HAMPDEN, Maine — The emotions were many as the Washington Academy boys soccer team celebrated its second straight undefeated season and back-to-back Class C state championships Saturday evening.
But not all those feelings were obvious.
Take senior midfielder Oneko Lowe, the U21 national team member from Bermuda who contributed three assists to the Raiders’ 5-1 victory over Monmouth Academy in the state final at the Weatherbee Complex.
Reddened eyes signified both the festivity of the moment and the finality of the occasion — Lowe’s high school soccer career was now complete, and he never experienced defeat over 36 matches during his two years in the Down East town of East Machias.
“Tears of joy,” said Lowe. “Tears of joy to be back with another gold ball.”
WA entered the final as the heavy favorite based not only on its status as defending champion but an overwhelming run through the North region field.
And coach Chris Gardner’s club did not disappoint as Manu Sanchez and Manzi Yves each had two goals after Khiari Hayward opened the scoring as the Raiders finished the season outscoring their opposition by a resounding 154-14.
“That’s a very good team, the best offensive team we’ve played all year,” said Monmouth coach Joe Fletcher.
The offensive firepower was best evidenced in Sanchez’s first goal, when he one-timed a perfectly placed lead pass by Lowe from midfield past Monmouth goalie Bradley Neal near the midpoint of the opening half to give WA a 2-0 lead.
Oneko is a machine making assists,” said Sanchez, a postseason goal-scoring machine in his own right with nine goals in the last three matches. “We’ve done it before, so we have chemistry. We understand each other.”
But rare is the high school goal in which a midfield pass is redirected into the net from that distance without first touching the ground.
“That was the prettiest goal I have seen in all my years of coaching,” said Gardner, who has guided the Raiders to three state championships during his 14-year tenure. “It’s not coincidental that it was Oneko Lowe who sent it because he’s someone who understands the game in space and where to put people, and Manu Sanchez has been a tremendous playoff player and he kicked it in dead stride. It was pretty as they come.”
Monmouth (14-2-2) still had hope after trailing by just two goals at intermission. Led by forwards Hunter Richardson, Avery Pomerleau and Mathew Foulke, the Mustangs put considerable offensive pressure on a WA defense led by goalie Joshua Vose and Dyne-Jha Hayward.
But the Raiders produced the pivotal next goal as Yves delivered on a 15-yard shot off an assist from Khiari Hayward with 15:43 remaining. And while Richardson finally countered for Monmouth 91 seconds later, WA retained a two-goal cushion.
“We felt as though offensively we were stronger than they were but we knew the danger was if they got that first goal (in the second half) they were going to be that much stronger and faster and fired up,” said Gardner. “Getting that goal to 3-0, they scored right after but it’s a whole different game if they get that first one.”
The Raiders added late insurance goals from Yves and Sanchez.
“We graduated 15 guys last year and only had two starters (back),” said Gardner. “It wasn’t even a continuation of that team, but all the kids who had sat and watched that team last year stepped up.
“Could we be competitive? Sure, but the kids surprised me and all of the credit is theirs. All of it. It’s amazing how smart talent can make a coach.”
