PORTLAND, Maine — The Maranacook of Readfield boys soccer players prepared for Saturday’s Class C state championship match with a target on their backs.
Literally.
Each of the Black Bears’ black warm-up shirts featured a yellow circular target, but Eastern Maine champion Orono — like 17 earlier opponents this fall — was unable to hit it.
Matt Dubois and Max McQuillen provided a goal in each half while Kent Mohlar controlled the midfield as Maranacook won its second straight state title with a 2-0 victory over the Red Riots at Deering High School’s Memorial Field.
“This is the goal from the beginning of the year,” said Mohlar, a junior midfielder who had a hand in both goals. “This is what you think about from Day 1 of last year. It’s hard to explain.”
The victory also capped off a second straight undefeated season for coach Don Beckwith’s club, 18-0 this fall and 34-0-2 over the last two years.
Orono, making its first appearance in a state final since 1992, finished 15-3.
“They have a complete understanding of the sport and playing together,” Orono coach Waldo Caballero said of Maranacook. “They move to the empty spaces, they anticipate well and they make the passes correctly into the empty spaces rather than just to the person.
“It was a little physical for us, but our conference is not that physical so it was a different game for us.”
Maranacook dominated the first 38 minutes of the first half and grabbed a 1-0 lead when DuBois converted in transition with Mohlar with 11:50 left in the period.
Mohlar, the KVAC Class B North player of the year, gained possession near midfield, then dribbled down the center of the field before spotting DuBois racing ahead between two defenders. Mohlar’s pass along the ground found DuBois’ foot perfectly, and the one-timed redirection slipped inside the left goalpost and past Orono goalie Alik Espling.
“The ball fell to me in the midfield, and I carried forward and got around the first guy and saw Matt making a run across the middle and he put a great first touch on it,” said Mohlar.
Espling otherwise came up big in the first half for the Red Riots, making eight saves on 15 Maranacook shots despite facing fairly constant pressure by the Black Bears.
Orono did not generate a shot on goal until Frederik Linden left-footed a blast from 25 yards out that Maranacook netminder Justin Freeman fielded easily in front of the right post with 2:42 left until intermission.
The Red Riots had a much more serious opportunity a minute later when Max Neitschke was sent in ahead of the Maranacook defense on a quick counterattack after an Espling save at the other end.
With a defender in close pursuit, Neitschke grounded a shot toward the left side of the goal, but Freeman dove to his right to block the breakaway bid away for the toughest of his four saves during the game.
“That’s a small guy playing big, and that’s what we expect him to do,” said Maranacook coach Don Beckwith of Freeman, a sophomore. “I think people underestimate him because he’s small, but he’s got the skills of any goalie in the state — and he’s got the heart, obviously.”
Maranacook amped up the offense even more after the break. Chris Beckwith, heavy footed on free kicks throughout the match, tested Espling on a restart from 30 yards out two minutes into the second half only to have the Orono goalie block the ball away at the right post.
Mohlar nearly scored after the ensuing corner kick, heading the ball from the crease off the left post.
Another Mohlar header led to an insurance goal by McQuillen with 19:16 remaining.
Beckwith started the play with a free kick from deep along the right wing to the left side of the penalty area, where Mohlar headed the ball back toward the right post.
When Espling (12 saves) couldn’t gain control of the ball, McQuillen was near the goal line to direct it into the net.
“Chris can serve up a great ball from distance,” said Mohlar. “He can serve them up from all over the field, and whenever we get a free kick like that it’s a great opportunity for us.”
