Soccer
Boys' soccer on to Western Maine Finals
By Uwe Seeler
READY TO FIGHT. Wildcat goalkeeper Dan Graziano sports a postseason Mohawk and a determined face at practice ahead of Tuesday's Western Maine semi-final against Freeport.
Photo by Robert Charlton
Lowly ranked Freeport had advanced to the semi-finals on the back of a shocker win over top ranked Maranacook.
YORK 4, FREEPORT 2
Freeport started off the scoring on a one time off the corner six minutes in for the quick 1-0 lead.
York equalized at 20 minutes in when Phil Alibrandi scored on a penalty kick after Matt Carey had been taken down in the box.
Alex Ciccolini-Foley gave the Wildcats the lead at the 34-minute mark when he knocked in the rebound after Ryan Clauson's shot had hit the post. Alibrandi then made it 3-1, scoring off a scramble in front just as time expired.
A physical second half saw Ciccolini-Foley score unassisted at the 34-minute mark to put the Wildcats up 4-1 before Freeport responded with a goal off a penalty kick to narrow the score to 4-2. But that was it for the day, and the Wildcats now await the winner of Falmouth and Yarmouth, who were scheduled to play this evening, Wednesday, Oct. 25, with the winner to host York in the Western Maine Finals.
YORK 2, LINCOLN ACADEMY 1
Playing on a gusty day on a small, uneven field that encompassed nearly an entire baseball infield, both sides were unable to establish any regular buildups at last Saturday's game. Instead, the field and wind conditions combined to allow only frustrated play from both sides, which resulted in a scoreless first half, with neither side having shown any sustained control.
Back-and-forth play continued in the second half until York midfielder Clauson scored on a cross in from the left corner at the 19-minute mark, which the Lincoln keeper was unable to swat over the crossbar, the ball instead ending up in the net for a 1-0 lead. George Zotos was credited for the assist on the play.
Lincoln equalized with just under 10 minutes left on a play in which Eagle forward Josh Peaslee appeared to have received the ball in an offside position. The officials allowed play to continue, and York keeper Dan Graziano and back Giancarlo DeSario collided while going after the ball, while Peaslee managed to head the ball, which bounced slowly into the York goal from 15 yards out.
Up and down play continued, and regulation ran out with the score 1-1.
The Eagles nearly ended things early in OT when they rocketed a shot off the crossbar, but Graziano managed to grab the rebound shot, leaving the Wildcats alive for striker Alibrandi to knock in the game winner with 7:45 left when his shot went into the upper corner after the assist from Pat Cartier.
Graziano, in great form over the past several games, made 13 saves.
