Farrell, Winslow hold off Bucks Defending champs prevail in overtime

WINSLOW – The drive toward this year’s state Class B final has been all about defense for the Winslow girls soccer team.

With Saturday’s 1-0 overtime survival of Bucksport in the Eastern Maine final, the Black Raiders have yet to allow a goal in four postseason contests.

And now they are in position for the ultimate defense, that of the state championship they won a year ago.

“I’m definitely relieved,” said Winslow senior goalie Bethany Rodrigue, whose 12th shutout of the season was aided by a crossbar and a resilient Winslow defensive corps that withstood significant Bucksport pressure throughout regulation play.

“Actually, I think we’re a pretty balanced team. Sometimes the offense steps up, and sometimes the defense steps up. I think both the offense and defense have stepped up in the playoffs.”

Winslow, 17-1, will face Western B champion Falmouth in next Saturday’s state championship game. Falmouth, 15-1-2, topped Wiscasset 2-0 in its regional final.

Winslow features five seniors and five juniors back from its undefeated 2000 title team. But it was a pair of freshmen one year removed from the junior high ranks who combined on the game-winning goal with 2:57 left in the first overtime.

Winger Amanda Byrne gained possession about 35 yards out on the right wing and lofted a ball to the goal crease. The ball glanced off a Bucksport defender and right to Nicole Farrell, who eluded Golden Bucks goalie Jana Richards (five saves) and was left with an uncontested shot.

“My coach [Scott Wood] is always getting on me because when I get the ball in that situation, I usually make my first step to the outside,” said Byrne, whose similar centering pass had set up the game-winning goal in Winslow’s 1-0 semifinal win over Fort Kent. “This time I finally made my first step inside, and it was like, ‘Miracles do happen,’ and I was able to get it to the box cleanly.”

Farrell had little left to do but establish possession and direct the ball into the open net.

“Coach told us we weren’t going to get many good chances to score,” Farrell said, “So it was important we made the most of the ones we got.”

For Bucksport, it was a frustrating end to a strong performance and a strong season.

“It’s been one of our weaknesses this year, giving up some soft goals,” said Golden Bucks coach Jack Gordon, whose team graduates just one senior. “We played well, but we didn’t clean things up on that play.”

Indeed, the Golden Bucks, 14-2-2, did have more of the high-quality scoring chances during regulation time, outshooting Winslow 12-8 during that span.

But when Rodrigue (six saves) wasn’t in position, other elements came into play.

Bucksport’s best chance came midway through the first half, when junior Jessie Taylor took a lead pass from classmate Ashley McAllian and rocketed a shot from 25 yards out that sailed over Rodrigue’s reach – only to strike the very bottom of the crossbar and bounce down just in front of the goal line.

“When it went past I thought, ‘Oh my God,’ ” said Rodrigue. “But then I heard the thud, and I knew it hit something. I looked back and it was bouncing the other way. I said to myself, ‘Thank you.’ ”

Taylor and junior Brittany Damon each tested Rodrigue with low shots later in the half, but each time the Winslow goalie came up big.

“At the half I thought it should have been 1-0, and we could have had a couple with the quality scoring chances we had,” said Gordon. “Not to take anything away from Winslow, but we played well enough to win.”