PORTLAND—On a night when the program’s past was hailed, the present-day Portland Bulldogs boys’ soccer team made its mark Thursday evening at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
And the common denominator in 1972 and 2022 got to revel in the celebration of both.
Portland hosted Cheverus in a late-season city showdown and the Bulldogs, less than 24 hours removed from a tough loss at Falmouth, got the only goal they would need when senior Nico Millones scored on a rebound at the midway point of the first half.
Then, at the half, several players from the 1972 Portland squad, the first in program history, were recognized, along with their coach, Rocco Frenzilli, who remains the Bulldogs’ coach today.
Portland then went out and got some breathing room with just 25 minutes left, when senior Ollie Hettenbach’s cross went off a defender and in.
The Bulldogs’ defense did the rest, allowing only two shots all game, and Portland went on to a 2-0 victory.
“It’s amazing how fast 50 years goes,” said Frenzilli. “The energy these young men give me and the passion they have for the game rubs off on me and I still love coming to the field every day. You win with them, you lose with them and you’re with them all the way.”
A half-century later
Portland opened with a 1-0 loss at Scarborough, then fell by the same score to visiting Marshwood (the reigning Class A state champion) before hitting its stride by rolling at Noble (13-0), beating visiting Biddeford (7-1), edging host Windham (3-2) and downing visiting Westbrook (4-1). After a 1-0 overtime home loss to South Portland, the Bulldogs erupted for a 15-0 win at Massabesic, blanked host Bonny Eagle (3-0) and visiting Kennebunk (5-0), then lost at Gorham (2-0) and Wednesday at Falmouth (2-1), after letting a first half lead slip away.
Cheverus lost its first two games by 4-1 scores, at South Portland and at home to Gorham, then downed host Bonny Eagle (5-2) and visiting Noble (8-0) before settling for a 1-1 tie at Kennebunk and beating visiting Biddeford in overtime (2-1). After a 1-0 home loss to Westbrook, the Stags handled visiting Massabesic (9-2) and tied host Deering (2-2) and Falmouth (1-1). Cheverus lost at home to Windham (4-0), then bounced back Wednesday to edge visiting Sanford (4-3).
Last year, Cheverus won at Portland in the regular season, 2-1, but the Bulldogs returned the favor in the Class A South preliminary round with a 1-0 overtime victory, on a goal from then-junior Nicky Paterniti.
Thursday, on a 60-degree evening with rain falling lightly at first, then picking up in the second half, Portland did just enough to earn a much-needed victory.
The Bulldogs put pressure on early, but a shot from junior Max Kierstead sailed high, then a deflected shot from Hettenbach was snared by Stags’ senior goalkeeper Luke McNabb.
With exactly 20 minutes remaining in the first half, Portland broke through, as Hettenbach got some space on the left, crossed the ball in front and it bounced off a defender right to Millones, who had just subbed into the game, and Millones finished for a 1-0 lead.
“I’ve been playing with (Ollie) for a long time, I knew where he was going to put it and I’m happy I was there,” said Millones. “It just deflected right to me.”
“Nico was in the right place,” said Frenzilli. “When Ollie brings the ball down the side and rips it across, anyone can get on it with feet or a body part.”
After McNabb kept the deficit at one by denying sophomore Francisco Samuel, then saving a shot from Hettenbach, Cheverus’ lone good look of the first half came off the left foot of junior Anton Behuniak, whose one-timer was denied by Portland senior goalie Ben Littell.
After Hettenbach sent a free kick high in the final seconds, the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead the break.
Longtime Portland High boys ‘soccer coach Rocco Frenzilli (center) is joined by players from his (and the program’s) first varsity team from 1972, Fred Wade, left, Wally Camp, Vinnie Kennedy, Mike Caiazzo, Steve Richardson, Tom Toohey and Paul Toohey. Hoffer photo.
At halftime, seven members of the 1972 squad came on to the field to be recognized and take a picture with their former coach.
And reminisce.
“It’s great to be back here,” said Steve Richardson, a member of the 1972 team, who lives in South Portland and is retired after a career at TD Bank. “A lot of good memories. We had a lot of fun. Not many of us knew what a soccer ball was or how to hit it. We were a rag-tag group. Rocco had a tough job to bring us along. To see this jell into a polished program is really great.”
Back then, Portland didn’t play on turf or under the lights at Fitzpatrick Stadium. The Bulldogs played where they could and often had to clear the field of trash and debris, but the 1972 team laid the foundation for what eventually would become one of the top programs in the state.
With Frenzilli being the constant, coaching most of the past 50 seasons.
“Wasn’t it great seeing those guys?” Frenzilli said. “I recognized them all. My memories of that year are that I was fresh out of a college, working as an Ed Tech at King (Middle School) and I got a call from the AD and he said, ‘Soccer’s starting on the peninsula, do you want to start it?’ I did most of my recruiting from East Deering because I was only six or seven years older than those guys.
“To see them again tonight made my heart feel really good.”
Frenzilli’s ability to positively impact his players is as clear now as it was a half-century ago.
“He was fun to play for,” Richardson said. “He was a great coach and we loved him.”
“(Coach) gives us everything he’s got and he makes our team better,” Millones said.
“He’s a great coach and an even better person,” said Hettenbach. “He keeps the attitudes great in the locker room and in practice. I’m so thankful that he’s our coach.”
When played resumed in the second half, Portland wasn’t content to sit on its lead and set out to get a second goal.
After junior Ford Myers just missed twice, the Bulldogs were rewarded, as with 24:32 left, Hettenbach crossed the ball beautifully and it deflected off a defender and went into the net to make it 2-0.
“A 1-0 lead is dangerous against a good team,” Hettenbach said. “A 2-0 lead felt safer, so it was good to get another. It’s nice to have a little bit of luck.”
“That combination that they set up was how you draw it up to perfect,” Frenzilli said. “Four kids touched the ball, Ollie drove it in front and a goal is a goal, I’ll take it at this point.”
Cheverus tried to answer, but Portland senior Finn Tidd broke up a rush from junior Lucca Locatelli, Bulldogs senior Ben DiYenno broke up senior James Baur in the box, Littell denied a header from senior Collin Plalum and Littell punched out a long free kick from Behuniak.
Portland ran out the clock from there and celebrated its 2-0 victory.
“It feels great,” said Hettenbach. “We played great as a team. It was great to see how well we played and to get two goals against a good team. We’ve just got to score to win.”
“We’re happy we can win this one,” Millones said.
“I’m pleased with the effort,” added Frenzilli. “Cheverus played us strong and I knew they would. We had a couple little hiccups but nothing the kids didn’t clean up. Tonight, we were able to recover. I feel so good for the guys. I wanted something good to happen to them.”
Portland out-shot Cheverus, 7-2, got two saves from Littell and enjoyed a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks.
The Stags got five saves from McNabb, but couldn’t generate any offense.
“I thought Luke played great for us tonight,” said Cheverus coach Bill LeBlanc. “We just had a couple bad bounces. I thought the game was a little lethargic because we both played yesterday. We don’t have a lot of depth and we were a little tired. (Portland’s) athletic and they play well together.”
One final tune-up
Cheverus finishes the regular season at Marshwood Monday. At press time, the Stags were 11th in Class A South (where 11 teams qualify for the playoffs).
“Scarborough is head and shoulders above everyone right now and they’re showing it, but there are nine or 10 teams that don’t want to play each other because everyone has beaten each other up,” LeBlanc said. “If Scarborough doesn’t do it, some obscure team like Marshwood last year might make a run at it. It all comes down to goalies. We can beat everyone on a given day, but can we do it four or five times? We’ll take it one at a time and see what happens.”
Portland (currently ninth in Class A South) closes at home against Thornton Academy Tuesday of next week.
“We are a top team and we’re very competitive,” Millones said. “We’ll give everything we’ve got every game.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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