Freeport girls continue to surge with win at Waynflete

PORTLAND—Defense has never been an issue for the 2024 Freeport girls’ soccer team.

Finishing has.

The Falcons have struggled at times putting the ball in net, but Tuesday afternoon against reigning Class C state champion Waynflete at a sun-splashed Fore River Fields, they produced plenty of offense and as a result, their unbeaten streak reached six games.

With 12:07 to go in the first half, Freeport got the only goal it would need, as senior Lucy Riggs buried a long shot.

The Falcons needed less than seven minutes to strike again, as junior Silvi Strong converted.

Then, midway through the second half, senior captain Kenzie Cochran put it away with a goal of her own and Freeport went on to a 3-0 victory.

The Falcons, who haven’t lost in six outings, conceding just one goal in that span, improved to 6-3-1 on the year while in the process, dropped the Flyers to 3-5-1.

“We’ve learned to work as a team,” said Cochran. “We’re working together to push the ball forward. We transition as a team and get the ball to the corners and get off shots. We’ve learned going through tough games to support each other more and more. We’ve really bonded.”

In the mix

Both Freeport and Waynflete are very much in the hunt in their respective regions.

The Falcons started with a 3-2 loss at North Yarmouth Academy and a 1-0 home win over Morse, then dropped a 2-1 home decision to Cape Elizabeth and fell at Greely (2-0) before bouncing back to blank both visiting Traip Academy and York by a 2-0 score. After settling for a scoreless tie at two-time reigning Class B champion Yarmouth last week, Freeport beat host Lincoln Academy (2-0) and visiting Gray-New Gloucester (3-1).

The Flyers, meanwhile, began their title defense with a 6-1 win at Old Orchard Beach, played host Hall-Dale to a 2-2 draw, then lost at Class B South power Greely, 7-0, at home to rival NYA (3-0) and at home to Yarmouth (2-0). Waynflete then defeated visiting York (2-1) and St. Dom’s (2-0) before losing at Gray-New Gloucester (5-2).

Last year, host Freeport eked out a 2-1 win.

Tuesday, on a very pleasant October afternoon (62 degrees at kickoff), the Falcons prevailed again and this time, they didn’t get pushed to the end.

Freeport senior Kenzie Cochran shields the ball from Waynflete sophomore Alexis Turner during the Falcons’ 3-0 victory Tuesday. Hoffer photos.

The tone was set in the game’s third minute, when Strong got a great look in the box, but the Flyers momentarily averted a deficit when freshman goalkeeper Talia Melnick made the save.

Waynflete hoped to answer and on a couple of occasions, sophomore Alexis Turner made nice runs, but passes from sophomore Naomi Rice and junior Lucy Olson both wound up being gathered up by Freeport sophomore goalkeeper Karleigh Costello.

After Melnick saved another Strong shot and Cochran just missed, the Falcons broke through in the 28th minute.

The goal was set up by sophomore Abby Giroux, who got the ball to Riggs, who took advantage of a defense that gave her room to operate and Riggs ripped a shot from 30-yards out over Melnick and into the net for a 1-0 lead.

“Our girls were focused on getting the ball forward,” said Freeport coach Dave Intraversato. “We talk about looking at the netting and not the goalie and good things happen. Lucy had a nice one there. We pushed her up top recently because she can make things happen on the wings for us. Her strength helps us out.”

The Falcons then got some breathing room with 5:20 to go before halftime, as Strong stole the ball, beat a defender into the box, then fired past Melnick, who dove to her right to no avail, making it 2-0.

“Early on, we were a little frustrated, but we just had to snap out of it and work together,” said Cochran. “Once we put the first one in net, our confidence kept building. When you see everyone hugging after the goals, it shows we’re here together.”

“Silvi’s like a squirrel going after an acorn,” said Intraversato. “She goes after the ball like no one else.”

Down the stretch in the half, Freeport sophomore Ella Tracy was denied off a corner by Melnick and at the other end, Waynflete hoped to cut into its deficit, but Costello saved a long shot from sophomore Paige Alexander and off a corner kick, Olson’s serve was headed high by sophomore Audrey Winch.

The Falcons had a 6-2 advantage in first half shots on frame and a 3-1 edge in corner kicks and they would end all doubt in the second half.

Freeport senior Mia Levesque and Waynflete sophomore Naomi Rice fight for possession.

After Riggs just missed, the Falcons extended their lead with 19:21 to play, as after the Flyers failed to clear the ball, Cochran took a pass from junior Elsa Klein and fired to the far corner where freshman Rachel Yordon, who had come on at halftime, couldn’t make a play and the lead was three.

“The ball got taken down in the corner and Elsa got it,” said Cochran. “We’ve been working on moving off the ball. I called to her and she picked her head up and played me a nice pass and I just one-timed it. I was really trying to get it in the corner away from the goalie.”

“Kenzie’s trying to score every game,” said Intraversato. “She’s very good with her placement. She was looking for the corner there. She knew it was open and put it home.”

Waynflete got a couple of chances in the second half, but Rice missed high, then a long shot from senior Caileigh Hopkins forced Costello to go sprawling to make the stop.

At the other end, Strong missed just wide and Cochran hit a shot that Yordon went sprawling to save.

From there, the Falcons ran out the clock on their 3-0 victory.

Freeport sophomore goalkeeper Karleigh Costello is congratulated by her teammates at the conclusion of Tuesday’s win.

Freeport ended up outshooting Waynflete, 8-3, enjoyed a 4-3 edge in corner kicks and got three saves from Costello, who was once again supported by a terrific defensive effort.

“We’re working hard on communicating and shifting together on defense,” said Cochran. “We cover for each other and drop together. We’re doing really well on defense.”

“Our motto is defense first,” said Intraversato. “We want to stop the other team and capitalize on some long balls. Get one in the net and go from there. We’re rock-solid on defense. We have four seniors back there and a couple subs off the bench who are really aggressive. Karleigh is tall. She’s a great communicator. She commands her area.”

The Flyers got four saves from Melnick and one from Yordon.

“(Freeport) took advantage of their opportunities,” said Waynflete first-year coach Jesse McDonough. “It was hard for us to get the ball out of our half. We have some injuries. It would be great to face them fully healthy because I think we could play with them, but they were the better team today.”

Thinking playoffs

Waynflete (currently ranked fifth in the Class C South Heal Points standings) looks to get back on track Thursday at home versus Fryeburg Academy. After going to Traip Academy for a makeup game Friday, the Flyers host Traip Tuesday of next week before closing the regular season with games at Sacopee Valley and NYA.

“We’re trying to keep everybody’s spirits up,” said McDonough. “We hope to get some players back and I think it will make us stronger. Our younger players have gotten good experience and we needed some depth. That will be helpful for us in the playoffs. We’re fully expecting to have a playoff run.”

Freeport (fifth in Class B South) stays on the road and plays at York Thursday, then has two huge tests next week, hosting Yarmouth Tuesday and going to Cape Elizabeth Oct. 17. The Falcons finish at home versus Wells.

“We’re working on scoring and we have to remember that we can’t lose if we don’t let any in,” Cochran said. “We want to make a run. We really want it this year.”

“We’re putting it together,” Intraversato said. “We have to stay focused. We’ve got some good teams ahead of us. If we could get some wins, we’ll be sitting pretty. It’s always a goal to get a playoff game at home.”