Willy Burdick doesn’t get to shoot much for the Waynflete boys’ soccer team, but he made the most of the only shot he took Saturday afternoon.

Burdick, who plays at the back of the Waynflete formation, scored from 40 yards to propel the Flyers to a 1-0 win against North Yarmouth Academy.

Burdick’s first goal of the season, which came with less than nine minutes remaining, lifted Waynflete into third place in the Class C South Heal point standings.

“It’s a huge win for us, a real confidence builder,” Burdick said. “We’re playing really well right now.”

The teams entered the game with similar records – Waynflete improved to 8-2 and NYA is now 7-4 – and proved to be evenly matched. Waynflete had a 16-13 edge in shots and a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.

“Both defenses were good today,” NYA Coach Martyn Keen said. “When we did get a shot, we never quite got a clean shot off, and that made the difference. We didn’t connect when we got our chances, but I’m very satisfied with the way we played.”

Burdick’s goal came moments after the Flyers took a free kick.

“I had the ball a couple times in the middle of the field and I have a good shot, I think,” Burdick said. “That was the third time I got in the middle, and I struck it and hoped for the best, and it went very well.”

NYA’s Zack Woods, who had been covering the near post on the direct kick, had to run to the other side of the goal mouth in an attempt to stop Burdick’s shot, which went into the top corner just beyond the reach of the leaping keeper.

“Right when it left my foot, it looked pretty good,” Burdick said. “It was just a matter of whether the goalie got there or not. It ended up being in a very good spot.”

Burdick, a senior who sometimes comes forward to take direct kicks, scored two goals in a home game against NYA last year.

“For some reason, I usually play well against NYA,” he said. “It’s a great team to play against. They’re a good team.”

In the first half, Woods leaped to his left to bat the ball away after Cullen Bollinger took a shot from 15 yards while moving through three defenders.

Moments later, Waynflete goalie Milo Belleau made a diving save against Thomas Pitts from 10 yards out.

Both keepers also stopped breakaways in the second half. Belleau finished with 10 saves to post his sixth shutout of the season.

It was the fifth consecutive win for the Flyers, who dropped a 2-0 decision to NYA on Sept. 21.

“It was two very even teams, and it wouldn’t surprise me if we played a third (time),” Keen said.

“I do honestly believe, without disparaging anyone else, that these are the two best teams in Class C South.”

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