CUMBERLAND – Gavin Collins scored twice in 1:30 early in the first half Tuesday and Greely went on to a 5-1 victory against North Yarmouth Academy in a Western Maine Conference schoolboy soccer game.
Collins scored off a free kick awarded directly in front of the Panthers’ goal about 19 yards out after Matt Crowley was fouled 11 minutes into the game.
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His second goal turned out to be a gift when an attempted cross ricocheted and left Collins with an open net.
“I expected them to jump as a wall (on the free kick) so I just put it underneath it and spun it to the right and it turned out well,” said Collins.
“The second one, I was just in the right place at the right time. I just made a run up the left and Matt (Ricker) made a very good ball across the goal.”
Collins’ performance continued to display what has become a very balanced Greely (7-5-1) offense. The two-goal game marked only the third time a Greely player has scored more than one in a game this season. Collins and Aidan Black each scored twice in a 9-0 victory against Lake Region last week.
“We’re balanced in the fact that we don’t have a guy that teams know they have to stop and that’s kind of nice in a way,” said Rangers Coach Mike Andreasen. “Really, no one can key in on one player.
“What’s really carried us is our defense. They give up really very few opportunities and our goalie (Elijah Leverett) has played just fantastic as of late.”
Ted Hart connected on a corner kick to make it 3-0 before the midway point of the half, leaving the Panthers staring at a huge deficit.
Things got worse for NYA when the Rangers scored twice more in quick succession early in the second half to build a 5-0 lead.
“Luckily the second half was kind of the same as the first half,” said Andreasen. “We got two quick ones and then played the string out.”
Ricker started the Rangers’ second outburst of the game when Collins sent him in alone off a free kick from midfield. Paul Witte added another 1:26 later.
“We just played really well right off the bat,” said Ricker, who finished with a goal and an assist for the Rangers. “I guess that kind of paid off and we just cruised the rest of the way.”
To North Yarmouth Academy’s credit, the players didn’t pack it in.
Midway through the second half and down by five, they mounted their best offensive pressure, putting together three quality chances in a seven-minute span. All three were turned aside by Leverett, who was forced to leave with just over 15 minutes remaining after colliding with D.J. Nicholas of the Panthers.
Andreasen said following the game that the injury wasn’t serious.
The Panthers (5-6-2) spoiled Greely’s shutout bid with five minutes remaining when Ryan Rousseau beat freshman keeper John Wright.
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