Ali Mokriski and Lana Djuranovic do not share a psychic link. But thanks to their high soccer IQs and physical skills, it looks that way when they take the field together.

Mokriski and Djuranovic give the Scarborough High girls’ soccer team a dual scoring threat unmatched in the state. That could be the difference in a strong Class A South.

“I think Scarborough is the team to beat right now,” said Deb LeBel, coach of Windham, the defending Class A state champion.

In 2021, the Red Storm scored 72 goals. Mokriski and Djuranovic accounted for 39 of them – 54 percent of Scarborough’s offense. Mokriski thinks they can be even better.

“Coming back off a good year last year together, a lot of our points come off each other. We know how each other plays,” Mokriski said.

Mokriski, a senior, had 21 goals last fall – one shy of the school record set by Gaby Panagakos in 2016 – and eight assists  A junior, Djuranovic had 18 goals and a school-record 13 assists.

“They feed off each other fairly well. Lana is a very good connecting midfielder. Ali is more of a dangerous, slashing-type player that can really get in behind and score goals,” said Mike Farley, Scarborough’s coach. “Now we’re playing more on the wing and some in the middle, so we’re trying to make it more diverse for us. How they go is how we go.”

Mokriski and Djuranovic were first team all-SMAA selections last season. Off the field, they are close friends. Mokriski has verbally committed to play soccer at Bryant University, joining fellow Mainers Emily Supple, a freshman from Cape Elizabeth, and sophomores Hailey Koons (Bonny Eagle) and Carly Warn (Winslow). Senior goalie Jessica Rinaldi, also of Scarborough, is on Bryant’s roster, too. Djuranovic said she’ll begin her college search soon.

“Being friends off the field is very important because it helps us connect on the field. When we get frustrated we just think about how it’s just soccer,” said Djuranovic. “It comes with experience, too. We’ve been playing together, this is our third year. This summer league is the best we’ve ever played together because of the experience we have.”

That chemistry on the field manifests itself often. When asked to pick a game in which that connection directly led to a Scarborough win, both Djuranovic and Mokriski named a 2-0 win at Noble last season. The teams played a scoreless first half, with the Red Storm unable to solve Noble goalie Allie Moore.

“It was a really tough game and we couldn’t score until the second half. We got a goal because Ali made a run and I played the ball. It happened twice. That’s how we scored both goals,” Djuranovic said.

Now that Djuranovic is an upperclassman, Farley believes she’s ready to take on more of a leadership role and develop the same connection with other teammates that she has with Mokriski.

“The ball flows through (Djuranovic), now it’s getting players to go where she expects them to go. There’s been older players leading the team. Now she has to step up and take that role as well,” Farley said.

“Ali is a leader. She’s always happy, and the kids feed off her. They feed off her when she scores goals.”

Last year, Scarborough’s season ended before the regional semifinals, for the first time in over a decade, with a 2-1 loss to Thornton Academy in the Class A South quarterfinals. The Red Storm are using that early playoff exit as motivation.

“We’re connecting a lot better this year. I’ll make a run, and she plays a perfect ball to exactly where I am, and vice versa,” Mokriski said. “We’re so excited. I think you can see it on the field.”

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