You can’t win them all.
That was the fate of the Monmouth soccer teams Saturday. Both squads lost to Hall-Dale in a key late-season showdown. The losses ended lengthy streaks for both Mustang teams.
It was the first loss of the season for the girls (9-1-1). The Mustangs were beaten by the Bulldogs early in the first overtime. Monmouth rallied from an early deficit but had a 2-1 lead early in the season half.
“We’ve got to clean some things up and be ready to play every day for 80 minutes, not 70 and not 60,” Monmouth girls’ coach Gary Trafton said. “You can’t pick and choose.”
Sometimes teams see a late-season loss, especially the first of the season, as a wake-up call and potentially beneficial. Monmouth had been among the top seeds in Class C South for much of this fall, but the Mustangs dropped to fourth with the loss, while Hall-Dale jumped into third, behind Sacopee Valley and St. Dom’s, respectively.
Monmouth had allowed just three goals all season before the Bulldogs netted three on Saturday. The Mustangs also struggled to finish at times and had numerous chances to score against an energized Hall-Dale team.
“You can’t play for them.” Trafton said. “They have to make decisions. They have to clean things up and take care of things they have to take care of. We know what we have to work on. We just have to go out and do it.”
The Mustangs can help their cause by finishing strong. After losing a second straight game Monday to Madison, 2-1, the Mustangs finish with Mountain Valley and a home rematch with Madison.
The Monmouth boys’ had not lost since opening day against Mountain Valley. The Mustangs (10-2) had won 10 straight and were the top-seed in C South. Hall-Dale changed that with a 1-0 win. The Bulldogs jumped into first, dropping the Mustangs to second.
In addition to a change in the seeding, it may affect the Mustangs hopes of playing in the Mountain Valley Conference championship game.
“Good teams fight their way through,” boys’ coach Joe Fletcher said. “We’re going to have to fight our way through this. We’ve worked real hard to put ourselves in a spot to get to that Mountain Valley Conference championship game.”
The Mustangs finish with two teams chasing playoff spots in Telstar and St. Dom’s.
Conference championships
The Mountain Valley Conference title games are scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21 at Thomas College. The top two girls’ teams will play at 4 p.m. and the boys’ matchup will follow at 6 p.m.
The two teams in both games are chosen by their record against conference opponents through the first meeting with each team.
The Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship games will be the same week. Those games will be Thursday, Oct. 22 at Lawrence High School. Game times are scheduled for 4 and 6 p.m., but pairings haven’t not been determined nor has it been decided whether boys or girls will play first.
Rivalry rematch
After Lewiston’s 1-0 overtime win over Edward Little earlier this season, the Blue Devils were wondering where the trophy was? The Macca Roddy Trophy is given out to the winner between the two rivals in the last meeting of the season. The Blue Devils learned they’d have to wait a little longer to earn that trophy but get that opportunity tonight.
Lewiston hosts Edward Little in a doubleheader. The girls’ play at 5 p.m. with the boys’ game to follow. It is an important game for both girls’ teams. The Blue Devils and Red Eddies are battling for final positioning in the Class A North standings.
Edward Little is currently seeded eighth at 4-4-3, while Lewiston is ninth at 5-6-1. That would put those two in a preliminary showdown if those seedings hold, but tonight’s winner could get an important boost in the standings.
Edward Little beat Lewiston in overtime last fall in the Eastern A quarterfinals, but Lewiston avenged that earlier this season when Kristina Blais scored late in overtime to hand the Red Eddies a 1-0 loss. It was the first win for Lewiston over EL since 2011.
Poll numbers
The Lewiston boys’ soccer team has been ranked in another poll. The Blue Devils are the top-ranked team in the state in the most recent TopDrawerSoccer.com poll. Scarborough and Gorham had been the two top teams selected each week from the preseason polls right through September, but Lewiston has moved into the top spot with Scarborough ranked second.
Lewiston has even broken into the regional ranking. The Blue Devils were seeded 10th last week but have moved up to eighth in the Northeast rankings this week.
Earlier this season, Lewiston earned national recognition in the USA Today High School Sports/National Soccer Coaches Association of America Super 25 poll. The Blue Devils were ranked 24th.
Lewiston is currently 12-0 and ranked first Class A North. The Blue Devils have outscored opponents 89-5 this season with seven shutouts. The defending Eastern A champs finish their regular season this week by hosting Edward Little tonight and second-ranked Hampden Saturday.
kmills@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
