FREEPORT—It’s time to start taking Greely’s girls’ soccer team seriously as a contender in Class B South.

While all eyes have been on reigning state champion Cape Elizabeth and preseason favorite Yarmouth (rightfully so), the Rangers are rounding into form thanks to a combination of promising newcomers and steady veterans, including several girls who won a state title in lacrosse four months ago.

Tuesday evening at Glen A. Hutchins Field, Greely hosted Freeport, on Senior Night, in a critical late-season contest and did just enough to continue its recent surge.

The Falcons and Rangers both had chances but couldn’t finish in a scoreless first half.

It took until 15:01 remained on the clock for Greely to finally break through, as senior captain Allie Read served in a free kick to the box where freshman Avery Bush was waiting to send it home and that was enough to produce a 1-0 victory.

The Rangers improved to 8-3-1 and are now 6-1-1 over their last eight games, as they dropped Freeport to 5-6-1 in the process.

“We’re the underdogs compared to Cape and Yarmouth, but I think we can do it,” Read said. “When we work together and play well, we’re really unstoppable.”

Coming on strong

Greely hasn’t been able to solve the region’s two top teams, but they’ve done very well against everyone else.

After opening with a 4-0 win at Poland, the Rangers lost at home to Cape Elizabeth (4-0) and after beating host Freeport (2-1), they fell at Yarmouth (3-2). Greely then ran off four straight victories, beating visiting Lake Region (3-2), host Gray-New Gloucester (4-1), visiting Sacopee Valley (6-1) and visiting Wells (4-0). After a scoreless home tie versus York, the Rangers beat host Fryeburg Academy (3-0), then lost at Cape Elizabeth Friday by a 3-0 margin.

Freeport started slowly with losses at York (1-0) and Yarmouth (3-0) and at home to Greely (2-1). After a 2-1 victory at Lake Region, the Falcons fell at Cape Elizabeth (4-0). Wins over visiting Fryeburg Academy (3-0), visiting Gray-New Gloucester (2-1), host Fryeburg Academy (1-0) and host Wells (1-0) followed. After settling for a 1-1 home tie against York, Freeport lost at home to Yarmouth in its most recent outing, 2-0.

In the teams’ first meeting Sept. 10, freshman Silvi Strong scored in the third minute to give the Falcons the lead, but senior Holly Moss scored late in the first half to tie it, then Greely won it on junior Shaylee O’Grady’s second half tally.

The teams split a year ago, with the Rangers winning at home, 3-0, and the Falcons prevailing in Freeport, 2-1.

Tuesday, on a chilly evening (52 degrees and dropping at kickoff), Greely’s defense flustered Freeport until the offense finally produced the game’s lone tally.

In the second minute, Rangers freshman Lily Pierce pounced on a turnover, but shot just high.

The Falcons then countered, as Strong sent a nice ball ahead for senior Emily Olsen, but Greely senior goalkeeper Elise Ekowicki beat her to it.

After Freeport senior goalkeeper Lauren Roussel broke up a Bush feed to senior Sydney Madore, Roussel saved a pair of shots from sophomore Molly Partridge.

With 9:22 left in the first half, Falcons junior Rosie St. Cyr shot the ball and it deflected off a defender, but Ekowicki was there to save it.

Down the stretch, Ekowicki beat Olsen to a St. Cyr through ball and Roussel robbed Bush after she took a nice feed from sophomore Abby Lennox.

Greely had a 4-2 edge in shots on frame in the first half and Freeport took three corner kicks to the Rangers’ one, but neither team was able to break through.

Early in the second half, the frustration continued, as Olsen set up junior Pearl Peterson, who missed the target, and Olsen had a shot saved by Ekowicki.

At the other end, Bush missed high.

Then, with 15:01 remaining, after a Falcons’ foul, Read lined up a free kick from about 30 yards out and she served it perfectly into the box where Bush ran on to the ball and kicked it past Roussel for a 1-0 lead.

“I thought no one had me on the back post and I was wide open,” Bush said. “I was there and I was hoping (Allie) would see me and she did.”

“Avery is a beast,” said Read. “I want to take all the chances I can to set up my teammates. They all have the ability to put it in the net. I know if I put it up there, eventually someone will barge through and put one in. That was a good ball. You can tell when it flies.”

“I hoped we’d get one,” added Rangers’ second-year coach Rachel Williams. “We had some good chances and I’m glad we finally put one in the back of the net.”

Bush’s emergence, along with that of Pierce, has been critical with O’Grady sidelined for multiple games with an injury (Greely hopes she can return for the playoffs.

“For the freshmen that are on the team, there’s pressure to step up,” said Bush. “We know we have to be the best we can be. It feels great when we do that. It’s just amazing to feel like we’re helping this team.”

“We have freshmen contributing that I didn’t think would have to contribute, but they have stepped up and have done great,” Williams said. “Avery is physically really strong. She’s not afraid of anything and she’ll go to the goal. Same with Lily Pierce, who is really smart, doesn’t get rattled and is really consistent.”

Freeport tried to answer, but Ekowicki saved shots from junior Taryn Curry and junior Luci Bourgeois.

After Ekowicki beat senior Kate Tracy to a ball in the box in the final minute, Greely was able to run out the clock and celebrate its 1-0 victory.

“Honestly, I felt like we had it the whole way but we couldn’t get it in the back of the net,” Bush said. “I’m so happy we finally did.”

“(Freeport’s) fast, so it came down to wanting it,” Read said. “I wanted to win this game so badly for my parents and my teammates. We had to dig deep and the more you want it, the faster you’re going to run and the harder you’re going to work.”

“Our defense communicates and adjusts well,” Williams added. “They do what they need to do. They have a lot of poise and they’re consistent with good discipline.”

Each team put six shots on frame and took four corner kicks. Ekowicki made five saves.

Roussel saved five shots for the Falcons, who were blanked for the fifth time this fall.

“We just have to do a better job in the offensive end,” said Freeport coach David Intraversato. “We’ve talked about it all year. We’ve just had trouble scoring goals. We were close, one touch away. We had some crosses, but we just couldn’t finish. We have to do a better job with defensive coverage and not fouling in close games. Greely’s always good. They’re well-coached, they play the ball well and they’re tough in the middle.”

Final opportunities

Freeport (currently ranked 11th in the Class B South Heal Points standings) is home against Poland Friday, then finishes up at home versus Cape Elizabeth Tuesday of next week.

“We hope to get a couple goals against Poland and I’d love to score against Cape,” Intraversato said. “We’re looking better every day. Hopefully, we can use this as practice for the playoffs. The girls can have confidence knowing they can play with these (top teams).”

Greely (ranked fourth in Class B South) hopes to avenge its earlier loss when it welcomes Yarmouth Saturday. The Rangers close at York Tuesday of next week.

“We’re good,” said Read. “I think we’re definitely going to be a team to beat in the playoffs. Our team chemistry is absolutely insane.”

“We just need to do what we know how to do,” said Bush. “We can’t let panic set in and just play like we know we can play.”

“We’re so excited,” Williams added. “We have a young team, but both Cape and Yarmouth know we can compete with them. On any given night, it’s anybody’s game. All the goals scored in those games on both sides have been really unique, so we just need to tidy up our play and cut down on our mistakes and we’ll be right there. I really believe on any given night we could beat Yarmouth or Cape and I think they would agree.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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