HERMON, Maine — There was an air of familiarity in the 8-player boys soccer state championship on Pottle Field at Hermon High School Saturday with South champion Greenville High School and North champion Piscataquis Community High School of Guilford facing off in the third meeting of the year between schools located about 25 miles apart.
Greenville went on to shut out the Pirates 3-0 to claim the first soccer gold ball — boys or girls — in school history.
“It’s been a long five years, playing an eighth-grade year and high school, it means so much to bring the first soccer gold ball to the school,” said senior Liam Mason, who scored what would turn out to be the only goal needed with just under seven minutes to go in the first half. “I am so proud of my guys and I am so happy to bring it home to Greenville, a first for our school.”
Senior Logan Adrien scored the second goal for the Lakers just over four minutes into the second half.
“It’s an amazing feeling, we’ve played together since we were kids – there’s just no words,” said Adrien.
Mason also scored on a penalty kick late in the game to give the Lakers, who finished at 16-2 with 10 consecutive victories to end the season, a 3-0 advantage.
At the other end of the field sophomore keeper Landon Theriault made a game high seven saves for the shutout, Greenville’s fifth of the season and first in the playoffs.
“We beat them twice in the regular season, but seeing what we did to Carrabec we knew coming in we couldn’t take them lightly,” Mason said, mentioning how several days prior Greenville knocked off the top seed in the South on penalty kicks in the regional final after having lost twice to the Cobras in the regular season. “We had to play just like we did against Carrabec. Everyone understood that and we all did the assignment, came in and got the job done.”
Piscataquis, playing in its first season at the 8-player level, ends at 13-4-1. The berth in the state championship was the first for the program since the 2006 team reached the Class C final.
