Tough defense paces Riots by Hampden 1-0

HAMPDEN – The Orono Red Riots have had to make a couple of major adjustments already this season, with a new coach at the helm and a new style of play on the field.

It wasn’t a wonder that a simple halftime adjustment proved to be no problem for the Riots.

By stepping up the defensive pressure on Hampden Academy’s fullbacks in the second half, the Red Riots went on to post a 1-0 schoolboy soccer victory over the host Broncos here Tuesday afternoon.

The victory moved the Riots, under first-year coach Charlie Carroll, to 6-1 on the season. Hampden fell to 2-4, having suffered its third one-goal defeat.

After David Montcastle’s first-half goal staked the Riots to a 1-0 lead, the Riots decided to turn up the defensive pressure at halftime, slowing the Broncos transition game as the fullbacks tried to move the ball up the field.

“I told them at halftime we had to pressure the backs,” Carroll said. “We tried to shut down entire sides of the field. We’ve gone to a whole new style of play with a lot of short balls. We’ve got a whole new defensive look, but the kids have taken it well.”

Orono players Nate Garwood, Jonas Carlson, and Paul Montcastle helped spearhead the pressure on Hampden’s fullbacks with anticipation and hustle.

“Both teams are really skilled, but we had that letdown in the first half,” said HA boss Pedro Quint. “If we hadn’t had that letdown on that one play, it might have been a different outcome.”

Instead, that one play – in which Montcastle headed in a ball from Garwood with 26:05 left in the first half – gave the Riots the lead.

“He just wasn’t marked,” Quint sighed. “Boy, didn’t that happen quick.”

Orono junior goalkeeper Mark Thibodeau (four saves on five shots) preserved the victory with 45 seconds left when HA’s Jeff Carson lofted a shot on goal.

Thibodeau, leaping backward toward the goalmouth, extended just enough to slap the ball away, keeping the shutout intact.

He iced the win in the final seconds when he leaped into a crowd and slapped a Hampden cross out of the zone.

It was Thibodeau’s fourth shutout in seven games.

“He made some great saves,” Quint said. “If he hadn’t gotten to (Carson’s shot), we would have tied it.”

For Hampden, Matt Polo and Matt Johnson helped the Broncos in the midfield area while fullbacks K.C. Cuddy and David McQuilkin took turns in shutting down Orono’s foreign exchange student, Diego Noriega.

Hampden goalkeeper Craig Carson stopped nine of the 10 shots he faced.