Mt. Abram goaltender Logan Dube had an inkling this offseason that the back line in front of him would have an outstanding 2023 season.
That foreshadowing came at the same place where the Roadrunners (17-0) won their first-ever regional championship Wednesday night in Lewiston, and they now head to Saturday’s Class C state championship game against George Stevens at Mt. Ararat in Topsham at 12:30 p.m.
“It all started this summer when we went down and played in Lewiston, played right around here,” Dube said. “I think two goals were scored in five games. We had some crazy defense.”
The Roadrunners continued their defensive dominance during the regular season, Mountain Valley Conference championship game, and Maine Principals’ Association postseason run by allowing three goals total heading into the state championship.
Mt. Abram has racked up 15 shutouts this season.
Mt. Abram defender Bryce Wilcox controls the ball after teammates surrounded and stole the ball from Traip Academy’s Quinn Alessi during Wednesday night’s playoff game at Lewiston High School. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
“Our defense is really solid,” senior midfielder Morgan Thibodeau said. “It has been solid for a couple of years now. We really work on it practice and stuff, focus on it. One of our main goals is to get shutouts almost every game.”
The defense and the goalkeeping tandem of Dube (the starter) and Trey Reed (the reserve) went nine games from Sept. 25 to the regional semifinal win against Waynflete without letting in a goal.
The starting defenders include Andrew Rother, Bryce Wilcox, Ash Rollins and Cam Frost-Gray.
Rollins said the streak wasn’t something they were worried about.
“That was never in the back of our mind,” Rollins said. “We just played our game.”
Each player has their specific strengths.
“They all have their unique abilities and we try to use them,” Mt. Abram coach Darren Allen said. “Both Andrew and Ash can go forward and put balls in. Cam and Bryce can win the ball and serve it. They all have their attributes. They just play well together in our system.”
Rother scored the first goal in Wednesday’s 5-1 victory over Traip Academy in the Class C South final. He was coming off a right knee injury, which cost him five weeks of the season.
Wilcox said Frost-Gray and himself are a tag team as center backs on the defensive line.
“The back four working together, that really helps,” Wilcox said. “Me and my partner (center back) Cam Gray, we just work together — we just love each other. We just listen to our captains, and they really give us good instructions. We just need to be strong in the back and let the offense do the work.”
Allen said what makes the back line so effective is very simple.
“The defense has worked really hard, it’s a very close unit, they communicate well,” Allen said. “It’s all about communication in the back, that’s all it is, the communication in the back and they communicate pretty well.”
The group said they communicate well because they have played together for the past few seasons.
“Our friendship throughout the years has been incredible,” Rollins said.
Rollins noted that the group has hand signals on the field to let the others know what the plan is when they can’t speak to each other.
Wilcox said if the group isn’t staying in touch, then they are struggling.
Traip Academy coach Mike Macleay said that what made the Roadrunners’ defense effective in the regional championship win over the Rangers was the simplicity of the defense.
The ball didn’t stay in the Mt. Abram defensive zone for long.
“They were keeping it super simple there, just clearing their lines back there,” Macleay said. “There wasn’t anything pretty; they were getting the ball forward to their talented attacking guys. It was tough for us to keep it down there at times. It was pretty direct by their defense clearing it and playing it safe.”
The Roadrunners’ defense is aggressive, and Rother said they are one of the only teams in the state that does that. It also makes them different from others.
“Our backs attack a lot,” Rother said. “It’s our (style of play).”
Wilcox added the aggressive style sets the tone for the team. Their aggressive style comes down to their competitiveness.
“We are really competitive, we really like to win,” Wilcox said.
There haven’t been many times this season when the defense let Dube or Reed down, with Frost-Gray and Rollins named MVC all-conference members.
“There have been a few skippers off their heads,” said Dube, an all-MVC selection himself. “That’s all I can complain about. They have been great. They have been so solid. I want to say two MVC second-teamers back there. It’s awesome, it’s amazing.”
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