Lisbon’s Hunter Brissette and Mt. Abram’s Cameron Walters collide while vying for a goal kick during an October game in Lisbon. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
An unbeaten season was not a priority for the Mt. Abram boys soccer team.
“We are happy with it, but we are not going to pat ourselves on the back say we are satisfied, because we’re not,” Mt. Abram coach Daren Allen said. “We have an opportunity, Tuesday, to do something very special. So that is what we are focused on.”
Top-ranked Mt. Abram (14-0-2) hosts No. 2-Waynflete (12-2-2) in a Class C South final on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Lewiston High School.
“I knew we could (go unbeaten), but that wasn’t our emphasis,” Allen said. “Going undefeated was not a goal of ours, by any means. We don’t talk about that stuff. We just want to get better with each game we play.
“We had three goals. We wanted to win the (Mountain Valley) conference. We wanted to come in at the top two in the C South, and we wanted to host a playoff game — and we accomplished those three goals.”
The Roadrunners continued to set higher goals as the regular season progressed.
“We have four kids who are almost tied for leading the team in goals,” Allen said. “They are all within two goals of each other. At one point, we had four kids that had scored 14 goals at the same time.
“Now we have a kid with 17, a kid with 16, at kid with 15 and (a kid) with 14. Those kids are Kaden Pillsbury, Charlie Pye, Cam Walters and Morgan Thibodeau.”
Allen was quick to point out that the Roadrunners have only given up four goals all season. Besides a strong defense, Mt. Abram goalie Ian Allen was responsible for frustrating their opponents.
“That’s it — four,” he said. “We did set a team goal that we don’t want to (give) up a certain number of goals. I put the number kind of high and the kids were mad. Well, you know, something happens every year — there’s a fluke, there’s an own (goal), a (penalty kick); you never know — and lo and behold, we cut that number in half. We only gave up four.
“The defense, they have only given up four goals — and not many people look at that. Thirteen shutouts, including the playoffs and the conference championship, and that is something we are very proud of. I told the kids in the preseason, the goal scoring is about intelligence, teamwork and pride.
“A lot of it stems from Ian just opening his mouth, and organization — and we got two center backs (who) are excellent … so we have two backs who are seasoned.”
This is the fourth time in school history that the Roadrunners have reached the regional final, and the first time since 2008 (the other years are 1991 and 2004).
Allen said that Mt. Abram this year is a “true team” for which every player has had a hand in engineering the playoff run.
“These guys have been together for a long time,” Allen said. “The core group has been together since they were 10 years old, playing soccer and baseball together and doing whatever.
“I don’t know if I have ever had a team like that — especially at this level,” he added. “You have one or two great players and then you have some role players. This team is quality from one to 11. “
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