p.m. state championship game on Nov. 4 at Windham High School, where they will face Bangor.
“This was a great game for both sides,” said Scarborough head coach Mark Diaz. “There was plenty of action and Westbrook came to play. The crowd here at home helped us a lot today. They kept us going, especially early in the second half.”
Westbrook had their chances early. With a little over 10 minutes remaining in the first half, the Blue Blazes’ Travis Rand cut a swath through Scarborough’s defenders, only to lift his shot just over the Scarborough net. Six minutes later, a yellow card penalty against Scarborough’s Cody Powers led to Brian Cooke lining up for a direct kick. Cooke’s shot blasted through Scarborough’s line of defenders, but was stopped by goalie Adam Blanchard. The Red Storm held on until the half and when time ran out there was still no score.
“They had two quality opportunities,” Diaz said. “We made a couple of mistakes and they almost capitalized.”
Despite coming out strong early in the second half, Scarborough still struggled with penetrating against a tough Westbrook defense that had already upset Kennebunk and Gorham in the playoffs.
Things finally broke with exactly 17 minutes left, when Cody Powers pushed the ball in tight with the net and Westbrook goalie Galen Perkins attempted to fall on it. Perkins could not quite cover the ball up and when it popped loose Reid was there, kicking a high, fast shot into the high part of the net. Reid’s goal would be all the boys needed, as Westbrook almost immediately began to fade following the shot and could not answer.
“We had good run up to the net and everyone was passing the ball,” Reid said. “I was fortunate enough to be there and put I it in. It feels great. We had a tough time getting started. Being able to go back to the state title game for a second straight year just means that we have some strong coaching and good players and good depth. That’s what you need to go more than once.”
Earlier in the afternoon, Scarborough’s (12-3-1) girls were not so lucky. The last vestiges of the howling winds that had plagued the area all weekend were still present and blowing from left to right, the gusts were strong enough to make playing against the wind difficult.
In the first half, both teams struggled to get out of midfield. The big break for the Red Storm came at 19:16 remaining, when sophomore Alex Pastore beat Gorham keeper Luci Pike with a low shot for what appeared to be the go-ahead score. Instead, the shot was called back because Pastore was offside. The Red Storm would never get closer to a lead.
“I just wanted to get out of the first half,” said Gorham head coach Jeanne Zarrilli. “We didn’t play well, Scarborough played an air-ball game, and with the wind behind them we were caught flat. We were miskicking and I just couldn’t wait for the half to end. Scarborough was causing us a lot of problems.”
The Rams came out in the second half on the attack. Shots by Nicole Robitaille at 37:35 and Kelsey Wilson at 37:05 were both snatched away on diving saves by Kane, who played brilliantly throughout the game for the Storm. Gorham continued to press the ball deep into Scarborough territory and at 34:38 Folan banged an outside shot from right to left near the sideline that was picked up by the wind and seemed to just lazily chip into the upper left hand corner of the Scarborough net for the 1-0 lead.
“I am pretty good at long kicks,” Folan said. “I just took some chances. They have a great goalie and after the first half when we had the wind against us, we were able to push through and play our game.”
The Red Storm had its own opportunities to bounce back. Back-to-back corners by Kate Pemberton at 20:52 and 20:20 were both batted aside by Gorham’s defense even though they landed right in front of the net. A minute later, and outside kick by Caitlin LeBorgne that was eerily similar to Folan’s goal just glanced the top of the Gorham net and bounced harmlessly overhead. Ultimately, Scarborough couldn’t beat down the Rams’ resolute defense and Folan’s lone score held up.
“Our game plan was to keep this game as close as we could,” said Scarborough head coach Mike Farley. “We knew that our chances of winning would go up the longer we kept it close. Eventually we got beat on a shot from 40 yards away. That’s the breaks sometimes. This team has beat us twice this year on some very good shots. Sometimes soccer is like that – you get one bad break and that’s the difference in the game.”
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