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HAMPDEN – The rivalry between the Hampden and Bangor boys soccer teams is one of the fiercest around.
Add in the lure of all-important Heal Points, and Thursday night’s game at the Weatherbee Complex took on even more importance.
Both teams will gain something from the 1-1 double-overtime tie, but neither was really pleased with how things ended.
“It’s such a tight points race because not many teams in this league are worth a lot of points, but Bangor is,” said Hampden fullback Bennett Chabot. “We had chances, but both teams played real hard. Everybody wanted to win.”
The Rams were also seeking a win after the Broncos earned a 3-2 victory in the teams’ first meeting this season. It was the only loss this year for Bangor, which is now 9-1-1.
“A tie isn’t what we wanted,” said Bangor fullback Ben Dixon. “We wanted a win. But we’ll take a tie.”
Hampden, now 9-0-1, drew the first score Thursday in front of a large, vocal Homecoming Week crowd.
About eight minutes into the game, Alex Reynolds started a run up the right sideline and passed the ball up to Keith Zanardi, who tapped the ball across to Jay Uhrin at the left post. Zanardi’s pass drew Bangor goalie Jessefa Murphy to the right, which left things wide open for Uhrin to tap it in.
The Rams didn’t take long to bounce back. About 51/2 minutes after Uhrin’s goal, Bangor’s Dylan George stuck a corner kick in front of the Hampden goal. Caique Lopes settled the ball and passed it to Adam Towne, who kicked it in.
The teams went back and forth and both had good chances, but the defenses and goalies held up.
Hampden’s Martin Earley, who has 13 goals this year, took a hard shot with 20 seconds left in regulation, but the ball went wide of the goal. The Broncos had a 9-6 edge in first-half shots.
“One of our trademarks is our endurance, and I think that shows up late in games,” Chabot said. “As long as we keep [communicating], most teams can’t keep up.”
Bangor needed to play especially tough defense as Murphy left the game in the first half with a knee injury, one of several injuries for both teams.
Third-string ‘keeper Aaron Taft – first backup Austin Smith has been nursing a back injury and the Rams use him as a starting midfielder anyway – had played most of a recent game against Nokomis of Newport but had never been in a pressure situation such as Thursday’s.
The Rams were pleased with how Taft held up.
“He was clutch,” Dixon said. “He came in and stepped up in a big game. We really had to protect him.”
Murphy and Taft combined to make 12 saves on 19 shots. Hampden goalie Max Silver stopped nine of 14 shots.
The Broncos were trying to keep a tight mark on Bangor forward George, who has 20 goals and five assists this season.
“We know to talk on ‘D’ and we can shut them down,” Chabot said.
JV: Hampden 2-0
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