Late goal gives Bangor a spark Lightning ends game with 13:05 left

HAMPDEN – Always a highly charged Eastern Maine Class A rivalry, Tuesday night’s Bangor-Hampden boys soccer game was downright electric.

In the seconds after a bolt of lightning stabbed the dark sky above the Weatherbee School complex, midfielder Matt Larochelle scored an insurance goal to give the Rams a 3-1 victory in the mutual season opener.

The game was stopped with 13:05 left in the second half, just after a second flash of lightning. After a 15-minute wait-and-see period, the storm continued and the rain picked up. The officials called it at that point.

The game became official at halftime, Hampden athletic director Tim Reed said.

Not only was it a season-opening win for Bangor, but it’s also a huge victory for the Rams at this point in the year.

“That’s big,” said Rams coach Adam Leach. “The past couple of years we’ve been a poor road team and a dominant home team. To get a win on the road gives us the upper hand. It puts the pressure on them.”

Larochelle’s goal – and the lightning – was just what Bangor needed. Hampden (0-1) had already cut the Rams’ lead to 2-1, and the Bronco offense was surging.

Despite all the shots Hampden took, it was a direct kick by Bronco midfielder Jake Cohen from about 25 yards out that sailed into the goal, past Bangor ‘keeper Payson Nichols.

“I think we were just trying to pick up the intensity,” said Matt Moretti, a Hampden senior striker. “We started passing more and not hitting the long ball as much.”

Although Larochelle’s goal, which came off a cross from Ryan Jeffrey, gave Bangor some breathing room, the Rams were eager to get back on the field after the 15-minute break, which they spent in their yellow school bus.

“We were ready to come out and play,” said Larochelle, a junior. “We kept our focus.”

Moretti said the Broncos may have had trouble rallying – but they were eager to try.

“One goal, that’s not too hard to come back from,” he said. “Two goals is a lot different. … But if the game had kept going, I think we would have had a good chance.”

Bangor’s Jeff Oertel and Alex Chaiken combined on the Rams’ first-half goal, which started with a Oertel’s long indirect kick that bounced into the goal mouth and was pushed in by Chaiken.

The rain picked up in the second half and the Rams made it 2-0 when Matt Oliver kicked in a straight shot from about the 18-yard line.

“There certainly weren’t a lot of what you’d call well-orchestrated goals,” Leach said. “But I really think both teams put on the pressure. Alex was down there for our goal, and they had a guy in our goalie’s face for theirs.”

Nichols finished with seven saves on 14 shots, while Libby made three saves on 13 shots.