YARMOUTH—Talk about doing something the hard way.

Yarmouth’s boys’ soccer team has won an abundance of big games in recent seasons.

Some with ease and some in dramatic fashion, but the Clippers never produced a victory like the one they enjoyed Saturday afternoon in the rain on their home turf.

Hosting valiant, determined, upset-minded Freeport, the No. 5 seed, top-ranked Yarmouth knew it was going to get a battle for 80 minutes or more and that’s exactly what ensued.

What the Clippers didn’t know was that they were going to have to go to overtime down a man and with all the momentum in the Falcons’ corner, then have to rise off the deck and somehow find a way to prevail.

But that’s how it played out.

After the teams battled for 40 scoreless minutes in the first half, Yarmouth finally broke through with 16:22 remaining, when senior Isaac Grondin showed great determination, staying with the play after his shot hit the post and getting the ball to junior Owen Redfield, who finished.

The Clippers tried to hold on for dear life, but when senior Aiden Kamm had to leave the game with a red card with just over six minutes left, the door was open for Freeport to come back.

And the Falcons came storming through, as with just 44.8 seconds left in regulation, after a hand ball just outside the box, senior Owen Howarth buried the free kick of his life and the game would go to overtime.

There, in the first of two possible 15-minute, “sudden victory” sessions, Yarmouth dug into its deep reservoir of championship heart and demonstrated the ultimate example of Clipper Pride by getting the golden goal just 3 minutes, 8 seconds in, as junior Liam Hickey served a perfect free kick into the box where classmate Stevie Walsh was waiting to send it off the inside of the post and into immortality to give Yarmouth a memorable and scintillating 2-1 victory.

The Clippers, who still haven’t lost to Freeport his century, improved to 15-0-2, ended the Falcons’ fine season at 11-5-1 and advanced to meet No. 7 Cape Elizabeth (11-5-1) in the Class B South Final Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., at Lewiston High School.

“That was fun, wasn’t it?” said longtime Yarmouth coach Mike Hagerty. “It was a memorable one and I’m glad we wound up on the right end of it. For all the emotions, the way the boys came back and won, it took this game to another level. We showed grit all game.”

High intensity

It was no surprise to see the Clippers and Falcons advancing deep into the playoffs.

Yarmouth started with a 2-0 win at Cape Elizabeth. After a 4-0 home victory over Freeport, the Clippers downed host York (4-0), visiting Greely (2-1), host North Yarmouth Academy (5-1) and visiting Poland (6-0). After settling for a scoreless draw at Freeport, Yarmouth bounced back with an 8-0 win at Wells, then downed visiting Gray-New Gloucester (7-1) and blanked visiting Cape Elizabeth (2-0), host Fryeburg Academy (5-0), visiting York (6-0) and host Greely (2-0), before settling for a 1-1 home tie against two-time reigning Class C champion Waynflete in the regular season finale.

The Clippers again earned the top seed in Class B South and in last Friday’s preliminary round, dominated No. 16 Morse, 8-0. Wednesday, in the quarterfinals, Yarmouth blanked visiting York, 3-0, to advance.

Freeport has been a dangerous squad all year.

The Falcons started with a 1-0 win at York, then fell at Yarmouth (4-0), before downing visiting Greely (2-1) and host Lake Region (8-0). After a 1-0 setback at Cape Elizabeth, Freeport blanked visiting Fryeburg Academy (3-0) and Gray-New Gloucester (1-0) and played visiting Yarmouth to a scoreless draw. After a 2-1 home win over Waynflete, the Falcons lost at home to York (2-1), then beat visiting Wells (3-0). After losing at Greely, 2-0, Freeport closed the regular season with wins over host Poland (4-0) and visiting Cape Elizabeth (1-0).

The Falcons opened the playoffs with a 7-3 home victory over Lake Region in the preliminary round, then knocked off No. 4 Greely in the quarterfinals Wednesday at Falmouth High, coming from behind for a 2-1 win.

In the teams’ first meeting, host Yarmouth won with relative ease, but in the rematch, at Freeport, the teams settled for a scoreless tie in a game the Falcons felt they should have won.

The Clippers were 6-1 all-time versus the Falcons in the playoffs, with a 2-0 victory in the 2019 Class B South semifinals the most recent.

Saturday, in the rain, with the wind blowing and the temperature struggling to stay in the 50s, two talented squads refused to give an inch and the game could have gone either way, but when the dust and the raindrops settled, it was Yarmouth moving on.

Barely.

Freeport nearly struck first two minutes in, as senior Eli Andreson served in a corner kick and the ball found the near post. The rebound bounced out to senior Nick Intraversato, whose shot was denied by Clippers senior goalkeeper Cole Snyder.

That would be the Falcons’ best chance of the half.

The Clippers then went on the attack and in the eighth minute, Walsh took a free kick just outside the box and almost became a hero an hour-and-a-half before he ultimately did, but Freeport’s stellar senior keeper Colin Cronin dove and knocked the ball off the post and out.

Yarmouth kept on the attack and Hickey sent a nice cross to senior Steve Fulton. Fulton got his head on the ball, but Cronin knocked it down, then fell on the rebound.

With 23:50 left in the first half, Walsh took a pass from junior Truman Peters and tried again, but Cronin made the save and the rebound was cleared.

Midway through the half, Redfield got to the ball up top, spun and shot, but Cronin dove to keep the game scoreless.

With 18:08 to go, Freeport junior standout Alex Graver got a little room and launched a low blast from 30 yards out, but it rolled just wide.

Late in the half, Walsh missed high, sophomore Will Caruso had a shot blocked in the box and a long Hickey free kick forced Cronin  to make a sprawling save.

The Clippers had the better of the opportunities in the first 40 minutes, but the contest remained scoreless at the break.

Some goals (and oodles of drama) would come in the second half.

In the first five minutes, Walsh sent a free kick high, Walsh hit the post and had the rebound cleared by Falcons senior back Brady Grogan and Fulton had a good look after a turnover denied by Cronin.

With 30:57 to play, Cronin had to dive to save a bid from Caruso, setting up a Yarmouth corner kick which found Walsh’s head, but went wide.

The Clippers kept the pressure on and after Cronin denied Redfield and Grondin and Peters sent a free kick just high, the goal finally came.

With 16:22 left, Walsh got the ball to Grondin, whose shot hit the far post, but Grondin was able to get the ball back and set up Redfield, who wouldn’t be denied and it appeared Yarmouth had the goal it would need to advance.

But that tally awakened the visitors and Freeport would eventually finish for the first time in three games against the Clippers this fall.

After Howarth sent a long blast just over the crossbar and Graver missed just wide, Kamm got a red card with 6:07 to go and had to leave the game (and he’ll be forced, by rule, to sit out the regional final as well).

The red card wasn’t for a typical egregious transgression, however.

“That red card wasn’t a straight red, it was a second yellow,” Hagerty said. “The reason he had the first one was because he took it so Steve Fulton, our speaking captain, could stay on the field (after a delay of game call would have sent him off). He made a sacrificial gesture to keep our defense solid and ended up paying for it at the end. That’s a character decision by Aiden. The fact he got a second yellow was unfortunate, but he took one for the team in a literal sense.”

The Falcons kept the pressure on and with 48.6 seconds left, a hand ball was called on Yarmouth, giving Freeport a free kick just outside the box.

It would be Howarth doing the honors and he fired a shot over the Clippers’ defensive wall (the ball may have even glanced off a defender) that Snyder couldn’t stop and with 44.8 seconds on the clock, Freeport exulted as it had tied the contest.

“Owen was composed,” said Falcons coach Bob Strong. “That was timely. He came through when it mattered.”

“Hats off to Freeport, they played very well,” Hagerty said. “Alex Graver is as good a player you’ll see in the state and Howarth played a great game today and his strike was beautiful. He hit it right through the wall. It was a great goal. Nothing Cole could do.”

Neither team could do anything in the waning seconds and it was on to overtime.

After a five-minute break, OT began and the tension was thick as it appeared the Falcons, playing a man-up and riding high after their dramatic goal, had momentum on their side.

And Freeport had the first scoring chance, but a long shot was Graver was easily snared by Snyder.

Then, after going back on the attack, Yarmouth got its break and brought the game to an end.

In sudden fashion.

After a foul just inside midfield. Hickey lined up his kick, his teammates made their run and the ball sailed into the box where Walsh was waiting for his date with destiny.

In a crowd, Walsh was able to get to the ball and one-time it past Cronin.

At first, the ball made contact with the post, but this time, fortune smiled on the Clippers as it bounced right in to the net.

“Liam played a perfect ball and I just saw it coming down and all I had to do was put my foot on it,” Walsh said. “The goalie shifted over and the ball just went in.”

“My team is good at finishing and Stevie’s one of the best finishers on the team and I knew if I played him a good ball, he’d do the rest,” said Hickey.

“To execute that set piece we’ve worked on all year, timing the runs and the ball that Liam played was beautiful and for Stevie to go get it, I’m really proud of the execution,” Hagerty added. “The kids all chipped in. The game-winner today was an assist from the center-back and a goal from the holding midfielder. Liam and Stevie didn’t see a varsity minute last year. They played JV all year and worked and got better. If we have a lot of good upperclassmen, sometimes you have to patient and wait for your turn and boy, did they make the most of it this year. I’m really proud of them.”

At 5:15 p.m., the party began in earnest.

“It’s an awesome feeling, a great celebration,” said Walsh. “Our mindset in overtime was the same as we went into the game and we pulled through.”

“Coach told us to keep our heads up,” Hickey said. ‘We knew even though we were down a man, we could keep fighting and play our game. We knew if we played our game, we’d pull through. Freeport played a great game. They fought hard the whole time. We knew we’d have to play our best game to win it. We’ve got great team pride. Everyone loves each other and keeps pushing each other. It’s a great program. We always keep fighting.”

“We’ve talked a lot over the years about our culture and our character and we say all the time we’d rather lose playing well than win by cheating or playing dirty,” Hagerty added. “I thought today, these guys showed the depth of character that’s really hard for high school kids to exhibit. Before overtime, we said, ‘We’re down a man, but that’s OK.’ In this game, we could play down a man. I’m really proud of how they responded and worked.

“Statistically, up until (Freeport) tied it, I think we were the better team and usually when a team ties it up with under two minutes and you’re down a man, all the stats say you’ll lose that game, but I’d like to think it’s the character of our program from the three years old on up, that did it. We don’t emphasize winning. We emphasize doing the right things and the winning will take care of itself and I like to think it held true today. Winning is a nice by-product if you do everything else right.”

The Clippers finished with a 10-4 advantage in shots on frame, got three saves from Snyder and held a 4-2 edge in corner kicks.

Heartbreak

Freeport got eight saves from Cronin in his swan song and did more than enough to win most games.

But not this one.

“We played well enough to win,” Strong lamented. “This is the one we wanted. There have been a lot of teams before this team that got this program to where it is. I think these guys had a great season. I couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and their positive attitudes. We certainly thought we could win. We match up pretty well with (Yarmouth), but they’re  a good team and Steve Fulton is as good as they get. As good a player as he is, he’s as good a person and I have such respect for him and wish him the best.”

The Falcons will be hard hit by graduation, but the 2022 squad might be the one to take the final step.

“This was my first group when I came in and coached and I consider this my first team,” Strong said. “I’m extra close with this group and that’s why (losing) stings so much.”

Another well-known foe

Yarmouth beat Cape Elizabeth twice by 2-0 margins this season. The teams have met three times before in the postseason with the Clippers leading, 2-1, but the Capers won last time, 2-1, in the 2018 Class B South semifinals to end Yarmouth’s four-year title reign.

Yarmouth will need to bounce back from the emotion of its semifinal win and get ready for another stern test from a red-hot squad on Wednesday.

Bet against these proud Clippers at your peril.

“I think we need to keep our heads a bit more and not let other teams get in the way of the way we play,” Walsh said. “I think we’re a very skilled team and I think if we play our game, we can pull through.”

“We’re not close to done,” Hagerty said. “This momentum could carry us and give us really good energy. We want to be in games like this and play the best teams and have to earn it. We know what to expect. I like how we match up with Cape. They’re very direct and athletic. They make you uncomfortable with the way they play. They’re strong down the midfield. We can’t take touches in the middle and think good things will happen. We have to spread the ball around.

“I think it will be a very good, very even, very close game.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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