ELLSWORTH, Maine — The Ellsworth boys soccer team’s not-so-secret scoring weapon has its roots in gymnastics class and involves something otherwise taboo in the sport — use of the hands.
But make no mistake about it, Lukas Firestone’s powerful flip throw-ins from anywhere on the offensive third of the field has been a pivotal factor in coach Brian Higgins’ club earning a return trip to the regional finals.
Firestone scored one goal and assisted on two others — both with flip throws — Saturday as the top-ranked Eagles outscored No. 5 Waterville 5-2 in a Class B North semifinal at Del Luce Stadium.
“When it comes to the playoffs we end up doing more set plays, the free kicks, throw-ins, corner kicks,” said Firestone, who has used the flip throw-in for four years after going to gymnastics school to learn how to do a front handstand. “Those we should capitalize on.”
Ellsworth (13-2-1) will host No. 10 Erskine Academy of South China in Wednesday’s regional final at 4 p.m. Erskine (13-4) outlasted No. 3 Presque Isle 4-3 in corner kicks after the teams were scoreless through two overtimes of their semifinal.
“I’m kind of surprised where we are,” said Higgins, who graduated 11 players from his 2014 Eastern B championship team. “I really didn’t expect it.”
Waterville concluded its season at 13-3-1.
“You’ve got to outscore them,” said Waterville coach Kerry Serdjenian. “They’ve got height, and the throw is dangerous. As their coach said, that’s their offense, throws and corners, and they’ve got the height to finish.”
Ellsworth’s set-play execution was on display early, with Alex Braley heading in a Firestone flip throw-in to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead 6:41 into play.
Firestone then headed in Kyle Golding’s corner kick from near the far post to make it 2-0 with 29:21 left in the first half.
Just as Higgins reminded his team how Waterville rallied from a three-goal deficit to win its quarterfinal, the Panthers’ Michael Oliveira redirected a shot by Justin Wentworth into the net to close the gap to 2-1 with 26:25 left before intermission.
Ellsworth senior Dagan Berenyi scored the first of his two goals 10 minutes later, directing the ball from amid a scramble after a corner kick off the crossbar and left goalpost before it settled into the net to make it 3-1.
Berenyi stretched Ellsworth’s lead to 4-1 by scoring off the rebound of his own penalty kick 3:46 into the second half.
Ellsworth’s final goal came off another flip throw-in by Firestone. Waterville goalie Jackson Aldrich was able to punch the ball into the air, but when gravity brought it back down the Eagles’ Jack McKechnie headed it home from the middle of the crease.
Oliveira added his second goal off a lead pass from Peter Mayhorn with 1:28 to play.
Ellsworth outshot Waterville 20-12, with Bruce St. Peter making five saves for the Eagles while Aldrich made nine stops.
