FALMOUTH -- Falmouth's girls' soccer team believes it can be a major factor this postseason and the Navigators passed their first test in impressive fashion Friday evening on their home turf.
Falmouth, ranked fifth in Class A South, hosted No. 12 Deering in a Class A South preliminary round contest and thanks to a pair of goals in each half and dominance nearly throughout, rolled on.
In the eighth minute, junior Margo Hesson knocked home a loose ball and the Navigators were in front to stay.
In the 16th minute, sophomore Hadley Perry was the beneficiary of a fortuitous bounce and finished to make it 2-0 at halftime.
Midway through the second half, senior captain Gwen Long ended any lingering doubt, as she finished, from junior Afton Mick.
Then, with 10:45 to play, Hesson scored for the second time to bring the curtain down on a most impressive 4-0 victory.
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Falmouth improved to 10-3-2, ended Deering's season at 4-9-2 and in the process, advanced to take on No. 4 Cheverus (10-2-2) in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 3 p.m., in Portland.
"The girls did a great job keeping the tempo up," said Navigators coach Ben Johnson. "I was impressed with them. At this time of year, it's easy to get tired or burned out, but the soccer quality they played, I'm just so happy."
Quickly taking care of business
Falmouth has been on a playoff trajectory since the season started, while Deering secured its spot with a late surge.
The Rams were 0-5-2 after seven games, but won four of five and ultimately secured the final berth in the region.
The Navigators, meanwhile, were 3-2-1 after a loss at Marshwood Sept. 24, but went 6-1-1- down the stretch, including an unforgettable, last-second (literally) home win over two-time reigning Class A champion Scarborough.
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The teams met way back on Sept. 10, a 3-0 Falmouth victory in Portland. In a bit of foreshadowing, Hesson, Long and Perry each scored a goal.
The Navigators and Rams had never met in the postseason.
Friday, on a typical late October evening (51 degrees at kickoff, dipping into the upper 40s), Falmouth set the pace from the get-go and quickly took control on the scoreboard.
Falmouth junior Margo Hesson rushes up the left side with Deering senior Isa Garcia giving chase during the team's Class A South prelim Friday night. Hesson had two goals in the 4-0 victory. Hoffer photos.
The Navigators nearly broke through in the fifth minute when Hesson sent a left footed blast on the run toward the far corner, but Rams' freshman goalkeeper Annabelle Price made the save.
Hesson then redirected a corner kick serve from senior captain Mackenzie VerLee just over the bar, but with 32:37 to go in the first half, Hesson would put Falmouth in front to stay.
After the ball was played in and got past Price, Hesson thought it had crossed the line, but after no call was made, she took matters on to her own foot and buried a shot to make it 1-0.
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"Scoring that first goal was amazing," Hesson said. "It gave us reassurance and made it more fun. I thought it went in already, but it came to my feet and I put it in the goal."
"It was only the second time all year that we scored in the first 10 (minutes)," Johnson said. "That was huge, especially in a game like this."
After Hesson set up junior Finley VanTil for a shot that Price saved, Deering tried to counter, but a pass from senior standout Elsa Freeman to senior Isa Garcia was broken up at the last moment.
Then, with 24:33 remaining in the first half, Falmouth made it a two-goal game, as Perry watched the ball bounce off multiple players, right to her in front, and she finished easily.
Late in the half, the Navigators tried to pull away, but Price robbed VerLee in front and saved shots from Perry and VanTil before robbing a promising bid off a corner kick.
Falmouth had a 9-0 advantage in shots on frame in the first half, but seven Price saves kept the Rams within hailing distance.
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The Navigators then put it away in the second half.
Deering freshman Vesta McCarroll-Christmas plays the ball as Falmouth junior Sierra Zamer defends.
With 22:42 remaining in the game, in the prettiest passing sequence of the night, Mick set up Long and after making a nice move to elude a defender, Long shot with her left foot and beat Price just inside the left corner to make the score 3-0.
"It wasn't over at halftime and Coach told us that they'd come out and be a whole different team," Long said. "That was exciting because me and Afton always try to hit that pass. Finally, tonight, it worked. It was great."
"Deering plays hard and is well coached and I knew just reading the sideline that they'd come out differently in the second half and if we got ahead of ourselves, it would be dangerous," said Johnson.
After Hesson was robbed on a rush, the Rams earned a corner kick with 15 minutes to play, but couldn't finish.
A little over a minute later, Deering's one true scoring chance saw senior Anika Gin shoot just wide off a free kick from senior captain Mya Landry.
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Then, with 10:45 left, Falmouth's final goal came off a innocuous cross from Hesson that Price wasn't able to stop.
"I honestly thought Ben would be made at me because I passed it to no one, but it went in and I'm happy it did," said Hesson.
"Margo's been amazing all year down the left side," said Johnson. "It was just a matter of time. I was glad to see her get those goals. She worked hard for them."
Deering couldn't answer and the Navigators went on to close out their 4-0 victory.
Falmouth players rush the field at the final horn.
"We never overlook anyone," Long said. "We know we should ever underestimate a team."
The Navigators finished with a 15-0 advantage in shots on frame and a 7-1 edge in corner kicks.
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Deering got 11 saves from Price, but couldn't generate any offense.
"(Falmouth) started really fast and put us under a lot of pressure from the jump," said Rams coach Paul Cameron. "We had to play the rest of the first half on the back foot. We addressed that at halftime. We had to try to bump everyone up the field to generate a bit more offense. Later in the game, we generated a couple opportunities, but it wasn't enough. (Falmouth's) a good side. They pass the ball very well.
"It's my fourth year. We made playoffs my first year and this is the first time since. The girls should be proud of themselves for that. Overall, we've had a great season and they're a great group of kids."
Deering will be hard hit by graduation, as it says goodbye to six players, most notably Freeman, who will play at Boston College next year.
"Elsa's the one that everyone looks up to," Cameron said. "The rest of the team feeds off her. She's been fantastic for Deering High School. Everything for us goes through her and every team we play, they double up on her and know how dangerous she can be. She could be on any side in the league and be their best player too.
"We lose five starters. Next year, we're probably looking at a bit of a rebuilding year. We only have one junior. We'll be young. "
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Should be a great one
Cheverus and Falmouth played a memorable game back on Sept. 12, as VerLee gave the Navigators the lead, but the Stags tied it up with under 10 minutes remaining and the contest ended in a 1-1 draw.
The teams have split two prior playoff encounters. Falmouth prevailed, 1-0, in the 2014 Western A preliminary round and in the 2018 Class A South quarterfinals, Cheverus rolled, 6-0.
"We just need to come out with a mentality to win," Long said. "We have to play as a team."
"We have confidence, but the job is not done," said Hesson.
"They've been on a tear and they have quality players all over the field," added Johnson, about the Stags. "It's going to be high stress the entire time. It should be a great game. We're playing on grass and their field is smaller, so we'll have less time to run. We'll train for it and see what happens."
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at [email protected]. Copy the Story Link
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