Scarborough boys stay perfect at South Portland

SOUTH PORTLAND—Everyone gives Scarborough’s boys’ soccer team their best shot, but so far this autumn, the Red Storm have risen to meet every challenge.

And they believe that their best is yet to come.

Monday evening at Martin Memorial Field, Scarborough put its undefeated record to the test at a talented, but short-handed South Portland squad in a late-season showdown.

The Red Storm struck first, midway through the first half, when junior Kilson Joao scored.

Scarborough held that lead into the second half and with 29 minutes remaining, senior Will Fallona headed home a corner kick and that was more than enough to allow the Red Storm go on to a 2-0 victory.

Scarborough improved to 12-0, dropped the Red Riots to 9-3 and in the process, solidified its hold atop the Class A South Heal Points standings.

“We’ve been consistent so far and that’s what we preach to the players,” said longtime Red Storm coach Mark Diaz, who won his 308th game with the program. “If we’re consistent, we’ll give ourselves a good chance to win.”

One-sided

Scarborough entered play having won 20 of the previous 21 meetings (see below for previous results) with the teams tying the other, 2-2, Sept. 1, 2012, in South Portland.

Last year, the Red Storm won 1-0 at home, on a late goal from Zander Haskell.

Scarborough has been consistently excellent since opening the season with a hard-fought 1-0 home victory over Portland. The Red Storm then defeated host Westbrook (8-0), visiting Windham (2-0), host Sanford (8-3) in Diaz’s 300th career win, visiting Kennebunk (2-1), host Biddeford (8-0), visiting Falmouth (2-0), host Thornton Academy (4-0), visiting Marshwood (7-0), visiting Massabesic (10-0) and host Noble (15-0).

South Portland is in the midst of another solid campaign as well. The Red Riots won their first seven contests, starting with a 4-1 home win over Cheverus, edging host Thornton Academy (3-2), then blanking visiting Massabesic (8-0), doubling up visiting Sanford (6-3), earning a measure of revenge with a 1-0 victory at Gorham in a playoff rematch, holding off visiting Kennebunk (2-1), then enjoying a dramatic 1-0 overtime win at Portland. After back-to-back losses to visiting Marshwood, the reigning Class A champion (1-0), and host Windham in overtime (2-1), South Portland bounced back last week to down visiting Bonny Eagle (3-1) and host Biddeford (4-0).

Monday, on a chilly evening (50 degrees and dropping at kickoff), the Red Riots hoped to make history, but instead, the Red Storm took care of business again.

In the second minute, Scarborough got its first shot, from junior Dillon MacLeod, but South Portland senior goalkeeper Thomas Caouette made the save.

In the fifth minute, Caouette went sprawling to get a piece of a Joao shot and a rebound sailed just wide.

After the Red Riots, who are playing without senior standout Divin Mpinga, who is sidelined with a knee malady, managed their first shot, from junior Curtis Metcalf, which was saved by Red Storm senior goalkeeper Nicholas Ouellette, Scarborough broke through.

The goal came with 20:14 left in the first half and was set up by sophomore Matthew Fallona, who crossed the ball to Joao, who got passed a defender, dribbled in, then fired a low shot with his left foot past Caouette to make it 1-0.

“That was awesome for Matt to get an assist,” said Will Fallona. “Kilson brings the energy every time and he finished it.”

Later in the half, Ouellette denied Metcalf, a South Portland corner kick was headed away, Ouellette broke up a rush from senior Jake Udomsay, then Ouellette made a sprawling save on a shot from senior Griffin Tetzlaff to keep the score 1-0 at halftime.

The Red Storm then amped up the pressure in the second half and earned five corner kicks.

On the fourth, served up by senior Dillon Wilkinson, Will Fallona headed the ball on target but Caouette did just enough to tip it with his finger and sent it off the crossbar.

But the fifth corner would be the charm for Scarborough, as with 29:35 remaining, MacLeod served the ball in and Fallona managed to head it again, but this time, he sent it past Caouette and into the corner just inside the right post to make the score 2-0.

“My little brother was coming in and I told him to stay for a sec so I could finish that last one,” Fallona said. “Dillon dropped a dime. I told him right where I wanted it and he put it there. I just wanted another chance.”

“We talked at halftime about getting another one,” Diaz said. “That was a great goal by Will. We were getting close on the corners.”

“I told my assistant coaches that we were giving up too many corners and that they’d score on one of them because they’re too good not to,” lamented South Portland coach Bryan Hoy.

Ouellette preserved the lead by denying senior Joey Hanlon on a one-timer in the box, then saving another bid from Metcalf.

The Red Storm ran out the clock from there and celebrated their 2-0 victory.

“We were ready,” Will Fallona said. “The pressure’s on and we want to keep the train rolling. We play different levels of teams and we have to figure out how to adjust. It’s worked so far.”

“This is a good win for us on the road here,” Diaz said. “It’s way different than our field. It’s smaller and more compact and South Portland’s a good, athletic team. Missing (Divin) up top is big for them, but they still have plenty of other good players. We’re improving defensively and we have to be because the teams we’ll play are all good. For us, it’s defense and hoping to get a couple goals and it’s always like that against South Portland.”

Scarborough finished with an 8-5 advantage in shots on frame, got five saves from Ouellette and took eight corners to the Red Riots’ two.

South Portland got six saves from Caouette, but again couldn’t solve the Red Storm.

“We’re not going to give up no matter who’s out on the field,” said Hoy. “We got some good chances early, but Scarborough’s so solid and fast in the back. We couldn’t take advantage. They’re really good. There’s a reason why they’re undefeated. We’ll see if we get them again on turf, who knows. I think we play better on turf, but I’m sure they do too.

“It’s tough to be without (Divin) and we’ve had only two practices without him. It’s been a little bit of an adjustment period. (Junior) Jayden (Kim) did a great job up top. We were able to generate quite a bit of pressure against Bonny Eagle and Biddeford, but against good teams, it helps to have a guy who can really hold the ball up there. We tried some different things tonight to see what it looked like against a really god team. Hopefully we’ll have (Divin) back for the playoffs, but if not, we’ll adjust and figure something out.”

One week left

South Portland (now third in the Class A South Heal Points standings) looks to close strong with games at Noble Wednesday and at Westbrook Friday.

“Anything is possible,” Hoy said. “Last year, Marshwood was not the best team going into the playoffs, but they won the whole thing. It depends who’s playing well at the right time and who gets hot.”

Scarborough (which is closing in on locking up the top spot in Class A South) goes to Bonny Eagle Friday, then has a doozy of a finale next Tuesday at home versus Deering.

“Finishing strong is important,” Will Fallona said. “We want to be in good position rolling into playoffs. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. We just want to bury some goals and move on. We’re ready.”

“We don’t even think about going undefeated,” said Diaz. “I know it sounds like a cliche, but we just want to play well every game. We’d love to have homefield advantage. That would be good for us. We’re just approaching it the right way and hopefully things go our way.”