BANGOR, Maine — It’s different this season for the Bangor High School boys soccer team.
There are no distinctively accented expressions of “good lordy” coming from the sideline after a less-than-stellar play, or “SAT word of the day” pop quizzes for sometimes unsuspecting players.
Dave Patterson died in July at age 50 of lung cancer, leaving behind not only his family but a Bangor High School boys soccer program that had experienced considerable success under his leadership during six seasons as head coach.
Yet as the Rams prepared for this year’s schedule — including Thursday’s early road test at defending Eastern Maine Class A champion Hampden Academy — their former coach wasn’t far away.
“It’s kind of funny, actually, because with just about everything we do in practice I catch myself smiling all the time because it’s so similar to what he showed us,” said Bangor senior forward Nate Bach.
Such a practice regimen helped Bangor compile a 81-11-8 record under Patterson’s watch, a tenure highlighted by the 2010 Class A state championship and two Eastern Maine crowns.
But while Patterson helped establish Bangor as one of the state’s more prominent Class A soccer programs, perhaps a bigger long-term lesson for his current players has come from how he coped with the stunning diagnosis he received in February — despite never having smoked — and the subsequent medical battle.
“He was an incredibly strong individual and handled it really well and if there’s one thing I’ve been thinking about it’s how much I love him and how much I miss him and how much we all miss him,” said Bangor sophomore midfielder Carson Atherley.
“He was incredibly strong throughout the whole process and in terms of how he went I think it’s just how he wanted it, with dignity and pride. I know he’s watching us as we’re playing out here, and hopefully we can make him proud.”
Indeed, the games do go on, and with their memories of Patterson in their hearts and minds, the Rams have high aspirations after finishing 12-4 and reaching the Eastern Maine semifinals a year ago.
“I think we’re still going to be one of the best teams in the East, maybe even in the state,” said senior back Sam Huston. “I think we can definitely contend for the state championship and that’s on all our minds, because what are you really playing for if you’re not going to try to win states?”
New head coach Billy Shannon, who spent the last three years as a sub-varsity coach under Patterson at Bangor, thinks the Rams are ready to resume their place among the top programs in Class A, in part because of their experiences with Patterson.
“They’ve been a very mature group with the way they’ve dealt with this situation, and it shows in the way they’re carrying themselves on the field, off the field, and in inquiring about some things we might do to honor coach Patterson,” said Shannon. “It just speaks to their character and the type of players he groomed and molded while being in charge of the program the past six years.”
Bangor defeated Messalonskee of Oakland 4-2 in its season opener Monday after what team captains described as a productive preseason under Shannon — who was recommended for the post by Patterson — and longtime assistant coach Don Erb.
But it was still different.
“The first couple of tryouts we had coach Erb and I would always keep saying how weird it is, that it didn’t feel the same without having coach Patterson here,” said Huston. “There’s been weird instances when I can sometimes still hear his voice when I’m out here. I can hear him yelling. When coach Shannon is yelling sometimes it sounds just like coach Patterson.”
Three starting defenders were among the graduates from last year’s club, while All-Eastern Maine Class A midfielder Andrew Barrowman has transferred to Marshfield (Mass.) High School and is playing soccer for the New England Revolution Academy 16-and-under team.
But Bach and Atherley are returning All-Eastern Maine State Team honorees. Huston is back on defense and senior Liam Harrigan adds another veteran presence at midfield. Junior goalie Stanley Clarke, classmates Eli Clein and Dan O’Brien, and seniors Karl Gurschick, Marcus McCue and Cole Sherbak are other experienced upperclassmen for the Rams.
“We know some of the great Bangor teams didn’t win state championships and teams that might have been less talented did win state championships because they were a team in every sense of the word,” said Harrigan.
“I think we have both this year. I feel we have talent at every position but there are no egos on this team. Everybody pulls for each other and we’re all pulling in the same direction.”
