Year in and year out the Scarborough High School boys soccer team is one of the top teams in the state. Like many before it, this year’s squad has also been tabbed as “one of the teams to beat” and the Red Storm gave no reason to think otherwise after last Friday’s resounding 4-0 victory at Kennebunk.
Four goals – three in the final six minutes of the first half – gave Scarborough all the offense they needed and standout goalie Adam Blanchard turned away the few decent scoring chances the Rams had.
Senior forward Ian Philbrick netted the game’s first score with 29:57 left in the opening half to give the Storm what proved to be the game-winner. Scarborough added a three-goal flurry just before the half that cemented the win. Senior midfielder Ian Ramsdell gave the visitors a 2-0 lead with 5:30 left in the half. Junior forward Trevor Hoxsie made it 3-0 one minute later and Philbrick added his second goal of the contest to account for all the scoring.
Jim Soules had a pair of assists and Philbrick added an assist as well.
“I thought our effort was really good today,” said Scarborough coach Mark Diaz. “I thought we kept our composure – sometimes you come out first game of the year and try to do too much. I thought we moved the ball real nice.”
Scarborough might have blown the game wide open had it not been for some terrific play in net from Kennebunk goalkeeper Spencer Pope. The junior netminder made several big saves to keep the Rams in the game.
“We could have finished a little better, but you’ve got to give their keeper some credit. He made two or three fantastic saves,” said Diaz. “We wanted to get on the board early and get a good lead hopefully and get a chance to get different players (into the game). We were fortunate to get those goals quick and things kind of fell into place.”
Scarborough controlled play in the second half, but the Storm was unable to add to their lead. Kennebunk continued to push the ball when they had a chance and they pressured the Storm defense on a couple of occasions.
“We had a couple lapses in the back,” Diaz said about some of the Storm’s defensive play in the late going. “I know Kennebunk is missing a couple of guys, so we’re not taking this win like it makes us something special. It doesn’t. We have to get better, but for a first game, to win 4-0, you’ve got to be happy with that.”
Scarborough was scheduled to host Gorham on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.
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