The object of any game is to leave all your efforts out on the field and hope that it is rewarded with a victory. Although, when you’re playing for something that has meaning, those efforts become more than just trying to win a game, they become a reason to win a game.
Beyond any ordinary trophy, The McDougall Cup is played for in the honor of former Freeport High School goalie Sean McDougall, who graduated from Freeport in 1995 and went on to play for West Virginia Wesleyan College. His dream was to become a soccer coach and that dream started when he became the assistant coach for NYA in the fall of 1999.
Just one year later, McDougall lost his life at sea. Both Freeport and NYA developed a friendly competition that the victor of the yearly contest would take home a trophy that, as the trophy states, remembers, “Sean’s passion and spirit for the game of soccer.”
The Game
The 2014 season marks the 15th year of this friendly competition between the teams, with NYA (5-3-1) taking home the trophy nine times over the duration, with the Falcons ( 2- 6- 1) holding it from 2007-2011.
The struggling Falcons had all the more reason to want that trophy, and they expressed that on the field, dominating play to a 3- 0 Western Maine Conference win over the Panthers.
“I was fortunate to have met Sean,” said Falcons coach Joe Heathco. “(McDougall’s story) had a little more personal meaning to us, so winning the cup is a big deal and I think it’s a special thing to have in our rivalry with NYA.”
Little action was seen through the first 15 minutes of the game, but Freeport came knocking.
With 24 minutes left to play, the Falcons found themselves in a corner kick situation to which the ball threatened to cross the goal line until the Panthers defense managed to clear it up field.
The first quality scoring chance for NYA came seven minutes later when DJ Nichols fired a shot off the bottom half of the cross bar and out of the reach of Falcons goalie Brendan Qualls, but defender Josiah Otis killed the threat and kept the score knotted at zero.
Three minutes remained in the first half when Falcon Jack Davenport received a throughball from Nate Smail and blasted it into the right corner pocket to put Freeport up 1-0 going into the second half.
Both teams had equal chances offensively in the first half as the Falcons took 10 shots on net to the Panthers six.
Later, as the second half rolled on, Freeport pushed ahead with 25 minutes left to play, scoring its second goal of the game.
Smail fired a shot off Panthers goalie Clayton Manchester with the rebound collected by Caleb Abbott who pushed it up to Josh Spaulding for the finishing header.
The rest of the game was all Falcons as Davenport struck again for his second goal eight minutes later, receiving a pass from Kyle Rosado and tucking it in the cage with no time to react for Manchester and the Panthers defense, putting Freeport up, 3-0.
The McDougall Cup returns to Freeport for the first time in three years and Davenport said that it was no small feat.
“ We were going for The McDougall Cup and that’s pretty big,” he said. “Once we scored the first (goal) we got really into it.”
“In the second half of the season we played well in the first half, but in the second half we just couldn’t get results,” Heathco said. “But for us to get a couple of results now in a row, that means a lot.”
Though this marks only the second win for the Falcons this season, both Davenport and Heathco believe they can make a run down the road.
“We’ve been working on our offense a lot in practice,” Davenport said. “And I think we’re going on the right track, I really think we have a chance to make playoffs this year.”
“We’ve known that we’re a good team,” Heathco said. “It’s just taking that next step of getting out in front like we did today, and staying relaxed and composed enough to get our chances.”
The win over NYA was enough to push Freeport into 10th place in the Heal Point Standings, the final playoff spot in Western Class B.
With match-ups left against higher-ranked Poland and Class A West Falmouth, the Falcons have their work cut out for them, but for now winning The McDougall Cup is a moment that Heathco is proud of.
“I’m thrilled about (winning the cup) regardless about what else is happening with our season.” he said.
Freeport 3, NYA 0
Freeport High School
NYA — 0 0 — 0
Freeport — 1 2 — 3
Goals — (F) Jack Davenport 2, Josh Spaulding. Assists — (F) Nate Smail, Caleb Abbott, Kyle
Rosado.
Shots — Freeport 15, NYA 13.
Saves — (F) Brendan Qualls 5, (NYA) Clayton
Manchester 4.
Corner kicks — Freeport 5, NYA 2.
Up next for Falcons — Wednesday at Poland,
3:30 p.m.
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