Hermon High School girls soccer coach MJ Ball, who has led his Hawks to seven Class B North championships in 12 years, is going to have to wait at least another year for his first state Class B title.
Cape Elizabeth received a pair of goals from Hailey Gorman and another from Noelle Mallory to beat the Hawks 3-0 in the State B championship game at Edward Little High School in Auburn on Saturday.
Both teams came into the game at 17-0.
“It’s the same old, same old,” said Ball. “It’s very tough to win the North and then come down and play a totally different style of game that you’re not used to at all.”
Ball told his players that they will keep on trying for that elusive state title.
“Our girls competed with them but their quality is a little bit better than ours and we couldn’t generate [scoring chances] like we normally do,” Ball said. “And that frustrates the players and it snowballs into them dropping their heads.”
It was the first time they have been shut out this year. They had scored 99 goals in their previous 17 games. It was Cape Elizabeth’s 12th shutout.
“We’re not used to defending big chunks of time. We weathered the storm early and then they score, and that deflates you,” Ball said. “We just couldn’t find anything moving forward. We couldn’t connect with players. They dominated the air balls and did a good job winning the ball and keeping it.”
He said some of his players had off days mentally and “in a game like that, you have to be all-in.”
Ball said Cape Elizabeth was the best team Hermon has played by far this season.
“They were very organized and structured,” Ball said, crediting Cape coach Brandon Noltkamper.
Gorman opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, converting a Chloe Durkin pass.
Mallory headed in a Kate Hetrick corner kick early in the second half and Gorman added a late goal.
Ball said his goalie, Becca Balmas, was the player of the game.
“She was fantastic. She made a ton of saves,” Ball said.
