SCARBOROUGH – The score was the shocker.
That unbeaten Scarborough High, the top-rated team in Class A South boys’ soccer, could beat No. 3 Marshwood on its home turf was completely understandable.
But to beat the defending Class A champions, who had only lost once this season, by a 7-0 score? That will cause some double-takes around state soccer circles.
“I think it will make a statement,” said Scarborough senior forward Will Fallona, who scored three goals.
The Red Storm (9-0) came out firing right away and never slowed down in a near perfect first half. Kilson Joao scored just 24 seconds into the game, getting a touch near the top of the box, beating a defender 1-on-1 and burying a chance to the low right corner.
Before the half was over, Scarborough had piled up 16 shots, allowed only two Marshwood shots – neither of which were particularly dangerous – and scored five more goals.
Dillon MacLeod scored directly off a corner-kick to make it 2-0 in the 10th minute. Then Joao soared high and firmly headed in a hard, accurate cross from Matt Fallona, who had struck the ball while on the run near the right corner.
Scarborough’s midfield kept getting to balls first and then quickly shifting it to the outside, where players like fullback Parker Killiard kept peppering the Marshwood defense with well-placed passes from distance, either into the scoring area or across the pitch.
“There was no selfishness at all,” Killiard said.
Will Fallona scored the next two, both off assists from Jack Moreau. Scarborough rotated players off its deep bench and kept the pressure on. Ian McKeen, with an assist from Oscar Davis made it 6-0 with 5:25 left in the half with another perfectly placed shot to the corner that gave Marshwood keeper Andrew Perry (six saves) little chance to stop.
“You don’t get many halves like that. The way we moved the ball and we were unselfish,” said Scarborough Coach Mark Diaz. “Those were things we talked about before the game and you have to give the kids credit. They executed what we talked about.”
Joao’s second goal, Scarborough’s third, was the prettiest – until Joao set up Will Fallona early in the second half.
Joao, in the left middle of the field and about 20 yards from the goal, hit a flipping bicycle kick that sent a high-arcing pass to the back post. Fallona muscled his way over a Marshwood defender and knocked it in with a header.
“Kilson’s always doing the craziest stuff to get the ball across and that just shows you how he works,” Fallona said.
Marshwood slipped to 8-2, one game after it had knocked South Portland from the unbeaten ranks on Friday. The Hawks were without their standout striker Wyatt Yager, who suffered a leg injury on Friday. Marshwood Coach Ben Deschene said Yager’s absence was not an excuse or even a reason for the lopsided outcome.
“Hat’s off to Scarborough. That was as good a performance as I’ve seen in my coaching career. That was excellent soccer,” Deschene said.
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