CUMBERLAND—Class B South girls’ soccer is as balanced and competitive as advertised.
The Greely Rangers and Yarmouth Clippers demonstrated that over 90 minutes in the teams’ mutual season opener Thursday afternoon at Glen A. Hutchins Field.
The Rangers struck first, as senior Jackie Franklin scored on a rebound in the 11th minute, but they couldn’t add to the lead.
Less than seven minutes into the second half, the Clippers, the two-time reigning Class B state champions, answered on a beautiful free kick from senior captain Eleanor Ting.
Greely retook the lead with just under 26 minutes left, as senior Molly Partridge scored in traffic, but with 8:46 remaining in regulation, senior captain Taylor Orenallas drew Yarmouth even again.
Neither team could score the remainder of regulation or in 10 minutes of overtime and the rivals and title hopefuls settled for a 2-2 draw.
Both squads are 0-1-1 in the early going of a long campaign and both know that the best is yet to come.
“It was a good battle,” said Rangers coach Rachel Williams. A good game overall. We had some good chances. We’re not quite playing to our potential yet, but Yarmouth’s a good, solid team.”
“That was a fun, playoff-like atmosphere for Opening Day,” said Clippers coach Andy Higgins.
No resolution
A year ago, Yarmouth was the favorite heading into the season and didn’t disappoint, overcoming an Opening Day loss at Greely to go 16-1-1 and win the state title, 2-0, over Ellsworth, its second straight crown and sixth all-time.
The Rangers had hoped to face the Clippers in the regional final, but were instead ousted by Cape Elizabeth, 3-0, in the semifinals, to wind up 8-6-2.
This year, after losing an abundance of talent to graduation, Yarmouth is expected to come back to the pack, but still believes it will be there at the end, while Greely has the opportunity to vault to the top by season’s end.
The rivals split a year ago, as the host Rangers won in double-overtime (1-0), then the host Clippers returned the favor, 3-0.
Thursday, on an absolutely gorgeous early-September day (74 degrees at kickoff), both squads showed what they’re made of and why they’re so even, something that was ultimately reflected on the scoreboard.
Greely senior Avery Bush and Yarmouth senior Taylor Oranellas chase for the ball early in the teams’ 2-2 season-opening draw Thursday. Hoffer photos.
The Clippers had the first chance, but Oranellas sent a cross just wide in the fourth minute.
After senior Abby Lennox missed just wide on a rush for the Rangers, she helped produce the game’s first goal with 29:11 left in the first half.
Lennox got the ball, eluded a defender and fired a shot which Yarmouth junior goalkeeper Linnaea Herring stopped, but the rebound sat free and Franklin pounced on it and sent it home for Greely’s first goal of the year.
Rangers goalkeeper Lily Warzicki-Stein, in her varsity debut, preserved the lead by saving shots from junior Abby Noble and sophomore Miah Jacobs.
Greely had opportunities to add to its lead, but Herring robbed junior Sami Santerre, off a nice feed from senior Molly Partridge.
The Clippers then controlled the rest of the first half, but couldn’t draw even.
First, sophomore Lauren Jabar had a shot blocked in the box.
After junior Tess LaBrecque hit the side netting, Oranellas got free for a shot which was denied, then Warzicki-Stein stymied sophomore Giselle Jabar and sophomore Kiki Tompkins on a rebound.
Late in the half, Oranellas had a shot saved and sophomore Brooklyn Hayes missed just high, sending the game to intermission with the Rangers clinging to a 1-0 advantage.
A lead which wouldn’t last.
After Oranellas had a shot saved by Warzicki-Stein early in the second half, Yarmouth drew even with 33:16 to go.
After Jacobs was fouled, the Clippers earned a free kick and Ting lined it up from 25-yards out and struck the ball perfectly, launching it over the outstretched hands of Warzicki-Stein and into the far side netting to make it 1-1.
“Eleanor hit that ball really well,” Higgins said. “She strikes a good ball. She strikes it clean. She’s gone under the radar a little bit the past three years. Now, she’s putting herself on the map. She had a big day in the back for us too, slowing them down a little bit.”
“It was tough to have them score on a direct kick,” Williams said.
Yarmouth had a chance to go i front, but Warzicki-Stein dove to rob LaBrecque and the rebound was cleared.
Then, with 25:52 remaining, Greely retook the lead.
Emilia Savoy sent the ball in on a free kick from 40 yards out. The ball ricocheted off Lennox to Partridge, who shot and while Herring got a hand on the ball, she couldn’t keep it out of the net and the Rangers were up for the second time.
But again, they couldn’t hang on.
With just 8:46 to go, Greely failed the clear the ball from the back and junior Keira Cowans was able to get the ball to Oranellas at the top of the box and Oranellas ripped a shot into the net to make it 2-2.
“Taylor’s our most experienced player, “Higgins said. “You get her the ball in that situation, she can hit it. She just needs a little bit of space to make teams pay.”
“We had one error where we didn’t get the ball out and they capitalized on our mistake,” lamented Williams. “I felt like our fitness was an issue. We got tired sooner than they did. That’s a positive because you can fix your fitness.”
Neither team had a great look the rest of regulation and the contest went to overtime.
The first five-minute, “sudden victory” OT saw Yarmouth tilt the field, but Warzicki-Stein got to a promising Oranellas cross, a corner kick opportunity was hit out of bounds and Oranellas missed just high.
After the teams switched sides of the field, Warzicki-Stein had to sprawl to deny Oranellas, then at the other end, Greely had a great chance to end it.
With 2:32 left, Lennox took a free kick from the top of the box and sent it around the defensive wall, but Herring came up huge, diving to make the save and preserve the contest.
Greely senior Abby Lennox attempts to win the game with a free kick in overtime. The shot would be denied.
“That was a great diving save,” Higgins said. “Good technique. She made the play for us.”
The Rangers had one last chance to earn the victory, but Bush sent the ball wide and the contest wound up deadlocked, 2-2.
“With an overall young group all over the field, this was a great test and the girls competed all game long,” said Higgins. “There were a couple of times we could have let the wind get taken out of sails and not battle back, but the girls kept competing and pushing for each other and that’s what we want them to do.”
Yarmouth had a 2-1 edge in corners and wound up with a 13-7 advantage in shots on frame, but Warzicki-Stein made 11 saves and got a big assist from her defense.
“Lily’s our backup goalie and she was fantastic in her varsity game,” said Williams. “Cece (Berthiuame) consistently shutdown the middle and played a fantastic game too.”
Herring made five saves for the Clippers.
Next test
Yarmouth comes home to face Gray-New Gloucester Monday. The Clippers will get another good challenge Friday of next week when perennial Class A North power Brunswick pays a visit.
“We’ll move forward from here,” Higgins said. “This is big for us going forward. Greely will win a lot of games and will be worth a lot of (Heal Points), so anything we can get from them is great. They exposed some things we need to work on. I can’t wait to get back to practice tomorrow.”
Greely, meanwhile, is at Fryeburg Academy Monday and visits Cape Elizabeth next Thursday.
“If we can get our fitness up and get a little more focused, we’ll be fine,” Williams said. “I like this group. It’s a good group. The girls like each other. It’s going to be a good year.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
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