KENNEBUNK — Kennebunk striker Joe York is among the SMAA’s most gifted finishers, yet all season long, his name was nowhere to be seen on any scoresheet.
That is, is wasn’t until Tuesday, when he ended his personal goal drought by netting the game’s lone goal to deliver the Rams a 1-0 win over South Portland in SMAA boys soccer action at Veterans Memorial Field.
“It definitely feels good to break the barrier,” said York, who endured both a late start to the season and a leg injury. “It feels good to get my touch back and get on the scoreboard.”
Particularly when it helps deliver a much needed triumph that produced a haul of precious Heal Points crucial to ratcheting down Kennebunk’s post season prospects.
“The change in our playoff format this year, “creates regular season games like this,” said Kennebunk coach Nate Bean, noting the shrinking of the field to nine teams per region,
The Rams, who kept traffic away from netminder Spencer Pope for most of the game, had a slew of scoring chances in the first period, then produced more threats after intermission.
Perhaps the most dangerous of those came in the 45th minute, when Henry Gould threaded a perfect cross-crease pass to Dan Snyder, whose tap in attempt went just wide of the cage.
“We really matched their intensity throughout the game,” said York. “We had a bunch of chances that we should have finished. I think we were confident that we’d finish at least one of them.”
Their conviction was rewarded, when after York picked up a loose ball near midfield, then moved in on South Portland goalie Brian Hyson.
Blowing through a host of Red Riots defenders, York came face to face w
ith Hyson, who played most of the contest with a painful hip injury.
“I actually took it with my right foot,” said the left-footed York. “I saw the left corner open, so I took it.”
Once it had the lead, Kennebunk played a strong game right through to the end, and allowed the Red Riots few scoring chances in the second half.
“It was a long time coming,” said Bean. “It was his first, but I suspect it won’t be his last.”
— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
