Windham 3
Biddeford 2
The Windham and Biddeford boys soccer teams opened their season by facing off at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford, with Windham coming out on top 3-2. Josh Young scored two goals for Windham en route to the win.
Windham opened the game with an unassisted goal from Eric Walton to go up, 1-0. Taking advantage of the quick lead, Windham pounced to go up 2-0 on Young’s first goal of the game. Young scored on an assist from Anthony Ruggiero.
“Josh played really well, and he could have had a couple more goals today,” said Windham head coach Jim O’Connor. “He creates a lot of opportunities for us. He’s a very skilled player.”
Biddeford was not about to allow a team to come into their home field and take over, and with 8:30 left in the first half, they cut the lead in half on an unassisted goal from Mohammed Mohammed. The score was locked at 2-1 when the halftime buzzer sounded.
“Biddeford is very much improved (from last year),” said O’Connor. “They play hard, they work the ball well, and they’re very aggressive.”
Less than three minutes into the start of the second half, Josh Young scored his second goal, this one unassisted, to put Windham up, 3-1.
With the game seemingly in hand, Windham pulled goalie Matt Boisvert with fifteen minutes left in the game replacing him with Evan McRerie. McRerie made four saves while in, but allowed one Biddeford goal that made the contest a one-goal game.
With just 1:32 left, Biddeford’s Dan Hoy was able to get one past McRerie, to put the score at 3-2 and put Biddeford in striking distance of Windham. However, Windham was able to kill the final minute and a half and preserve the road victory.
“We have Noble at home on Wednesday (Sept. 5), and we’re going to have to shore up our defense between now and then,” said O’Connor. “We have six or seven sophomores playing a lot of time for us, and they’re pretty inexperienced. So, we’ll have to work on it the next couple of days.”
Biddeford was scheduled to face South Portland on the road on Sept. 5. The Tigers’ will play another road game against Scarborough on Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. Biddeford returns home to face the Westbrook Blue Blazes on Sept.10 at 6 p.m.
For Windham, the Eagles were scheduled to face Noble at home on Sept. 5. Following that game, Windham will take on Westbrook on the road on Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. and Bonny Eagle, also on the road, on Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. The Eagles return home on Sept. 15 to face Gorham in a game at noon.
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