BANGOR – When Andrea Milocco showed up at the Bangor boys soccer team’s first practices, coach Adam Leach wasn’t sure what to make of the exchange student from Udine, Italy.

Sure, he could play soccer. But did he have the skills to start for the Rams?

Leach got his answer Tuesday night against Class A rival Hampden Academy. It was Milocco’s shot at the Broncos’ net with 2:28 left in the game that allowed sophomore Jeff Oertel to kick in the rebound for the game-winning goal into the empty right side of the goal, giving the Rams a 2-1 victory at the Bangor High field.

Bangor is now 1-0-1 and Hampden is 1-1.

Oertel’s goal broke a 1-1 tie that had stood since the 20:01 mark of the first half, when Hampden’s standout forward Derek Rodgerson took a pass from Sean Tardif, dribbled by a defender and booted the ball into the net.

Milocco scored the first goal 28 seconds into the game when he shot a Jim Shea pass into the left corner of the net.

“At first we weren’t impressed with him,” Leach said. “He had a good touch on the ball, but once we started him we knew he could play. He’s got an idea of what to do with the ball inside the 18 [yard line].”

Rodgerson’s score was really the only defensive letdown for the Rams. But even Leach was in awe of the goal.

“If you noticed, there was a defender all over [Richardson] right here,” Leach said, pointing to a spot about 35 yards away from the goal. “The rest of it was all him. It was pure athleticism.”

Rodgerson got off a few runs in the first half but was quiet in the second. And the Broncos weren’t able to control the midfield, which allowed Bangor’s midfielders to create chances for their forwards.

“We have other kids who can score, of course,” Hampden coach Andy Frace said. “In a game like this it comes down to the breaks of the game. Sooner or later there was going to be a breakthrough.”

Both teams had several good scoring opportunities, which was where goalkeepers Nick Loukes of Bangor and Jon McBee of Hampden came into play.

Loukes stopped eight of the 15 shots he faced while McBee made seven saves on 20 shots. McBee faced several tough shots, including a well-placed direct kick by Bangor midfielder Jay Jeffrey 8:43 into the second half.

“[Goalkeeping] was definitely a big part,” Loukes said. “[He] had a lot of k saves for them that kept them in it.”

Leach said the win is a boost for the Rams in terms of Heal Points as well as confidence. Milocco thinks Bangor can play even better.

“In some parts of the game we played better than Hampden,” he said. “We played [well]. But I think we can play better.”

JV: Hampden 1, Bangor 1 (2OT)