Soccer
In the big leagues: York girls knock off Yarmouth, earn draw at Lakes Region
By Uwe Seeler
ON THE MOVE. York striker Morgan Taylor runs onto the ball during last week's 3-2 win at Yarmouth. In support are Kiah Voyer-Colbath and, behind, Stephanie Plaisted.
Photo by Lev Yashin
GOING TO GOAL. York JV soccer player Noelle Moulton takes the ball to the goal in last Monday's home game against Gray-New Gloucester.
Photo by Steve Rasche
The rest of the team was already on their way out to the bus, and into the hugs and congratulations of parents and fans, but there, still making their way across the track, were York Coach Wally Caldwell and junior striker Haley Westman, the two of them talking easily, smiles on their faces, the smiles of winners against an undefeated top-ranked team, the smile of a hard-working, unassuming player who knew inside that it was her goal, her hard work, that put her team on the way to one more big win.
York 3, and a no-longer undefeated Yarmouth, 2.
The game, last Tuesday, Sept. 19, at Yarmouth, did not start out easily for the Wildcats when the Clippers scored at 16:18 on a header in from a cross that went in over York keeper Brooke Simpson. Yarmouth looked to be on their way as they continued to control the midfield in the closing minutes of the half.
But a letup by the Clippers allowed York's escape artist in chief, Chelsey Tewell, to make a startling goal against the run of play with just 2:20 left in the half. Beating out three Yarmouth defenders, a speeding Tewell ran onto the ball and let a long, arcing shot loose that settled in past the keeper to put things level.
The opening 20 minutes of the second half saw play go both ways, with the two teams threatening each other back and forth. But the game changed for good at 19:07 when Westman slotted home a left-footed shot past the sprawling keeper on a feed from Kiah Voyer-Colbath to make it 2-1. Westman nearly added another, two minutes later, when she drilled a shot off the near post.
York sealed it with six minutes left when Tewell scored her second of the night on an 18-yard strike when the keeper, playing for the cross, left a space on the short side. The opening was more than enough for Tewell, quickly becoming one of the elite goal scoring threats in the league, who drilled the shot past the flat-footed keeper.
A shocked Yarmouth team came back with a fury, pressing York in their own end, and scoring on a long-range looper that bounced past the York keeper and was knocked in by the Clippers with just 1:27 on the clock. Yarmouth kept pressing, with two corners and a free kick in the final minute, but the York defense held on for the 3-2 win.
York then traveled to Naples to face another undefeated opponent, this time a tough Lake Region team, on Thursday, Sept. 21. Taking advantage of a strong, physical style of play, combined with the threat of legitimate top college prospect Z.Z. Leighton, the hosts pushed the Wildcats to the brink throughout the game. In the end, goals by Emily Boone, Tewell and Voyer-Colbath allowed the Wildcats to escape with a 3-3 draw, and Caldwell was happy to take the point and head home.
York finally drew an easy game on Monday, Sept. 25, when they hosted Gray-New Gloucester. In an 11-0 rout, Caldwell was able to experiment with position changes, putting freshman Emma Clark at the controls at the center back position, and allowing Kate Rasche to do some running with the ball up at center mid.
Stephanie Plaisted, Tewell, Rasche, Meredith Reid and Morgan Taylor all scored in the first half, with Plaisted and Tewell each netting two. Tewell added two more in the second half and Taylor and Westman each added one to close out the scoring. Reid's goal, a 20-yard rocket after a nice run from the York half, was an eye-opener.
After the game, Caldwell expressed satisfaction with the 3-5-2 formation put in place after the loss to Falmouth. Caldwell said the formation was helping the team keep its shape on the field.
Next up, Traip Academy, Thursday the 28th, at York.
