WILL FALLONA, Senior – Soccer
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• All-New England
* All-American
* All-State
* Class A South, all-region
• SMAA all-star, first-team
* SMAA All-Academic
* Senior All-Star
Fallona was an opportunistic and prolific goal scorer for a Red Storm team that came oh-so-close to capturing the Class A state title.
Fallona started playing soccer at a young age and it quickly became his top sport.
“Soccer was always my favorite,” Fallona said. “I love the mental piece of the sport. It’s an organized game. You have to see the field correctly. It takes the whole team to win.”
Fallona worked hard to play a bigger and bigger role on the team and that all came together this fall, as he scored 25 goals and added eight assists.
Highlights included two goals in a win over Westbrook, two more goals in a victory over Windham, three goals in a win at Sanford, the decisive goal in a victory over Kennebunk, a key second half goal in a win over Falmouth, two goals in a victory over Thornton Academy, three goals in a surprisingly lopsided win over reigning state champion Marshwood, three goals in a victory over Massabesic and a goal in a win over South Portland.
Scarborough won its first 13 games, then lost its final to Deering, but wound up the top seed in Class A South and Fallona played an integral role in helping the Red Storm advance to the state game.
In the quarterfinals, Scarborough rallied to beat Falmouth, 2-1, as Fallona scored the tying goal and set up junior Kilson Joao for the winner. In the semifinals, a 2-0 win over Gorham, Fallona scored his final goal. Scarborough then got past Windham in overtime in the regional final, on a Joao goal, and led Brunswick most of the way in the state game before the Dragons scored twice late to prevail, 2-1, and deny the Red Storm’s title dream.
“It took a long time to get over (the loss), but I’m just happy my last game was in the state final,” said Fallona. “I thought we’d be the best team this year. I knew we had skill, heart and the mental piece.”
Fallona, who plays club soccer for Seacoast, was also part of Scarborough’s boys’ hockey team’s improbable run to a championship last year. He hopes to play soccer in college, likely at the Division III level.
He certainly made the most of his final high school soccer season. Will Fallona, Scarborough’s Fall Athlete of the Year, was as dangerous as they come and he was at his best in the biggest moments.
Coach Mark Diaz’s comment: “Will had one of the best years a striker could have in this program. His relentless work ethic on and off the field was an example to the younger players. He has always been a dangerous forward, but this year he improved his passing which made him a complete player. He has spent countless hours improving his strength and fitness to compete at a high level. He was the emotional heartbeat of this team and his desire to succeed inspired everyone in this program.”
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Prior winners:
• 2021 Zach Barry (cross country)
* 2020 Zander Haskell (soccer)
• 2019 Jarett Flaker (football)
• 2018 Anthony Burnham (golf)
• 2017 Owen Garrard (football)
• 2016 Dakota Joy (football)
• 2015 Matt Caron (soccer)
• 2014 Drew Kane (golf)
• 2013 Ben Greenberg (football)
• 2012 Dillon Russo (football)
• 2011 Nick Morris (cross country)
• 2010 Mike Cyr (football)
• 2009 Trevor Hoxsie (soccer)
• 2008 Ian Philbrick (soccer)
• 2007 Nate Gove (soccer)
• 2006 Jack Snyder (golf)
• 2005 Derek Poulin (soccer)
• 2004 Brad Carlson (soccer)
• 2003 Tim Waterhouse (cross country)
• 2002 Travis Hitchcock (football)
• 2001 Nial DeMena (football)
LANA DJURANOVIC, Junior – Soccer
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• All-American
* All-New England
* All-State
• Class A South all-region
* SMAA all-star, first-team
Long before she scored one of the biggest goals in program history, Djuranovic was already establishing her status as a player without peer. She then soared into legend by heading home the shot that gave Scarborough the Class A state title and best of all for the Red Storm, she has one more year to dazzle on the pitch.
Djuranovic came to soccer naturally at a young age, following in the footsteps of her older sister, Una (her father is also a longtime player) and it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with the sport.
“Soccer’s always been my top sport,” said Djuranovic. “It’s a very creative game. The team aspect is something I really enjoy. You have to have passion to be successful.”
Djuranovic made the Scarborough varsity as a freshman, but COVID shortened the season and she spent most of her time as a defensive midfielder. She then took over in the midfield as a sophomore, exploding on to the scene by scoring 18 goals and adding 13 assists for a strong Red Storm team that was upset in the quarterfinals. This fall, Djuranovic took on an even bigger scoring role and she and her squad proved to be unstoppable.
Djuranovic, who teamed up with senior Ali Mokriski to make up an unstoppable tandem, wound up scoring 28 goals and adding five assists and highlights were plentiful, as she scored in 16 of 18 games and had multiple goals on nine occasions.
Djuranovic scored three goals in a win over Kennebunk, had two goals and an assist in a victory over Biddeford, two goals in a playoff loss-avenging win over Thornton Academy, two goals in a victory over Marshwood, three goals in a win over Noble, two goals in a victory at Massabesic (which gave her the single-season program scoring record) and two goals in a win over Bonny Eagle.
She was even more impressive in the crucible of the postseason, scoring once in a quarterfinal round victory over Portland, twice in a narrow win over Cheverus in the semifinals, a highlight reel opening goal in a surprisingly decisive victory over Gorham in a battle of unbeaten teams in the regional final and she punctuated a season for the ages by soaring into the night to beat Brunswick in the second-overtime of the Class A state final.
“It’s still so surreal to me,” said Djuranovic a couple weeks after the state game. “Celebrating with the team afterwards was the best feeling. I still watch (the state game goal) every day. I’m so proud. Our team had such an impact on the town. That was so heartwarming. The majority of us play club (soccer) and that’s very helpful. We were a solid passing team. We’re technical and were able to connect.
“I was surprised to be such a goal-scorer this year. Playing Ali on the wing allowed me to get more forward. I was more confident this year. I didn’t know I had so much potential before.”
Djuranovic, who received multiple honors after the season, including being named an All-American, now has 47 career goals and 20 assists and she’s far from done, as she’ll look to score an abundance of goals and make a run at another championship as a senior, then she’ll look to play in college, perhaps at a high level.
Lana Djuranovic, Scarborough’s Fall Athlete of the Year, is already at an elite level. Look for her legend to only keep growing.
Coach Mike Farley’s comment: “Lana is the best player I’ve coached at Scarborough, she can do anything she wants with the ball. She can score all possible ways, from the run of play with the dribble to creating her own shot with either foot. She scored multiple goals directly from set plays winning balls with her head or off a volley, she scored off free kicks she took and she is a very skilled passer. She can play dangerous passes over great distances freeing her teammates before they even know they are open. She is the engine that made our team run this year playing as the attacking-mid on our team and really running the midfield and being very dangerous herself going forward from that position smashing the single-season scoring record at Scarborough. Her improvement from year-to-year at Scarborough has been remarkable and I can’t wait to see her improvement leading into next season.”
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Prior winners:
• 2021 Maddie Strouse (volleyball)
* 2020 Ali Mokriski (soccer)
• 2019 Ashley Sabatino (soccer)
• 2018 Molly Murnane (soccer)
• 2017 Natalie Simonton (volleyball)
• 2016 Lily Nygren (field hockey)
• 2015 Emily Hanson (volleyball)
• 2014 Kristen Murray (field hockey)
• 2013 Abby Mills (volleyball)
• 2012 Sarah Martens (soccer)
• 2011 Brittany Bona (volleyball)
• 2010 Cortney Hughes (soccer)
• 2009 Brittany Ross (field hockey)
• 2008 Brittany Ross (field hockey)
• 2007 Sarah Bonenfant (field hockey)
• 2006 Erica Jesseman (cross country)
• 2005 Liz Houle (soccer)
• 2004 Caitlin Albert (field hockey)
• 2003 Zaria Udeh (soccer)
• 2002 Caitlin Neelon (field hockey)
• 2001 Maureen McHugh (soccer)
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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