OAKLAND — Alexis Morin held her hands above her head and jumped up and down before getting mobbed by her Brunswick girls soccer teammates. Head coach Martyn Davison raised a fist into the air and embraced his assistants, as beaten Bangor walked off the field in disbelief.
The Dragons were regional champions for the first time since 2009.
The freshman Morin headed home a long cross from Ella Gustafson with 1:18 remaining in the first overtime period to give Brunswick a thrilling 2-1 victory in the Class A North final Wednesday at Messalonskee High School.
“I honestly kind of blanked out in the moment (when the pass was coming from Gustafson),” said Morin after the game. “I was just trying to get a head on it and it worked out. It feels awesome (to be regional champions).”
The win propelled No. 3 Brunswick (15-2) into the Class A final against Windham (17-0-0) on Saturday at Massabesic High School in Waterboro. It’s the first state final game appearance for the Dragons since 2009.
Morin kept her composure when she saw the ball streaking toward her about 12 yards from the goal. She gracefully moved her head and pushed the ball over Rams goalie Emma McNeil, touching off a wild celebration.
“I thought Bangor was the better team (Wednesday) to be honest,” said Davison. “We rallied and fought back when we needed to, I thought we were a bit lackluster after we gave up the goal. We got a bit lucky at times and things went our way, that’s soccer.”
Logan Brown’s highlight-reel level goal with 11:35 to go in the first half gave the Dragons a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
The goal came when Brown tried to send a cross into the box, but was denied by Bangor defender Julia Smallwood. The ball came back to Brown, and she buried a shot over McNeil, with the shot hitting the right post and deflecting into the back of the net.
However, the powerful Rams would fight back. Devon St. Louis tied the game with 22:38 remaining in the second half after firing home a free-kick from Hannah Sherwood past Brunswick goalie Sophia Morin (13 saves).
“We just thought we’d get it to overtime at that point, knowing anything can happen,” said Davison.
Brunswick goalie Sophia Morin, center, stops a shot on goal by Bangor’s Emilyn Streams during the Class A North girls soccer final Wednesday at Messalonskee High School in Oakland. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
When overtime came, the Dragons dominated, outshooting Bangor 4-1 in the period. Still, Bangor had its chance about seven minutes in when St. Louis’ shot hit the post before Sophia Morin gobbled it up.
“Sophia (Morin) and our defense was phenomenal, they kept us alive at times,” said Davison. “I thought we could’ve gone without letting up that goal, but mistakes happen back there.”
Bangor had multiple opportunities to score more than just its lone goal. First, Emilyn Streams was denied by Morin on a penalty kick. St. Louis got a shot on net on the rebound but again Morin was there to deny her. Later in the first half, St. Louis got the ball at point-blank range on her right foot, but Morin sent that shot over the top of the net and away from danger.
Bangor goalie McNeil finished with 16 saves.
“We never gave up any hope and worked together as a team,” said Morin. “We didn’t let ourselves get down and we knew we could do it, now we have one more.”
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