FALMOUTH—Monday at Kennebunk, good fortune did not smile upon the Falmouth boys’ soccer team.
Wednesday evening at home, however, the soccer gods were very much on the Navigators’ side.
Two days after hitting the post a half dozen times in an overtime loss, Falmouth needed roughly 13 minutes to get a gift against visiting Gorham, as a cross from junior Charlie Creswell ricocheted off a Rams’ defender and in to put the Navigators in front to stay.
That opened the floodgates, as in a 13-minute span, junior Ali Carter, freshman Wyatt Braun and senior Wyatt Carlson added goals for a commanding 4-0 halftime advantage.
Falmouth didn’t relent in the second half as Carlson and sophomore Simon Wissink added goals and while Gorham got a late penalty kick goal from freshman Moises Ntango, the Navigators cruised to a 6-1 victory.
Falmouth improved to 8-2 on the season and in the process, dropped the Rams to 5-4.
“We had better chances Monday than we had here, but we couldn’t score,” said longtime Navigators coach Dave Halligan. “We hit the post six times, but good things happened for us tonight. We got some breaks and had some nice finishes.”
The tables turn
Falmouth blanked host Cheverus (2-0) and visiting Massabesic (11-0) to open the season, then dropped a double-overtime heartbreaker at Portland, 2-1. The Navigators then outlasted host Deering, the reigning Class A South champion (2-1), visiting Scarborough (3-2), visiting Westbrook (2-1), host South Portland (1-0) and host Biddeford (2-0) before falling Monday in overtime at Kennebunk, 1-0.
Gorham stumbled out of the gate, sandwiching 3-0 losses to Windham and Scarborough around a 4-0 victory over Biddeford. The Rams then defeated Kennebunk (4-1), Cheverus (5-1), Portland (2-1) and Bonny Eagle (3-0) before falling at home in double-overtime, on a penalty kick, to South Portland last Saturday, 2-1.
Last year, Gorham won at home in the regular season with ease (4-1), but in the Class A South quarterfinals, the Navigators responded with a 3-2 upset victory.
Wednesday, on a seasonable evening (57 degrees at kickoff), Falmouth channeled its recent frustration into a stunningly decisive offensive performance.

Falmouth sophomore Simon Wissink defends Gorham senior Adam Lembarra during the Navigators’ 6-1 victory Wednesday. Hoffer photos.
Falmouth came right out and pressured but Creswell had a shot in the box blocked by a defender, then a corner kick serve from senior captain Evan Mayo was headed wide by senior captain Sam Yoon and a shot from Wissink was denied by Rams’ sophomore goalkeeper Corbin Wilson.
Then, with 27:04 remaining in the first, half, Creswell, playing on the left side, crossed the ball into the box where a Gorham defender headed it backwards and over the head of Wilson and into the goal to put the Navigators in front to stay.
“The early goal did a lot for our confidence,” Mayo said. “The biggest difference from Kennebunk to tonight was we took our chances and we put the ball in the net.”
The Rams looked to answer, but a header from senior Adam Lembarra off a free kick from senior Aidan Madore was saved by Falmouth junior goalkeeper Caden Berry and a shot from senior Owen Spera off a cross from senior Kuba Kaczmarek was collected by Berry, who went sprawling in the process.
Then, with 14:56 left in the half, the Navigators earned a corner kick and Mayo served it in perfectly, right to Carter, who ran on to the ball and sent it past Wilson for a 2-0 advantage.
“I would say we’re pretty good on set pieces,” Mayo said. “At the start of the season, we scored four of our first five goals on set pieces. We had a little drop, but we know we’re solid and we’ll keep working on it.”
After Berry denied a shot from senior Elias Urriola, the Navigators went up 3-0 with 11:49 remaining, as junior Hayden Davis sent a long free kick into the box, the ball came to Yoon, who was robbed by a diving Wilson, but Braun poked home the rebound.
Falmouth then ended the competitive phase of the contest with 1:23 left, as Wissink set up Carlson for a blast up top, making the score 4-0 at the half.
“I think the Kennebunk loss was definitely needed,” said senior back and captain Griffin Parr. “It shook us back to where we should be. We were being complacent thinking we were the best. Losing like that got us going.”
The Navigators continued to pull away in the second half, as with 34:30 to play, a Mayo free kick up top went off a defender and the goal was credited to Carlson, then with 31:03 remaining, Mayo served in a corner kick and the ball deflected off Carter to Wissink, who buried it for a 6-0 advantage.
To its credit, Gorham didn’t go quietly and it was rewarded with 4:27 on the clock, as after a foul was called in the box, Ntango took the penalty kick and fired the ball into the net.
It was far too little, too late, however, and Falmouth went on to the 6-1 victory.
“Kennebunk was a rough loss and our mentality coming into this game was to come back and beat these guys and that’s what we did,” said Mayo. “We played our system really well and benefited from it.”
“We know Gorham is a good team and we’re not 6-1 better than them,” Halligan said. “We talked about what we didn’t do well against Kennebunk and I thought we got better from that game to this game.”
The Navigators enjoyed a 10-5 advantage in shots on frame and a 5-3 edge in corner kicks. Berry made three saves before being replaced in the second half by sophomore Wyatt Binette, who stopped one shot.
Additionally, Falmouth’s defense, once again, was stellar.
“We’re super-proud of our defense,” Parr said. “Everyone has done a great job. The ball goes by, but the man doesn’t. That’s our mentality.”
“We’re usually solid in the back,” said Halligan. “We build out of the back. We have some our best players back there. Our midfield is getting stronger. We didn’t have our subs at the beginning of the season, but the younger guys are right on schedule.”
Wilson made three saves for the Rams before being replaced by freshman Nolan Plummer, who stopped one shot.
Onward with confidence
Gorham is back in action Friday at home versus Westbrook. The Rams go to Thornton Academy next Wednesday.
Falmouth, meanwhile, stays home to face Noble Friday before its next big test arrives next Wednesday, as Windham pays a visit.
“Our motto this year is grit,” said Mayo. “We just have to put our heads down and grind. We’re looking forward to playing Windham. We had them at home last year and got a good result (a 1-1 tie). We want to beat them this time.”
“I think if we play our system, we can be the top team,” Parr said. “Our mentality this year is that we’re taking every game as if it’s the biggest one. Last year, we had some trouble with that, but this year we’re really doing a good job stepping it up.”
“We’re looking forward to the playoffs,” Halligan added. “We can still get a lot better in three, four weeks. Give these kids credit. They never hang their heads and they just want to get better. And they do.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
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