Gorham shuts out Winslow

NORTHPORT – It’s been 17 years since the Gorham girls soccer team played for a state championship, but the Rams looked as experienced as ever in Saturday’s Class B state title game.

Gorham took advantage of the wind early and got two first-half goals from Kelsey Wilson for a 2-0 victory over Eastern Maine champion Winslow at the Point Lookout field.

The Rams, runner-up for the Class A state title in 1987, wrapped up with a 14-2-2 record, while the Black Raiders, who were making their first appearance in a state championship since 2001 and third in five years, fell to 14-2-2 to finish the season.

Winning the Western Maine and state titles have been exciting, but the Rams felt the seeds of Saturday’s win can be traced to a 3-2 overtime win against rival Falmouth in the semifinals. The Yachtsmen had knocked Gorham out of the last three postseasons.

“That was a huge turning point in the season, and it showed us we could win any game and we have the heart to make it through,” Wilson said.

The opening coin toss was key as a strong wind whipped the length of the field. Gorham won its choice of direction, and picked the wind.

The Rams were definitely hoping to take advantage and played with all 10 field players in the Winslow defensive half of the field.

“We have a really strong defense and we pressure the ball, so we all move up,” senior defender Ashley Wood said.

And it didn’t take long, either. Wilson, a sophomore, blasted a 35-foot shot with her left foot past Winslow goalie Hannah Brazier nine minutes, 19 seconds into the game.

The Rams outshot the Black Raiders 8-1 in the first half, and Wilson capitalized again with 2:52 left. She headed in a Shannon Martin corner kick.

“We started out quicker and faster,” Wilson said. “I thought that was the key for most of the game.”

The Rams kept a close eye on Winslow striker Brittany Morin, who led the Raiders with 28 goals this year. Wood drew the marking assignment on Morin.

“My coach said she was pretty fast and good with her feet,” Wood said. “I just stayed with her and tried to beat her to the ball.”

Winslow had the wind in the second half and outshot Gorham 5-2 but just couldn’t get anything past Ram goalie Katie Guimond, who had three saves and gave up just three goals in four postseason games.

“We knew we were going to have to beat them to every single ball, but the big difference was with the wind at their back, they finished their shots,” Winslow senior Amanda Byrne said. “When we had momentum in the second half, they didn’t have the ball much, but we didn’t finish.”

Byrne, the stopper, marked striker Ashley Michaud, who had scored three of Gorham’s eight postseason goals going into Saturday’s game. But after Wilson’s two goals, Winslow coach Scott Wood shifted Byrne to center halfback so she could mark Wilson.

Brazier, a sophomore, finished with five saves. She had given up one goal, in the Eastern Maine final against Presque Isle, before Saturday’s game.