Falmouth blanks Eagles for crown Underclassmen spark Yachtsmen

LEWISTON – This year’s Falmouth boys soccer team bore little resemblance to last year’s after so many seniors graduated from the 2006 Class B state championship squad, but the end result was still the same.

Despite starting several freshmen and sophomores, the Yachtsmen continued to add to their state title pedigree Monday night with a convincing 3-0 victory over Ellsworth at Roux Field.

“We were a veteran team last year with big, strong kids and this was a young team and a work in progress all season long,” said head coach David Halligan, who is now 8-for-8 in state championship game appearances in his 29-year tenure.

With Falmouth’s fifth state title since 2000, the work – at least for this season – appears to be done.

Sophomore midfielder Kyle Lucas started things off for the 14-3-1 Yachtsmen by scoring on a hard kick to the left corner off a direct from the right side and near the 18 with 13 minutes, 25 seconds elapsed in the first half.

“I saw the goalie and a couple players running in, so I went far post and put a lot of curve on it, and I don’t think the goalie expected it,” said Lucas. “I think he thought it was going wide, but it hit the post and went in.”

Rather than sound the death knell for the Eagles, Falmouth’s first goal seemed to invigorate them.

“That actually motivated us to play better. They scored, but after that we took play to their end a lot and had chances, so I couldn’t be much more pleased,” said Ellsworth coach Brian Higgins. “We just couldn’t do much in front there on their goalie and we could have used a couple more bounces.”

Falmouth’s second goal came with 29:27 left in the second half and Lucas again had a hand – as well as a foot – in it.

Lucas’ throw-in from near the right corner bounced into area at the center of the net about 10 yards out. The ball went off several players before Lucas tried to flick it in. Ellsworth goalie Greg Berry deflected the ball back out, but it went right to sophomore forward Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, who headed it into the top left side of the net before Berry could track it down.

“That probably was the killer. You can get a lucky goal and tie it up 1-1 and then maybe take your chances, but getting down 2-0 in a state game, that’s tough,” said Higgins.

The Yachtsmen made it 3-0 on a pretty, bang-bang play with 16:52 left engineered by two freshmen.

Forward Sam White scored with a hard shot from about 20 yards out to the left side of the net off a hard pass from fellow forward Michael Bloom, who was stationed about 40 yards away near the right sideline.

“I was real pleased with my younger players. You could really see the talent and skill level they have on that play,” Halligan said. “Our inexperience showed in the first half with nerves, but once we settled in and controlled the ball, we were fine.”

Junior goalkeeper Adam Lamoureux made five saves on six Ellsworth shots to earn the shutout.

Berry turned aside seven of 10 shots before giving way to freshman goalie Jordan Carter, who faced one shot without having to make a save in the final 10 minutes.