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Clark Cole received two meaningful phone calls this weekend as news spread of his Bangor Christian girls soccer team’s 4-2 win over Lee Friday afternoon.
One came from David Palmer, the former coach of the Patriots, congratulating Cole and the team on recording the first win over the Pandas by an Eastern Maine team since 2000.
The other caller? Lee athletic director Randy Harris, who wanted to offer his congratulations after Bangor Christian halted Lee’s 87-game winning streak against Eastern Maine teams.
“He just wanted to congratulate me,” said Cole, who has gotten to know Harris through different sports over the years. “He said the girls played well. … To these girls, [the win] was big.”
Three days later, the 3-0 Patriots got back to work Monday afternoon with renewed energy, but with the knowledge that they’re the team to beat for now.
“It was definitely exciting,” said sweeper Adrienne Ricci, the only senior on the team. “We know we can actually work together and win. But it was like, what’s going to happen after the win? Everybody’s going to go after us now.”
Lee’s last loss to an EM squad came against George Stevens of Blue Hill. The Eagles beat the Pandas 1-0 in the Class C semifinals on Oct. 24, 2000. Lee has also lost to Western Maine teams in the 2001, 2002 and 2004 Class D state title games.
Although the final outcome of the game was likely a shock for both teams, it may have been coming, especially this season. Bangor Christian had two wins, including a 4-0 victory over Central of Corinth, typically a strong Class C program, entering the game at Lee.
The Patriots have already scored 12 goals, including striker Morgan Chasse’s five. Chasse scored a goal against Lee.
Cole lauded his team’s defense, particularly goalie Mariah Bach and marking back Libbey Long, whose job it was to mark Lee’s Dana Houghton.
Houghton scored both Lee goals, one on a direct kick and the other on a scramble, but Cole was pleased nonetheless.
“Mariah made some great saves. Libbey rotated on defense and she played an awesome game,” Cole said. “… Libbey did a good job on Houghton. And we wanted to limit the chances for [Lee forward] Aarika Ritchie. That’s when Mariah came up big.”
Junior center midfielder Christin Pelletier, who captains the team along with Ricci and junior fullback Megan Murphy, said the young team showed it’s starting to work together.
“We’ve been communicating well,” she said. “We were really aggressive and we didn’t get intimidated. We didn’t back off.”
Cole credited the Pandas, who tied the game in the second half, with playing tough to the end.
“The Lee kids never gave up,” he said. “Quite frankly, they outplayed us for a portion of the second half.”
Lee’s Harris said the school hasn’t investigated whether or not another Maine school has had a longer soccer winning streak. But it’s reminiscent of recent runs earlier this decade by the Valley of Bingham boys basketball team, which posted 101 straight wins, and the Dexter field hockey team’s 62 straight wins.
As for the Pandas, they’re taking the loss in stride. Harris reminded his daughter, Brooke, that the Lee girls have won quite a few games over the years.
“I told her, she’s been involved in four state championships, I coached 25 years and I’ve never even been in a state game,” he said. “So they’re doing fine.”
The teams meet again Sept. 30 at Bangor Christian’s field.
“We’re going to have to play even harder than we did last game,” Ricci said.
New ‘Frace’ at Bapst
With his son, Evan Frace, busy with graduate school, longtime Hampden Academy and Central of Corinth coach Andy Frace has taken over his son’s post as John Bapst of Bangor boys soccer coach.
Andy Frace, who teaches psychology and sociology at Hampden, was happy to step in for his busy son.
“To be able to cover the schedule as a coach you really have to teach,” Andy Frace said. “He came to me and said he didn’t think he could do it. I said, no one’s going to blame you for not having enough time.”
Andy Frace has guided the Crusaders to a 3-0 record, including last Thursday’s 4-3 win over Class B powerhouse Ellsworth.
Frace coached Hampden from 1995 to 2003, winning Eastern Maine Class A titles in 1995 and 1998, and Central from 1987 to 1993.
He was also the Broncos’ head boys basketball coach for seven years and was the junior varsity girls basketball coach at John Bapst last year.
“[Coaching] is in my blood,” he said. “It’s what I love to do.”
MSCA now online
The Maine Soccer Coaches Association is now on the Internet.
MSCA president Mike Jeffrey worked this summer to develop the web site, which features forms for joining the MSCA and the national coaches’ association and nominating all-star players. There is also information about the Senior Bowl (Nov. 12), the process of compiling all-star teams and All-America and All-New England players, a calendar of events, and eventually, the list of regional all-stars.
The site can be viewed at www.mainesoccercoaches.com.
Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.
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