FREEPORT — It was supposed to be easy. The second-seeded Freeport High School boys’ lacrosse team, playing out of the boys’ lacrosse-talented Western Maine Conference, was going to run roughshod over the seventh-seeded Oak Hill Raiders of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.

Think again.

The Falcons did come away with an Eastern Maine Class B quarterfinal win, holding off the Raiders for a 7-5 victory. But, not without realizing they were in a tussle.

“These kids have more heart than anyone that I have ever seen in my life,” Oak Hill coach Dan Brannigan, whose Raiders finished 4-9, said. “I could not ask for a better bunch of kids. They play and play, and when I think they have nothing left, they play some more. Kyle Flaherty (three goals) had nothing left, but refused to leave the field. I am proud of these young men.”

“They brought it, and they got the best out of every kid on the field,” said Freeport (8-5) coach Geoff Arris, whose Falcons last hosted a playoff game when he played at Freeport back in 1998. “There were some good nerves before the game and in the early going. I threw up by my truck when I got here.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Freeport jumped out quickly in the second. Sam Wogan fired a shot past Oak Hill goaltender Matt Martin just 36 seconds into the frame, and 11 seconds later Perrin Davidson found room and scored for a 2-0 Falcons edge.

Freeport made it a 3-0 game with six minutes left in the first half on a Brady LaFrance goal, assisted by Ramsey Dodge.

But, Oak Hill refused to succumb, tallying three goals in a mere 55 seconds to tie the game. Flaherty, Alex Moore (assisted by Kaleb Sturtevant) and Sturtevant scored the goals, and the Falcons found themselves in a 3-3 deadlock with 2:38 left until the half.

“We relaxed a little bit up 3-0, and they kept us on our heels more than they should have,” said Arris. “We are still getting used to winning.”

“They came ready to play. We knew it was going to be a good game and we tried not to come in overconfident,” said Freeport defenseman Jake Perry, who turned the tide Freeport’s way by not only stealing the ball, but ripping the stick out of an Oak Hill forward’s grasps. Wogan scored on the ensuing rush for a 4-3 Freeport lead at the intermission. “It is a huge motivation, a little extra push to hype up the offense.”

“Our close defense and our goalie played as well as they have all year,” said Arris. “They played well together, they listened and communicated.”

Oak Hill refused to lay down. Flaherty scored off a pass from Sturtevant, and after Davidson gave the Falcons a one-goal lead, Flaherty completed the hat trick to make for a 5-5 contest late in the third quarter.

Martin, who had 13 saves, made several stops to keep the game even, but had little chance on a hard shot from Wogan, giving the Falcons the lead for good.

“I will not take anybody in this state over Matty,” said Brannigan. “You could offer me a college goaltender right now, and I would stick with Matty. That kid has so much fortitude, and is able to dig down and come up with a big save at a big moment.”

Oak Hill had the better of the play in the fourth quarter, outshooting Freeport 13-4. But, Falcons netminder Zac Wogan made six of his 12 saves in the frame and watched as brother Sam Wogan completed his four-game game with 2:22 remaining to give his team a two-goal edge.

“We came in as underdogs, something I like, with no pressure and we played solid lacrosse,” said Flaherty. “Our defense was stepping up, and we started shooting the ball on offense and that got us back in the game. But, Freeport stayed home and played good defense in the fourth quarter, and there is little you can do against that.”

The Raiders failed to score on eight man-up chances. Arris feels his team needs to play better and with more composure come Friday when the Falcons host either Camden Hills or Morse in the Eastern A semifinals.

“We have to focus better the next time out,” said the Freeport coach. “They were frustrated with some of the calls, and it got into our heads and made us think of things outside of their job. We have to do a better job of that.”

Flaherty, Moore and Chad Merrill led Oak Hill with four groundballs each. Sam Wogan paced Freeport with seven groundballs, followed by Perry, Jack Cunningham and Ed Lefebvre with four each.

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