BANGOR, Maine — The Greely High School boys soccer team was making its first appearance in a state Class B championship game since 2013 when it took the field against John Bapst High School on Saturday afternoon at Cameron Stadium.
And the Rangers made the most of it.
Junior left wing Connor Skillin scored a pair of goals, and the Rangers showed why they have allowed only six goals on the campaign with a stout defensive effort as Greely triumphed 3-0.
Senior Owen Piesik added an insurance goal for the Rangers, whose win was their 17th in a row after a season-opening 1-1 tie with Yarmouth.
John Bapst concluded the season with a 16-2 record.
It was the Crusaders’ third straight appearance in a state final, and they’re still looking for their first state title.
Greely from Cumberland Center dominated possession, but John Bapst goalie Connor Messervey made a number of superb saves to keep the Crusaders within striking distance.
Skillin was credited with the only goal of the first half when he zipped a left-footed cross from the left corner across the face of the goalmouth, and it deflected into the goal off a John Bapst defender.
“I was trying to find Bez (Mendelsohn). He was making a run across the middle,” said Skillin. “I put it a little in front of him and their defender misplayed it a little bit.”
It was his 14th goal of the season.
Messervey robbed Owen Partridge by getting his hand on his 12-yard shot off a Piesik feed, and he denied Mendelsohn later in the half with another gem.
John Bapst’s best chance came with 14 minutes left in the half when Moritz Mueller’s cross from the right wing landed on the foot of leading scorer Oscar Martinez in the middle of the penalty area.
Martinez did a quick turn and shot but standout senior center back Mason Rodgers made an important block.
Skillin made it 2-0 early in the second half when Mendelsohn put a perfect pass into his path as he raced down the left wing and he ripped a rising shot past Messervey.
“Bez played me in, I made the run and I put it home,” said Skillin whose shot went to the near side.
Desperate John Bapst applied pressure and had a good chance to get back into the game but Greely goalkeeper Landon Dominski rushed off his goal line to smother a break-in attempt.
John Bapst had a few more chances but couldn’t convert.
Piesik sewed up the win with a strong header off a Sam Anania corner kick for his 16th goal of the season.
“We were a little slow in the first half. We held onto the ball too long,” said Skillin. “In the second half, we really got the ball moving. We passed it around.”
“Bapst is really good. They’re quick and they countered well,” said Greely coach Mike Andreasen. “We were on our heels a little bit in the first half. We got a lucky goal.
“We came out real strong in the second half. We were all over them,” said Andreasen. “I was relieved after we got the second goal. Our defense is really solid.”
Skillin said JB goalie Messervey “had a great game.”
“That first goal was tough and we couldn’t capitalize on the few opportunities we had,” said John Bapst coach Jason Pangburn. “They’re so fast.They defended really well. They disrupted us when we tried to get our (offensive) flow going. We couldn’t get our link going from our midfield to our forwards. Their midfield is really strong.”
Pangburn said he was proud of his team’s effort.
