READFIELD — Freshman Eric LaBrie scored with less than three minutes left in the second overtime Wednesday night to lift No. 2 Yarmouth to a 3-2 win against top-seeded Maranacook in the Class B South boys’ soccer championship game at Maranacook Community High’s Gibson Field.
LaBrie slammed a shot from 25 yards under the crossbar after Luke Groothoff sent a long lead pass in between two defenders to end the marathon contest that lasted nearly 108 minutes.
Yarmouth, the defending state champion, will play North champion Erskine Academy for the state title at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
The Clippers and the previously unbeaten Black Bears, who don’t play each other during the regular season, played on nearly even terms.
At the end of regulation, each team had taken 13 shots. The Clippers held a 7-3 edge in shots in overtime.
“It was the toughest game we’ve had all year,” said Yarmouth Coach Mike Hagerty.
“We knew we were in for a fight, and it took us a while for us to wake up and fight back. It was a great character win.”
Goalie Cal Owen made eight saves for Yarmouth, and Justin Freeman made six saves for Maranacook.
Yarmouth opened the scoring 10 minutes into the game when Conor O’Donnell headed the ball in from just outside the goalie box following Matt Dostie’s corner kick.
The Clippers (15-1-1) held the lead for nearly 40 minutes.
Less than nine minutes into the second half, Jason Brooks headed in Sam Wilkinson’s corner kick for a 1-1 tie.
The Black Bears, who won back-to-back Class C state titles before moving up to Class B this season, took the lead when Kent Moeller put in a penalty kick during the 63rd minute. The PK was awarded when Max McQuillen was tripped up inside the penalty area on a partial breakaway.
“I thought they outplayed us for a good part of the second half,” Hagerty said.
“It was totally fitness,” said Maranacook Coach Don Beckwith of his team’s resurgence during the second half. “We don’t face very many tough teams, so we really grind it out during practice to get ready for games like this.”
After falling behind, Yarmouth switched to a more offense-oriented formation.
“We brought an extra body forward, and it helped,” Hagerty said.
The change paid off.
With less than 10 minutes left in regulation, Dostie headed Christopher Pidden’s long crossing pass from inside the left post to tie it again.
“(Maranacook) really plays well on this field,” Hagerty said, referring to the grass surface at Gibson Field. “It’s long and narrow and right down the spine they are an excellent, excellent team.”
The Black Bears finished 16-1.
“We made a couple of defensive mistakes, and that was what really killed us,” Beckwith said, “but it was a great effort and that’s all I can ask. (My players) leave everything on the field, and that is all you can ask of them.”
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