PORTLAND — If defense wins championships the Waynflete boys’ soccer team has a pretty good chance to lift the gold ball Saturday.
The Flyers punched their ticket to the state final with their 12th shutout victory of the season, a 4-0 win over Monmouth Academy in the Class C South regional final Wednesday at the Fore River Athletic Complex.
The second-seeded Flyers (14-3), who haven’t given up a goal during their playoff run and gave up just five during the regular season, held the fourth-ranked Mustangs (13-3-1) without a shot on goal, and just five attempts total.
“They play really good defense, they’re well-coached, and they don’t give you any room,” Monmouth head coach Joe Fletcher said. “They come at you in waves, and they’re deep, and we haven’t faced a defense that good all season.”
All-state coaches’ selection Milo Belleau needed to make just one save in goal for the shutout, with fellow all-state selection Willy Burdick manning the Waynflete defense in front of him.
Waynflete head coach Brandon Salway called it a “pretty good defensive effort” by his team.
The Flyers jumped ahead eight minutes into the contest, as Cullen Bollinger blasted a shot from more than 30 yards out into the top-right corner of the goal.
“We haven’t scored a ton of goals lately, and to get one like that kind of takes the pressure off, gives you early momentum,” said Salway.
Aaron Lee made it 2-0 with nine minutes to play before halftime, beating a defender on a header that put the ball in the box, then beating Neal to the ball before finishing into the open net.
“He’s a strong kid, he’s aggressive and he knows what he’s doing,” Fletcher said of Lee. “He got our defender off-balance and created an opportunity. He’s a good player.”
The Mustangs had been down 2-0 in the quarterfinals against North Yarmouth Academy, and trailed at the half in the semifinals against Hall-Dale, so Fletcher thought his team was still in the game, needing only the next goal to “climb into it.”
That next goal wasn’t for Monmouth, however, but by Waynflete’s Lee. The senior beat another defender for an open look and ripped a low shot past Neal to make it 3-0 12 minutes into the second half.
Salway said Lee was more of a defensive midifelder last year, but was transitioned to an attacking role this year due to his speed and aggression. Each was on display on both of his tallies.
Bollinger put the bow on Waynflete’s regional title, scoring from Ilyas Abdi with 1:28 remaining.
Monmouth had three corner kicks and 25-yard direct kick in the second half, but couldn’t shots on goal off any of them.
“We did not play well,” Fletcher said. “And I’ll give (Waynflete) credit for us not playing well, but we didn’t play the way we did against NYA or Hall-Dale, which is unfortunate.”
The Mustangs started seven sophomores in the game, and will return a large chunk of this year’s team, which had one magical run to the first regional final in a while for Monmouth.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” Fletcher.
Waynflete will be looking for its first state title since 2011 when it faces Northern Maine champ Washington Academy in Presque Isle on Saturday.
“They’re excited,” Salway said. “We’d probably go to California and play if that’s where they told us we were playing the state championship.”
wkramlich@sunjournal.com
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