Windham's title hopes end with 1-0 loss at
Scarborough
High
School Soccer - Boys Varsity
November 4, 2009
Adam Szklany collects
the ball in the Scarborough Penalty area in the
first half.
Scarborough ME: The
top seeded Scarborough boys soccer team defeated
Windham 1-0 9:10 into overtime of the Class A
Western Maine Final.
Scarborough dominated
the game and the scoreboard recording a 6-0 win the
first time the teams met at Windham in early
October. This game was completely different. Windham
shut down the high scoring Red Storm attack only
allowing five shots on goal in the first half.
Patrick Ciez takes on
two Scarborough defenders in the first half.
Windham coach Paul
Baber said, “We felt like we defended too deep and
too often the first time we played them. We wanted
to be brave and really go at them and make them
defend us. The best form of defense is offense! We
wanted to make the game fast paced and a battle. We
did not want them to get time to settle the ball and
string passes together. I feel our tactics worked
well and that all of our players stepped up and
played like Champions.”
Matt Coffee crosses
the ball in the first half.
Windham accomplished
most of their goals on Wednesday night. Windham
outplayed Scarborough for most of the game. They
constantly pressured Scarborough attackers and
countered quickly when they won the ball.
Scarborough, who had averaged five goals per game
this season, did not score through the first 89
minutes of play.
Windham Keeper Nick
Taylor stays on the ground after Scarborough scores
the game winner in overtime.
That changed 9:10 into
the overtime period when Chase Beech centered the
ball to Nate Tolman near the 18 yard line who made a
sideways touch and fired the ball low and on target.
Windham Keeper Nick Taylor was going the other way.
He made a great effort to reverse directions for a
diving save attempt. The ball skipped into the back
of the net and the Scarborough players leaped in
celebration. Several Windham players including
Taylor lay on the ground.
Windham breaks from
their final postgame huddle of the season.
The look on the
Windham players’ faces was of disappointment. Baber
walked out on the field to pick his players up. He
gathered them into their traditional postgame team
huddle on the field. When asked if he minded sharing
what he said to them Baber said, “I congratulated
all players on their play. We thanked the seniors
for this year’s efforts. I told the team how proud
the coaching staff is of them and how proud they
should feel for their fantastic season. We finished
with saying that we have now set a standard that
needs to be carried on next year and the years to
come!”
Windham's season is
over but the future of the program is bright.
This was the WHS boys
soccer team’s first trip to the Western Maine Finals
since 2000 where Cheverus ended that teams State
title dream. It was a long nine years for the boys
program but don’t expect another drought anytime
soon. Baber said, “We have some good young guys
coming through, some good JV players that will need
to step up, so overall we are happy with how we look
for next year. The most important thing will be to
believe in ourselves again and to all work hard and
from the same page!”
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team to
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|
| |
1 |
2 |
OT |
Final |
|
Windham |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Scarborough |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
Windham
captain Adam Szklany holds up the
Western Maine runner up plaque.
Scarborough's Nate Tolman handles the
ball. Tolman scored the game winner in
overtime.
Matt
Coffee battles a Scarborough defender.
Adam
Szklany goes up for a header.
Windham
coach Paul Baber goes out to meet his
players at the end of the game.
Windham
players leaving the field after the
tremendous effort.
Windham's final postgame huddle of the
season.
Windham
coaches receive their Western Maine
runner up awards.
Windham's boys program has a bright
future.
Windham
coach Paul Baber and Keeper Nick Taylor.
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