BRUNSWICK – Mt. Ararat scored in the first half and Brunswick answered in the second Friday as the teams played to a 1-1 tie in a Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference schoolboy soccer game.

Dan Purinton scored in the first half for the Eagles (2-0-1). Mitchell Black got the second-half goal for the Dragons (1-0-2).

Mt. Ararat threatened 10 minutes into the game when Purinton sent Nate Santeramo in on a breakaway down the right side, but Santeramo’s shot from 20 yards was just over the crossbar as goalie Greg Walton came out to challenge.

They reversed roles two minutes later with success. Santeramo fed a charging Purinton, who drilled a shot along the ground just past a diving Walton into the far left corner.

“(Santeramo) went high and missed,” said Purinton, “so I decided to go low and slipped it under him.”

Good chances were scarce the rest of the game. Goalie Gabe Pelletier of Mt. Ararat grabbed a Jimmy Kenyon header before Black shot wide left, and Purinton just missed connecting with a header off a Joey Van Note throw-in.

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Purinton and Black were both denied in the opening minutes of the second half before Black converted a 20-yard direct kick at 7:59, ripping a shot over the wall of defenders and off the hands of Pelletier to tie it.

Black had a golden opportunity three minutes later, deflecting a Konnor Scarponi free kick just over the net from the left corner of the crease, and Walton robbed Ben Volk with a diving save at the other end.

Mt. Ararat had the better of play for the rest of regulation, but Walton was equal to the pressure, grabbing a Jason Tome header, punching out an Evan Whidden corner, and stopping Purinton, Alden Talbot and Tome before Talbot hit the crossbar off a corner kick.

The Eagles held a 13-7 shots advantage in regulation, but Brunswick had the best chances in overtime.

“We had some good chances on set pieces,” said Purinton, “but their defenders were very quick, and their goalie was aggressive and very good.”

“We knew they had a strong offense,” said Walton, “and we gave away too many one-on-ones, but I told our outside backs to drop back and take away their push-ups.”

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“We were tentative at times,” said Mt. Ararat Coach Rick Renaud, “but I thought we carried play in the second half.

“But these rivalry games are always tough, especially early. It’s not the talent that counts, it’s the emotion.”

“I thought it was a pretty even game,” said Brunswick Coach Peter Gardner. “Both teams have some strong forwards but there was definitely a difference in depth.

“We’re a little hesitant, but we have a lot of new bodies, and this is a new experience for them, and they have to gain confidence in each other. But the effort and will to do well are there.”


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