Mt. Abram’s Oskar Martinez (10) watches the ball enter the Mountain Valley net for one of his two goals as the Falcons’ Cameron Chase (6) looks in a Mountain Valley Conference soccer game at Hosmer Field in Rumford on Saturday.Mt. Abram’s JB Jordan (1) keeps an eye on the ball and Mountain Valley’s Cameron Gallant during a Mountain Valley Conference soccer game at Hosmer Field in Rumford.Mt. Abram’s Evan Allen (9) heads the ball in a crowd of players in front the Mountain Valley net.Mt. Abram’s Evan Allen (9) looks to his right while Mountain Valley’s Garrett Garbarini (24) watches the ball.
RUMFORD — Mt. Abram didn’t wilt in the heat and kept its cool when Mountain Valley scored first in a Mountain Valley Conference boys’ soccer game at sun-drenched Hosmer Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Falcons are certainly no pushovers, but despite Mountain Valley’s best efforts, the undefeated Roadrunners’ (4-0) offense got the job done and their efforts culminated in a 4-1 victory.
“We have been working on defending and finishing all week,” Mt. Abram coach Darren Allen said. “This has been our Achilles heel all season— finishing shots inside the six, just finishing, finishing. We hit three posts on headers.
“The kids didn’t quit. We made a mistake in the back. They capitalized to go up 1-0. Just need to have our confidence and have our clearance better. So we are working on it.
Evan Allen and Oskar Martinez joined forces and each scored a pair of goals.
“We do have the ability to switch the ball because Evan has the ability to do that and he has really good vision of the field and he is a smart player,” Darren Allen said. “Those were the two bright spots and defending in the second half was much better.
“We have a lot of depth and we try to get a lot of kids in to give some kids breaks, (we) try to wear down teams and we are running and running. They threw some numbers forward and we held.”
In the first half, the Falcons saw an opportunity and struck first in the scorching sun.
Junior Dalton Noyes took advantage of a Peter McNally assist and scored at 34:08 mark, but Mountain Valley’s 1-0 lead wouldn’t last long
“I mean we got the first goal. That was huge” Mountain Valley coach J.T. Taylor said. “I thought (with) an early game and them getting off the bus that would be an opportunity to score. Then we got that.
“I liked that, but after that there wasn’t that much I enjoyed to see. Mt. Abram is one of the better teams, but I don’t think they played their best today. I thought we had a chance to steal one.”
Martinez capitalized on Kenyon Pillsbury and scored to tie the game.
But with 9:32 left in the first half, Evan Allen broke the deadlock with his goal. JB Jordan earned the assist on the play.
The Roadrunners continued to extend their distance from the Falcons in the second half after a handball penalty was called on Mountain Valley.
A penalty kick was awarded to Mt. Abram and Allen did the honors, knocking the ball to the left and beating Mountain Valley goalie Kyle Kenney.
Martinez topped off Mt. Abram’s 3-1 lead when he scored at the 24:55 mark on a Tyson Hill assist.
For the next 25 minutes of the game, Mountain Valley and Mt. Abram fired broadside after broadside before the game ended in a 4-1 final
“I am disappointed because I thought we had a chance to beat a good team today,” Taylor said. “We have a big week with Hall-Dale and Winthrop and we have to regroup and get back at it again.”
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